Search - William Croft, John Scott, Parley of Instruments :: Croft at St Paul's - Te Deum & Burial Service (English Orpheus, Vol 15) /St Paul's Cathedral Choir * Parley of Instruments * Scott

Ineffable and poignant

W. Pearce | Pretoria, South Africa | 12/03/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Most of us have grown up listening to the David Wilcocks/King's
College Choir recording of Croft's Burial Service (1972). The opening
sentences are recorded as a processional chant where the choir slowly
approaches from a distance. The choir then settles in the chancel to
intone the "De Profundis" before continuing with "Man
that is born of woman hath but a short time to live . . .". At
this moment one feels as though one is standing among the singers. I
still to this day hold my breath for those few moments before the
"De Profundis". Its purity is startling, and it encapulates
all the simple beauty of Anglican chant. The rendition of Purcell's
included anthem, "Lord, thou knowest the secrets of our hearts,
. ..." is particularly successful in this recording.The
recording under the direction of John Scott (1998) is quite
different. The choir is static during the opening sentences, and there
is, alas, no "De Profundis". The acoustics of St Paul's
Cathedral, the phrasing and tempi, however, more than compensate for
these deficiencies. It reveals this incomparable homophonic
masterpiece in all its glory. Would it that all our public expressions
of grief could display such a beautiful simplicity and be dignified by
such ineffable solemnity and heartbreaking poignancy.Unfortunately,
on this disc the Burial Service is sandwiched between two of Croft's
joyous, floridly Baroque anthems. For me this is not an entirely happy
combination.
"