Search - Charles Villiers Stanford, John [Composer] Goss, Herbert Sumsion :: The English Anthem, Vol. 7

One of the best in the series

Mark Swinton | 05/16/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Out of all the discs in the "English Anthem" series I have thus far discovered, this volume is definitely the best. The programme is a beautiful mix of styles and features composers both well-known and relatively obscure. I bought it for track three: "They that go down to the sea in ships" by Herbert Sumsion, which at the time of writing I am preparing to sing with the Choir of Selby Abbey. It is a lovely anthem with some outstanding harmonic language and a remarkably economic use of musical material. Other masterpieces on this disc include William Walton's early work "A Litany" ("Drop, drop slow tears"), Thomas Attwood's simple and beguiling "Turn thy face from my sins," John Rutter's brief but telling setting of "God be in my head" and the extremely demanding "Give me the wings of faith" by Kenneth Leighton. Each demands its own special sound world and approach, but the choir tackles this problem head on and the result is a uniform and accessible quality in each work, regardless of its style. This disc almost cries out to be added to the collection. Well done to Hyperion, the St. Paul's Cathedral Choir, Huw Williams (who provides some marvellous organ accompaniments) and of course to John Scott."