Brilliant composer
Christian Ellithorpe | Streamwood, IL United States | 10/26/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This disc is a superb find, with rare gems by one of the most brilliant 20th century composers. Taken from life at a far too early age, Mathias' choral works are as fascinating, if not quite as accessible as Vaughan Williams' or Benjamin Britten's. I only wish three additional choral masterpieces were included: "Wassail", "Let All the People Rejoice" and "A Babe is Born", but that is a very small gripe. The pieces included here are all superb and are more rare, and besides this, the pieces I listed are included on other very fine recordings. If you like beautifully constructed choral harmonies, with dramatic scores for organ and/or orchestra, and especially if you've ever enjoyed choral works by British composers like Benjamin Britten, William Walton or Ralph Vaughan Williams, this disc is a must. Buy this, and you'll definitely want to search out the other pieces I mentioned later."