Search - Henry Purcell, John Blow, William Cornysh :: Westminster Abbey: Millennium of Music

Worth a look as 2000 approaches

Mark Swinton | 11/27/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What a fine CD this is! As well as offering a generous and well-thought-out cross section of music written for Westminster Abbey Choir over the past thousand years, this also presents a neat view of the various facets of worship there- the choral Eucharist and Evensong settings, psalms, plainchant, hymns, and full anthems, as well as the coronation anthems unique to the Abbey. Of course, with each successive track the style advances, allowing us to see how choral music has developed across the ages. Of course, composers who directed at the Abbey are prominently featured (including Purcell and Gibbons, each represented with two works), and for the closing tracks we get an insight into the commissioning of new work (very common with Cathedral choirs at the moment). All of it is rendered with vigour, splendour and sensitivity (although sometimes the choir's intonation seems a little flat). I particularly like Martin Neary's chosen tempi for Handel's "Zadok the Priest"- in which the English Chamber Orchestra make a welcome appearance. It is somewhat inappropriate of me to single out any particular track as better than the others, given the unbiased and eclectic nature of the programme, but I would say that the Howells Westminster Service as presented here is one of the most powerful and stunning sounds I have ever heard- given a mighty and noble rendition by a very capable choir. This is another brilliant addition to Sony's "Arc of Light" recordings from Westminster Abbey. If you have any interest in the Abbey or are simply seeking a general overview of Cathedral music spanning the centuries, it is a disc you simply must consider. Highly recommended!"