Treasures of Christ Church

Music with deep links to its Oxford college performers

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Peter Warlock, George Frideric Handel, Herbert Howells, John Taverner, Howard Goodall, Benjamin Britten, Orlando Gibbons, Stephen Darlington, Francis Grier, John Tavener, Thomas Weelkes, Thomas Tallis, Henry Purcell, William Byrd, John Rutter, Robert I Parsons, William Walton

Genre:

Vocal

Label: Avie

Magazine Review Date: 12/2011

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 69

Mastering:

Stereo
DDD

Catalogue Number: AV2215

Tracks:

Composition	Artist Credit
(A) Shepherd's Carol	Benjamin Britten, Composer Benjamin Britten, Composer Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford Stephen Darlington, Conductor
O Lord make thy servant	William Byrd, Composer Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford Stephen Darlington, Conductor William Byrd, Composer
Jacob's Ladder	Stephen Darlington, Composer Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford Stephen Darlington, Conductor Stephen Darlington, Composer
Great Lord of Lords	Orlando Gibbons, Composer Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford Orlando Gibbons, Composer Stephen Darlington, Conductor
Veni, Sancte Spiritus	Howard Goodall, Composer Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford Howard Goodall, Composer Stephen Darlington, Conductor
My breath lies quiet	Francis Grier, Composer Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford Francis Grier, Composer Stephen Darlington, Conductor
Coronation Anthems, Movement: Zadok the Priest, HWV258	George Frideric Handel, Composer Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford George Frideric Handel, Composer Stephen Darlington, Conductor
Like as the hart	Herbert Howells, Composer Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford Herbert Howells, Composer Stephen Darlington, Conductor
Ave Maria	Robert I Parsons, Composer Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford Robert I Parsons, Composer Stephen Darlington, Conductor
O God, thou art my God	Henry Purcell, Composer Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford Henry Purcell, Composer Stephen Darlington, Conductor
Canticle of the Heavenly City	John Rutter, Composer Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford John Rutter, Composer Stephen Darlington, Conductor
Salvator Mundi	Thomas Tallis, Composer Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford Stephen Darlington, Conductor Thomas Tallis, Composer
(The) Lord's Prayer	John Tavener, Composer Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford John Tavener, Composer Stephen Darlington, Conductor
Christe Jesu, pastor bone	John Taverner, Composer Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford John Taverner, Composer Stephen Darlington, Conductor
Set me as a seal upon thine heart	William Walton, Composer Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford Stephen Darlington, Conductor William Walton, Composer
Bethlehem Down	Peter Warlock, Composer Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford Peter Warlock, Composer Stephen Darlington, Conductor
Hosanna to the Son of David	Thomas Weelkes, Composer Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford Stephen Darlington, Conductor Thomas Weelkes, Composer

Author: Christopher Nickol

Every composition on this disc has a strong connection with Christ Church, Oxford, and the programme includes works by directors of music (Darlington, Grier and Taverner), college undergraduates (WH Auden and Walton) plus newly commissioned works from Goodall, Rutter and Tavener. Other pieces exist in manuscript copies housed in the college library, including Handel’s own organ arrangement of the accompaniment to Zadok the Priest. The disc is a veritable treasure trove of music in varied styles together with sacred texts and 20th-century poems.

Thanks to numerous LPs and CDs, the wonderful singing of the Christ Church Cathedral Choir can be regarded as another treasure, and on this latest recording they give consistently outstanding performances under the committed direction of Stephen Darlington. The lower adult voices have as much dynamic strength and colour as the trebles, resulting in satisfying polyphonic textures in the early music and sonorous chordal harmonies in the more recent compositions. The overall sound of the choir has an unforced elegance with a seamless legato; a delight to listen to. Excellent solo singers contribute to the works by Britten, Darlington, Gibbons, Purcell and Rutter, and the cathedral’s sub‑organist Clive Driskill-Smith gives stylish and sympathetic accompaniments in the pieces by Gibbons, Grier, Handel, Howells and Purcell. Flautists Claire Wickes and Alex Leese plus harpist Rachel Wick provide a beautiful accompaniment in Rutter’s lovely Canticle of the Heavenly City– one of his finest and most moving compositions.

A very enjoyable CD, thanks to the rewarding choice of music and the magnificent performances of all the singers and instrumentalists; a recording to treasure.