John Rutter: Psalmfest

Description

Product Description John Rutter is a household name among choral musicians, and their audiences. Although Rutter is English, his music is equally popular in North America. Anyone who has ever sung in a choir has probably sung Rutter's music at some point. The history of the St. Alban's Choirs dates back to before 1539, when the ancient Benedictine monastery was shut down by Henry VIII. The abbey church became a cathedral in 1877, and with it a world renowned choral tradition was developed. This same choir also recorded John Rutter's Gloria and Magnificat for Naxos to great critical acclaim. Review "A few years ago, on a nasty night, Buffalo's Ars Nova Musicians performed Rutter's 40-minute-long Magnificat at St Joseph's Cathedral and when it ended, a woman in front of me turned around. "Well," she said, "that was sure worth coming out here for." With his fanfares, timpani, soaring vocals and jingly excitement, Rutter does give you your money's worth. ...it's a lot of fun- a beaming, bright-timbred expression of faith. The Choirs of St Albans Cathedral, operating out of an old Benedictine abbey dissolved by Henry VIII, sing the music with light-hearted grace." --Mary Kunz Goldman, The Buffalo News"Andrew Lucas's St Albans choristers (particularly the girls and boys, united on the top line) are on sparkling form, with first-class support from organist Tom Winpenny and the Ensemble DeChorum who scrupulously adhere to every one of the score's markings. More recordings from St Albans, please- and could someone ask Rutter to score a major film?" e --Malcolm Riley, Gramophone Magazine"Andrew Lucas leads the performers, vocal and orchestral alike, with determination, a fine sense of pace, and sensitive awareness of Rutter's orchestral colorations and rhythmic contrasts. And the disc is filled out with material that, far from being "filler," further shows Rutter's skill in handling psalm settings for special occasions." --Mark Estren, infodad.com, May 26, 2016