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REVIEW This collection of Irish anthems includes not only works written for Irish choirs by Irish musicians, but also many pieces written by non-Irish composers and by Irish composers working outside Ireland. As a result, this disc offers the listener as great a diversity of styles as could be imagined. There are several pieces written by English musicians active in Dublin during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, namely Farmer's famous The Lord's Prayer, Bateson's grand seven-part Holy, Lord God almighty and Jewett's fine verse-anthems I heard a voice. Although these works were conceived with an all-male choir in mind, the female sopranos and contraltos of Christ Church Cathedral Choir combine convincingly with the tenors and basses. A number of items are special commissions by contemporary composers for various Irish choirs, and these range in mood from the tranquility of Tavener's Eonia to the ebullience of De Barra's Tibi Laus, Tibi Gloria. The choir and soloist produce a beautifully relaxed sound in the Tavener, and paint the "whirling wind's tempestuous shocks" and "old eternal rocks" in Sumsion's Praise to the Lord of our salvation with vivid tonal colours. Andrew Johnstone's playing of the virtuoso organ part in De Barra's Tibi Laus, Tibi Gloria is electrifying, as is the choir's singing of the work's daring harmonies. Andrew Synnott's subtle Surge Amica Mea is a recent piece specially for the choir, and its complexities are managed with panache. Sir Robert Stewart organist of Christ Church for fifty years, composed little. However, the setting of If ye love me included here shows a tastefulness and economy seldom found in the music of his contemporaries. In contrast, Bow down thine ear, O Lord by his Dublin-based friend, Joseph Robinson, is a colourful piece which has many parallels with Mendelssohn's Hear my Prayer. The ensemble and phrasing of the choir are generally excellent. However, it must be mentioned that the sopranos sometimes sound strained high in their range, and there are occasional lapses in balance where individual voices can be heard. The solo singing is always expressive, but tends to be rather plummy. Nevertheless, these are only small faults in what is otherwise an unusual and rewarding disc. Tristan Jones (Read Tristan's article on authenticity in this issue on page 11. Details of the Dublin gathering at the end of September can be obtained from Jamie Milford see inside front cover)" Reproduced by permission of the Friends
of Cathedral Music, a UK charity giving financial aid to cathedral
choirs |