Rating: - Magnificat
I bought the cassette thinking I was buying the CD but it didn't matter. The quality of the cassette is excellent and couldn't be bettered. In fact it was so good I forgot I was listening on a Walkman as it seemed as if the music was coming from the hi-fi and was all around me. When you're on holiday, and there is nothing on the TV, this will thrill you. The soloist, the singers and the orchestra were all excellent.
Rating: - My soul rejoices in this music
This recording of the Cambridge Singers has them recording pieces composed by their own director, John Rutter. The Magnificat is Rutter's version of a standard piece of liturgical music, an intersection of old and new. This was recorded at one of the Cambridge Singers' favourite venues, the Great Hall of University College School, London, in 1991.
--Music-- 'The Magnificat' is one of my favourite pieces of the liturgy, and one I enjoy hearing set to different kinds of music. This is a very lively and spirit-filled rendering, with magnificent vocals expressing the joy that is found in the prayer of Mary - 'My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour'. The repetition of the word 'magnificat' over and over in the early part of the music reinforces this idea of joy and praise. Rutter writes, 'I was conscious of following Bach's example in adding to the liturgical text - with the lovely old English poem "Of a Rose" and the prayer "Sancta Maria", both of which strengthen the Marian connection, and with the interpolated "Sanctus" (to the Gregorian chant of the Missa cum jubilo) in the third movement.' This is an extended Magnificat, done in seven movements.
'The Falcon' was Rutter's first large-scale choral piece. This is based on a medieval poem of the same name, and taps into eucharistic imagery and grail legend. This piece included decidedly modern aspects as well as ancient sounds from Gregorian chants. Rutter uses a boys' choir (St. Paul's Cathedral) for this - Rutter remembers his own participation in a boys' choir in chosing this.
The two festival anthems are bright and exuberant, with high sounding brass and energetic paces. These anthems are of praise and passion in the music, and involve full-orchestra accompaniment here (the City of London Sinfonia).
This is remarkable music.
--Liner Notes-- The notes include an introduction to the CD by Rutter describing some of the influences and expressions in his composition. Lyrics are included, and where the original is in Latin, an English translation is provided. There is a listing of the performers of the Cambridge Singers, but no description of the group, nor biographical information about John Rutter.
--John Rutter-- Rutter was born in London and educated at Clare College, Cambridge. This was where his career as a composer, arranger and conductor began. His early work was with groups at King's College Chapel at Cambridge as well as the Bath Choir and Philharmonic Orchestra. He has worked for the BBC providing music for educational series such as 'The Archaeology of the Bible Lands', until in 1979 he began forming the Cambridge Singers, and has continued a remarkable career of performance and recording as their director ever since.
--The Cambridge Singers-- The Cambridge Singers are a mixed choir of voices, many of whom were members of choir of Rutter's college, Clare College, Cambridge. While they specialise in English and Latin liturgical pieces, they have a wide range of recordings that span from modern compositions (including a remarkable requiem by Rutter) to English folk songs of the Middle Ages. Many are former members of the choir of Clare College and other Cambridge collegiate choirs (hence the name, Cambridge Singers). In the quarter-century since the founding, the Cambridge Singers have produced an impressive body of recordings.
This is impressive indeed - were this a vinyl recording, my copy of the 'Magnificat' most likely would be worn away by now.
Rating: - Hair-raising
I purchased this disc about 7 years ago. In fact, it was my first John Rutter album. Seven years down the line, I have nearly all his recordings and even had the opportunity to work with him in a concert he gave in South Africa. "Magnificat" for me is his most amazing work. It was composed early in 1990 and it premièred that same year in Carnegie Hall. This powerful and emotional work culminates all of John Rutter’s musical styles. The powerful and energetic first movement is a typical Rutter entry “begin with a bang”. Three of the five middle movements are slow, with moving, harmonious and mystical touches. The soloist, Patricia Forbes was perfectly suited to the solos, bringing out a beautiful low register and a spine-chilling high register. Well done! The last movement rounds the Magnificat wonderfully, bringing back the first movement’s force and spark. It ends with fierce and powerful orchestral “Mag-ni-fi-cat”, which echoes the same tune sung by the choir. Truly hair-raising. The work is of a more serious nature, which is unlike his delightful anthems. His latest recording “Mass for the Children” incorporates many “anthem-like” tunes (very, very good and there are also a few more new anthems!!!)
The rest of the CD, which is equally astonishing, brings the same serious Rutter. "The Falcon" and "Two Festival Anthems". The Cambridge singers sing superbly and the City of London Sinfonia are very impressive. Thank you Mr Rutter for the last seven years of MAGNIFICENT music and may the next seven be equally great.
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