True lovers of British choral music never can get enough of Vaughan Williams, Stanford, Elgar, or of the hundreds of folksong arrangements that perpetually fill concert programs all over the English-speaking world. No matter how many times you hear Vaughan Williams’ “Ca’ the yowes”, Elgar’s “As torrents in summer”, or Stanford’s “The Blue Bird”, you’re always ready to hear someone else’s version–any time. Which is why all of you–you know who you are–will have to have this very fine recording from Laudibus, a 22-voice mixed choir whose makeup and programming are patterned after Glasgow’s famous but now-defunct Glasgow Orpheus Choir. The singers, chosen by audition from Great Britain’s National Youth Choir, show the pleasing effects of excellent training and careful attention to good ensemble tone and blend. Occasionally, intonation is not as true as can be, and sometimes expressive opportunities are not successfully exploited, but more often, you’ll be impressed with the group’s technique in difficult works such as Vaughan Williams’ “Full fathom five” and Peter Warlock’s “Corpus Christi”. The program is generous–24 selections–and will satisfy all interests, including early pieces by Byrd and Morley, Scottish song arrangements by Sir Hugh Roberton, and, of course, Sir Arthur Sullivan’s concert-ending favorite “The long day closes.”
