Although the title of this disc is “Radiant Light”, after a work by Victor Kalinnikov, the brightest “stars” on this disc are Patrick Gowers’ mysterious and marvelous Ascension anthem Viri Galilaei and Morton Lauridsen’s sublime setting of O Magnum Mysterium. Gowers, known to A&E watchers as the clever composer of the Sherlock Holmes theme, really captures the magnificence and air of confused wonderment inherent in the Biblical scene of Christ’s ascension as the “two men in white apparel” speak to the people of Galilee as they “gaze steadfastly toward heaven.” Among dozens of settings of the O magnum mysterium text, Lauridsen’s stands among the best. His elegantly simple melody and unique, gently undulating rhythmic treatment of the title words becomes the basis for the whole work, which brims with warm, richly colored harmonies. But what most likely will sell lots of copies of this recording is the inclusion of Arvo Pärt’s masterful Magnificat, Franz Biebl’s beautiful Ave Maria (made famous by the all-male Chanticleer vocal group), and John Tavener’s two best pieces–The Lamb and Song for Athene, which by the way was not composed for the funeral of Princess Diana as many commentators have suggested, but rather in memory of Athene Hariades in 1993. The Trinity Choir, which enjoys singing in one of the most beautiful and acoustically friendly churches in the United States, is a treasure. Director Brian Jones has 60-plus well-matched, expertly trained singers whose sensitivity to phrasing and dynamics and grasp of the varied styles in their impressively eclectic repertoire is second to none among North America’s major choral ensembles. Further, it’s a real pleasure to hear such perfectly nuanced, responsive, and well-balanced soft singing. The soprano pitch isn’t consistently true throughout the more-difficult-than-it-seems Alleluia by Randall Thompson, and in the highest notes of the Biebl, but these are minor moments in what is a very fine and well-sung program–most welcome for its inviting mix of familiar and rarely heard works, mostly from the 20th century, all of which are eminently accessible to anyone, in any millennium, who loves choral music.
