SONGS OF HEAVEN & EARTH

David Vernier

Artistic Quality:

Sound Quality:

While the more famous Cambridge choir may be the one at King’s College, the one over at Queens is no slouch either. As shown on this interesting and challenging program–challenging for both singer and listener–the mixed-voice Queens ensemble is quite expert at tackling some fairly thorny repertoire, including rarely recorded works by Vaughan Williams and Britten along with pieces by lesser-known composers, most notably Brian Brockless (1926-95), identified as “a highly respected figure of the London church music circle.” Although Brockless may capture attention for his stark, rather aggressive style in his settings of Coverdale’s Biblical texts (which have a not-so-subtle air of repetitiveness about them), Vaughan Williams proves more remarkable for his sheer range and command of choral style and text setting, from the colorful atmosphere of Heart’s music to the powerful and dynamic closing measures of Easter Hymn.

Although Britten’s Five Flower Songs have been very well treated by both The Sixteen (Collins) and Polyphony (Hyperion), these performances are very fine (especially To Daffodils and The Succession of the Four Sweet Months), with clear, ringing soprano lines and excellent support from the lower voices, marked by generally sturdy, steady intonation. My favorite piece is Jonathan Harvey’s delightfully mystical-sounding Come, Holy Ghost (from 1984), with its close-harmony (sometimes bordering on jazz!) and aleatoric effects against the plainchant melody. There’s much more to enjoy here, even though the choice of such demanding music to fill a disc may suggest that listeners should space their enjoyment across more than one listening session. The sound is first rate, giving an ideal sense of the space of Queen’s College Chapel while maintining clarity of line and detail of interior parts. It’s great to have the rarer pieces on disc, so well-performed, and hopefully choral fans will take advantage of the opportunity to hear them.


Recording Details:

Album Title: SONGS OF HEAVEN & EARTH

RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS - Heart's music; Valiant-for-truth; Three choral hymns
BRIAN BROCKLESS - Christ is now rysen agayne; Now blessed be thou, Christ Jesu; Come Holy Spirite, Most Blessed Lorde; There is a garden in her face
BENJAMIN BRITTEN - Festival Te Deum; Five Flower Songs
JONATHAN HARVEY - Come, Holy Ghost; I love the Lord
HOWARD SKEMPTON - Two Poems of Edward Thomas

  • Record Label: Guild - 7265
  • Medium: CD

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