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Recording Review - Light of the World

Light of the World Signum 068 Choir: Tewkesbury Abbey School Choir Soloist: Andrew Swait BCSD Details Review by Andrew Marr: I guess the word has gotten around pretty well that Andrew Swait, member of the Tewkesbury Abbey Choir, is an outstanding treble. With him being ten at the time of this recording, we have grounds to hope for more good things. The whole notion of BETTER things is awesome to the imagination. "The Eternal Source of Light" from Handel's Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne, is excruciatingly beautiful. Andrew's voice just flows with the most melting of music. Burgon's Nunc Dimittis has been recorded many times with many capable singers. I'm not ready to rank them, but Andrew's performance is surely at the top. "I Waited for the Lord" from Mendelssohn's Lobgesang Symphony already has some outstanding performances. Well, here is another outstanding performance. Unusually, but very effectively, two items, the Londonderry Air and Amazing Grace are sung unaccompanied throughout. It takes a highly competent and confident singer to let his voice do all the work with nothing to distract from it. The brief Sanctus that Walter Alcock wrote for the coronation of George V is a very beautiful work. "Light of the World" by John Dankworth is a fervent piece sung by the trebles in unison in a strong performance. With commonly performed works such as Rutter's "The Lord Bless you and Keep you," the expressive performance makes it sound like the music has just been discovered. The greatest highlight among full choral items is Ubi Caritas et amor by Morten Lauridsen. Most of you know that Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium is a great favorite. Well, here's another. This motet is based on the plainsong chant used at the Maundy Thursday liturgy during the washing of feet. (The words mean "Wherever there is love and charity, God is there.) The men sing the chant and then the full choir develops it with luscious counterpoint of heartbreaking beauty for roughly eight minutes. When Lauridsen gets this way, as he does in O Magnum, time stands still even as the music moves. Lauridsen's music only works when the choir is trained to sing with much delicacy of fervent expression, This choir accomplishes that very well. Any one of Andrew's solos would be worth the price of a CD. The Lauridsen is worth the price of a CD. How's that for value? By purchasing this CD from the Church, the choir will receive a greater remuneration for their efforts. I strongly recommend the Pater Noster CD they have done. Here is the URL http://www.tewkesburyabbey.org.uk/mus.htm