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Tuesday, December 8, 2020

John Rutter - Requiem; Anthems (Timothy Brown)


Information

Composer: John Rutter
  • (01) Requiem
  • (08) Advent Anthem, for choir & organ
  • (09) Anthem, for double choir
  • (10) Anthem, for choir & flute
  • (11) Two Blessings, for choir & organ
  • (13) Two Organ Pieces

Nicholas Collon & Nicholas Rimmer, organ
Karen Jones, flute
Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
City of London Sinfonia
Timothy Brown, conductor

Date: 2002
Label: Naxos

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Review

Fresh, natural performances by Rutter’s original Cambridge choir, plus rarely heard organ pieces

Naxos has done well to invite the choir of Rutter’s own Cambridge college to represent him in its catalogue, which certainly could not have gone much longer without something of the man who has become the most popular British composer of choral music in recent years. The selection, too, has been well-made, with a major work, the Requiem, to open, then a variety of shorter choral pieces (some a cappella, some with organ) to follow, and then some organ solos as a kind of extended voluntary at the end. Conspicuously missing is his Christmas music, which is perhaps being kept in reserve for a more seasonable month.

There is now no lack of choice in this field. Apart from the obviously authoritative (and excellent) performances with the Cambridge Singers under the composer’s direction on their own Collegium label, the general catalogue offers two discs by Polyphony under Stephen Layton. These include the Requiem and Come down, O Love divine, the latter an impressive piece of writing and a challenge to any choir that performs it.

Polyphony are in most instances the more subtle choir, their director very clear about what he wants from them, down to the finest detail. Clare are fresh and natural, thoroughly musical in feeling and professional in care; they also have an advantage in the recorded sound which, in the accompanied items, brings them further forward. The two organ pieces – Toccata in seven and Variations on an Easter theme – are finely played, and the version of the Requiem is the scoring for solo instruments and organ, rather than the full orchestral score heard in the other presently listed recordings.

-- John Steane, Gramophone

More reviews:
ClassicsToday  ARTISTIC QUALITY: 10 / SOUND QUALITY: 10
MusicWeb International  BARGAIN OF THE MONTH

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John Rutter (born 24 September 1945 in London) is a British composer, conductor, arranger and record producer, mainly of choral music. He read music at Clare College, Cambridge, where he was a member of the choir. In 1981, Rutter founded his own choir, the Cambridge Singers, which he conducts and with which he has made many recordings of sacred choral repertoire (including his own works), particularly under his own label Collegium Records. Rutter's music is eclectic, showing the influences of the French and English choral traditions of the early 20th century as well as of light music and American classic songwriting. 

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Timothy Brown (born 9 December 1946) is an English choral conductor. He received his education as a chorister at Westminster Abbey, later as an alto choral scholar at King's College, Cambridge, and was a lay clerk at New College, Oxford. In 1979 he succeeded John Rutter as Director of Music at Clare College, Cambridge and Director of the college choir. In his time at Clare he released several acclaimed recordings with the choir, largely on the Naxos label. Brown is also founder of the Cambridge University Chamber Choir, the London-based English Voices, and The Zürich Singing Academy.

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