Reviewed by Trevor Kirk

I have to confess that Rebecca Clarke is a name that I do not recognise, but the encyclopaedic sleevenotes that come with this album give us a comprehensive biography of a lady who was probably best known for her virtuosity on the viola, but who, on the evidence of this, was a composer of some talent. Although she set several psalms to music (the opening track, using the words of Psalm 91, is a definite highlight), and the second track is a setting of the Catholic prayer “Ave Maria”, the bio notes give no clue as to Rebecca’s Christian faith or otherwise; the settings use a variety of sources, including Shakespeare, Shelley, Tennyson and John Donne, so whether this could be termed “Christian” music is debatable. What cannot be questioned is that the singers perform impeccably, and this is recommended listening if classical choral music is your scene.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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