Edward Elgar, Worcester Cathedral Choir, Donald Hunt - Elgar Cathedral Music
STYLE: Choral RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 9341- LABEL: Helios CDH55147 FORMAT: CD Album
Reviewed by Steven Whitehead
First the small print: this is a mid-price reissue of a collection originally put out by Hyperion in 1982. Elgar is, of course, much better known for his secular music although his setting of Newman’s 'Dream Of Gerontius' remains popular. Our opening song has the traditional Catholic words, in Latin: “Ave Verum Corpus” and several other Latin texts follow, with translations. (Michael Kennedy's liner notes are both helpful and informative throughout.) Our first English text is by Ben Johnson: “I Sing The Birth” and is followed by another Nativity hymn, “Lo! Christ The Lord Is Born”. Psalm 46 is paraphrased in “Great Is The Lord”, featuring a splendid bass solo by Thomas Hunt. What should have been a highlight in Elgar’s career is “O Hearken Thou”, written for the Coronation of George V in 1911 and given its first rehearsal in Westminster Abbey on the day the composer was awarded the Order of Merit. Is Elgar England's finest composer? Perhaps. He is certainly not the best composer of church music but this collection is nevertheless well worth hearing.
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