Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Your reviewer slipped up when preparing to listen to this CD. Usually I undertake a little research, merely to get a context, but with this CD I just put it straight in the machine and listened. Frankly, the first 20 minutes dragged and I was almost ready to abandon the review, following my usual principle of ignoring releases I do not enjoy rather than writing a damningly critical review. But track 10, "Tantum Ergo" grabbed my attention and the remaining 40 minutes flew by. And then I read the sleevenotes to find that the lengthy piece that had tested my powers of concentration was "Mass For A Saint's Day" and was written in 1966 whereas the enjoyable pieces that followed were written later in the composer's career. Did he get better or were the musical trends of the '70s more to my taste? Nicholas Jackson's "Requiem", compiled between 1976 and 2006, is an enlargement of his "Missa Con Jubilo" and incorporates plainsong in the style of Durufle and is well worth hearing. The final third of the CD includes a selection of Jackson's choral work from 1975 to 1984. There are seven vocal soloists as well as two on the organ. All are good but space does not allow me to list them. The Rodolfus Choir are based at Eton College and also sing very well. After what I found to be a difficult start this CD is very pleasant and, as ever, the super-budget price from Naxos means that it is possible for those who are unfamiliar with Jackson's varied choral output can take a chance without breaking the bank.

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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