The Marian Consort, Rory McCleery - Music For The Queen Of Heaven
STYLE: Choral RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 167944-26389 LABEL: Delphian DCD34190 FORMAT: CD Album ITEMS: 1
Reviewed by Steven Whitehead
Rory McCleery's Marian Consort made its name as specialist performers of Renaissance vocal music, as a quick search on the Cross Rhythms website will soon reveal. However as well as looking to the past the group has worked regularly with living composers over the years. Thus the programme on this latest collection features a mix of new commissions and other contemporary pieces all casting a fresh and living light on the ancient texts in praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As I always do at this point I must explain that the church tradition to which I belong has the utmost respect for Mary and she features in some of our hymns but we sing about her and not to her. I am happy to praise this album as music but would rather not pass comment on its value in worship. The musicianship, it must be said, is beyond criticism. Tone and balance bare comparison with any vocal consort currently active. The content is all Latin - with translations of the texts provided in the CD booklet as well as a helpful essay by music journalist and critic Alexandra Coghlan. The composers are all born in the 20th century with the honourable exception of Herbert Howells (1892-1983) whose "Salve Regina" is one of the highlights, as is Gabriel Jackson's take on the same text. The youngest composer represented is Hilary Campbell (born 1983) who in 2012 was commissioned by the Consort to set what is probably the best known of the Marian prayers, "Ave Maria". Other highlights include Roxanna Panufnik's "Magnificat (St Pancras Service)" and, saving the best for last, Sir James MacMillan's glorious "Ave Maris Stella". Devotees of the BVM will find much to inspire them in this collection and those of us who are interested in contemporary choral composition and who appreciate excellence in a cappella singing will find much to treasure.
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