Reviewed by Simon Carpenter

It is always hard to review a CD that is the fruit of much faithful endeavour but really isn't very good. It is even harder, I now realise, to try to review a disc that has already been given an award by the editor of that doyen of classical music journals, the Gramophone, as is the case with this CD. This disk was recently the editor of that magazine's Choice Of The Month, and it was not hard to work out why. It is a magical recording, full of atmosphere and faultlessly performed by an excellent cathedral choir (St Mary's, Edinburgh) and the leading chamber group Chamber Domaine, backed up by the superb soloists, Stephen Wallace (counter tenor) and Stephen Pledge (piano). It is a great introduction to this popular classical composer who "continues to cast his spell over performers and audiences alike," to quote the aforementioned journal. There are seven pieces on this 70 -odd minute CD; the choir feature on two - the a cappella "Nunc Dimittis", which Part composed for them in 2001 and the also a cappella "Magnificat" of 12 years earlier. As the title suggests, the main work is the 23 minute long "Stabat Mater" for soprano, tenor, violin, viola and cello, but also featured amongst other chamber work dating from the 1980s onwards, are two piano sonatinas that Part composed as a young student in 1958/59, and which are more reminiscent of Prokofiev and Shostakovich. If you have any interest in Part or contemporary classical music at its best, or even just want to build bridges with people who are, buy this CD. And if you don't believe me, believe the editor of the Gramophone!    

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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