Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

The evocative title and cover art tell us to expect Celtic music but we must make clear that if you expect pipes and bodhran as played so well by, say, Iona you may be disappointed, hence my classifying this as a choral release. However, listeners prepared to go outside their comfort zone may equally be pleasantly surprised. This recording features sacred and secular choral music from many areas of the British Isles traditionally regarded as having Celtic roots. Welsh composers include William Mathias, Paul Mealor and Geraint Lewis and Welsh texts drawn from Henry Vaughan and traditional sources. Dublin-born composer Charles Villiers Stanford is represented by three works, "For Lo, I Raise Up", "Beati Quorum Via" and "The Blue Bird" and also included are English composers, writing on a variety of Celtic and other folk themes, such as Benjamin Britten's "A Hymn Of St Columba". This selection of anthems and folk songs from the margins of the British Isles represents an entertaining and diverse programme. Cantemus Chamber Choir, based in Cardiff, is fast establishing a name for itself as one of the country's finest choirs, with a wide-ranging repertoire stretching from the Renaissance to the present day. The choir works with instrumentalists and soloists of national and international repute with Peter King, Organist Emeritus of Bath Abbey, here featured on several tracks. Some selections are, shall we say, a bit too obvious. Do we need, for example, yet another recording of John Rutter's "A Gaelic Blessing", even one that is sung as well as it is here? However the finale is well worth hearing with the Cornish "I Love My Love" arranged by Gustav Holst, the Scottish "Afton Water" arranged by David Wilcocks, the English "Swansea Town", another Holst arrangement, and finally "Dafydd y Garreg Wen" or "David Of White Rock" for we Saxons, here arranged by Robert Court. So a wide ranging selection, some more Celtic than others, but all well sung.

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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