Reviewed by Steven Whitehead Although we have here an American Episcopal Church choir there is a definite Anglican flavour. Graham Elliott, the Director of Music, is Welsh but moved to Washington from Chelmsford Cathedral. Likewise, Neil Weston, the organist, came from Chelmsford. The choir or, more accurately, octet, does not quite manage to sound like an Anglican choir, probably because it uses sopranos instead of trebles. The content is well chosen, starting with Britten’s setting of Psalm 100 (“Jubilate Deo”), followed by three chants by Sir Henry Walford Davies, songs by William Byrd (“Sing Joyfully” and “Teach Me, O Lord”) and a selection of spirituals. Elliott supplies four songs as well as new descants for “Amazing Grace” and “When I Survey”. Most of the singing, much of which is a cappella is pleasant enough (some of the high notes excepted), the organ, where played, is first rate and there is an interesting enough selection of “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” to make this worth investigating.
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