Eton College Chapel Choir, Ralph Allwood - Christmas Music From Eton College
STYLE: Choral RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 21089-11813 LABEL: Sanctuary CDRSN3076 FORMAT: CD Album
Reviewed by Liz Knowles
This CD is a re-issue from 2000 of festive fare from the boys of Eton College. There is a distinct weighting towards medieval music sung in Latin. Five different versions of the "Ave Maria" are perhaps a nod in the direction of Henry VI's founding of Eton in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1440. The acoustic is wonderfully churchy and it's a fine example of English cathedral-style singing. It's polished, pristine, precise, perhaps even brilliant, but for me lacks the looseness of joyful celebration. It feels too distant from the earthy connection of incarnation, too clean, too elitist, too male even. Don't buy it if you want all your favourites to sing along. If you want to hear some different music from the vast Christmas repertoire, it's certainly a quality recording to add to the collection.
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