Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

It is always a pleasure to see oneself quoted in a CD booklet and on this latest release by the outstanding choir Tenebrae I am reminded that I said that the singing on their previous release, 'A Prayer For Deliverance', was "truly superlative". While I stand by this assessment, I find myself in a position not unlike a talent show judge who has awarded top marks for one competitor only to find that the next is better and this latest release from Tenebrae to mark their 25th anniversary is, if anything, somewhat better than superlative, leaving me stuck for words; super-superlative anyone? For many years Nigel Short's Tenebrae have been up there with the finest choirs, singing at a level way beyond most of us (and I write as one who sings in an amateur choir that would find anything on this release beyond our best efforts). The 64-minute programme brings together music that unfolds patiently and purposefully, inviting us into a place of reflection. Threaded through established works by Eric Whitacre, Max Richter, and those two musical knights Sir James Macmillan and the late Sir John Tavener, are new commissions from Joby Talbot, Joanna Marsh and Jason Max Ferdinand, alongside Sarah Henderson's winning piece from Tenebrae's inaugural composition competition, the aptly named 'Undiscovered Voices'. As a silver jubilee celebration 'The Journey' gives us excellent new takes on recognised classics such as Macmillan's "The Gallant Weaver" and Tavener's "Mother of God, here I Stand", a new setting by Joby Talbot of W. B. Yeats' popular poem "The Song of Wandering Aengus" and a stunning setting of two lines from Psalm 102 in Bob Chilcott's "My Prayer" based on a fragment by Purcell. All 10 pieces have something of interest that catches both the ear and the imagination and some have already made their way onto my Desert Island Discs longlist in the unlikely event that I am ever invited to be a castaway. Listeners with just a passing interest in contemporary a cappella choral music should take note - and you can quote me on this.

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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