Tewkesbury Abbey Schola Cantorum, Simon Bell - Christmas From Tewkesbury

Published Saturday 29th November 2014
Tewkesbury Abbey Schola Cantorum, Simon Bell - Christmas From Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury Abbey Schola Cantorum, Simon Bell - Christmas From Tewkesbury

STYLE: Choral
RATING 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 154446-
LABEL: Regent REGCD440
FORMAT: CD Album
ITEMS: 1

Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Back in 2005 we applauded 'A Cotswold Christmas' by Tewkesbury Abbey Choir School which had served there since 1974. However the Abbey School closed the following year and since then choristers have been educated at Dean Close Preparatory School in Cheltenham. Every day in term time the 16 boy choristers join with the adult lay clerks to offer public worship in the Norman abbey. This collection of festive music is a selection from the repertoire that Schola Cantorum can be heard singing during the run up to Christmas each year. Some of the pieces are new recordings of well-known favourites, whilst others will be less familiar. Each year, Dean Close School commissions a Christmas carol for Schola Cantorum and the Chapel Choir at the senior school. On this recording, three of these works are presented. Bob Chilcott's atmospheric setting of "The Night He Was Born" was commissioned in 2006 and is a setting of words by Helen Dunmore. Philip Moore's reserved "Into A Quiet World" was written in 2012 and Thomas Hewitt Jones' jaunty setting of original words by Paul Williamson, "Verbum Caro Factum Est" was completed for 2013's services. These last two pieces are recorded here for the first time. There are several much more familiar pieces included, such as "O Little Town Of Bethlehem", "Ding Dong! Merrily On High", and "O Come, All Ye Faithful" so whether you are looking for old favourites or something new this CD will have it. Simon Bell, the Director of Choral Music and Organist at Dean Close School, gets an excellent performance from the choir and the balance between the men, three to each part of alto, tenor and bass and the 16 boy trebles is very good and well recorded by producer/engineer Gary Cole. Those who like traditional Anglican choirs (ie, men and boys) will greatly appreciate this release. Also worthy of note is the organ playing by Carleton Etherington who accompanies the choir as needed and closes the performance with a rousing solo in "Toccata Sur Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant" from Denis Bedard's 'Deux Noels'.

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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