Tewkesbury Abbey Schola Cantorum, Simon Bell - A Year At Tewkesbury

Published Wednesday 10th February 2016
Tewkesbury Abbey Schola Cantorum, Simon Bell - A Year At Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury Abbey Schola Cantorum, Simon Bell  - A Year At Tewkesbury

STYLE: Choral
RATING 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 160187-
LABEL: Regent REGCD474
FORMAT: CD Album
ITEMS: 1

Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

The idea behind this CD is a good one which is why those clever people at Regent Records are using this in a series. Take a good choir and compile a programme that follows the liturgical year starting at Advent and allowing the choir's director to select music that reflects the choir and its context. While all the CDs in this series feature music from Christmas and Easter there has, so far, been no overlap. On this recording from Tewkesbury Abbey the Christmas box is ticked with a first recording of David Bednall's "Alleluya, A New Work Is Come On Hand" that was commissioned by the choir and Easter is celebrated with Edward Bairstow's "Sing Ye To The Lord". The lesser festivals allow the director to use material that is particularly suited to the choir or works from composers associated with the area. For the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary we hear the first recording of Bob Chilcott's "There Is No Rose" and for St Michael and All Angels we go back to the 17th century for "Alleluia, I Heard A Voice" by Thomas Weelkes. Tewkesbury Abbey Schola Cantorum of Dean Close Preparatory School, to give the choir its full name, is directed by Simon Bell and sing traditional Anglican choral music to a very high standard. The recording was produced at Tewkesbury Abbey by Gary Cole and is as clear as a bell. The singing by choir and soloists is first class and appropriate accompaniment comes from Carleton Etherington and Edward Turner. If this is a series you have been following then you can be assured that this latest release is as good as those that have gone before and if your interest leans towards traditional Anglican choral singing you will find this to be a rewarding listen.

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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