The Girls And Men Of Sheffield Cathedral Choir - Crux Fidelis: Music For Passiontide And Easter

Tuesday 1st July 2003
The Girls And Men Of Sheffield Cathedral Choir - Crux Fidelis: Music For Passiontide And Easter
The Girls And Men Of Sheffield Cathedral Choir - Crux Fidelis: Music For Passiontide And Easter

STYLE: Choral
RATING 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 7420-
LABEL: Lammas LAMM147D
FORMAT: CD Album

Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

This is a thoughtfully compiled and thought provoking collection of 17 songs to inspire reflection and contemplation of the Cross. The earliest words are from the “Lamentations Of Jeremiah”, set to music by Sir Edward Bairstow (1874 – 1946) and “Haec Dies” (Psalm 118) by William Byrd (1543 – 1623). The most modern music is by John Scott (born in 1956) with a setting of words from the Book of Common Prayer entitled “Easter Anthems”. As well as some other worthies of the British choral tradition, including Purcell, Handel and Walton, there are representatives from other nations, including Pablo Casals, John IV, King of Portugal, and Francis Poulenc. The singing, directed by Neil Taylor, is excellent and the organist, Peter Heginbotham, shows admirable restraint. But, for this listener, the finale of “Ye Choirs Of New Jerusalem” (words by St Fulbert of Chartres – died 1028; and music by Richard Shephard – born in 1949) stands out, especially with the rousing trumpet playing from Brian Winter.

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.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.

Be the first to comment on this article

We welcome your opinions but libellous and abusive comments are not allowed.












We are committed to protecting your privacy. By clicking 'Send comment' you consent to Cross Rhythms storing and processing your personal data. For more information about how we care for your data please see our privacy policy.