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Recorded Sound Reviews

full sound palette of his ensemble. hymn Adoro te devote and the titular Stabat Mater
They are ethereal when they need hymn Vexilla regis prodeunt. Martin Gloriae Dei Cantores
to be, such as in Durufl é’s famous Baker’s own skill as a composer is Arvo Pärt
“Ubi caritas et amor,” which is sung evident in his polyphonic insertion Richard K. Pugsley
with such care that the reassurance into the plainsong Credo, as well as Gloriae Dei Cantores Recordings
of the text is immediate. Likewise, in his antiphon Postquam surrexit Do- Catalog number: GDCD 065
O’Donnell’s short versicle I give you a minus, which segues smoothly into (2020; 69:02)

new commandment reflects that English (and pays homage to) the Durufl é.
penchant for including the space in The Strepitus, toward the end of the Arvo Pärt is one of today’s most
the context of the music. album, will bring a smile to anyone’s celebrated composers, so it is not
And yet, the singers can also face. necessarily a surprise to see a new
mine the wells of emotion that are Vexilla Regis is an appropriate recording featuring entirely his
sometimes latent under the lines swansong for Baker, who stepped music, or that the recording is per-
and careful craftsmanship of some down from his position at Westmin- formed by a choir that frequently
of the more traditional polyphony. ster Cathedral at the end of 2019. performs and records sacred music,
For example, in the two songs of Baker cemented the Choir and including Pärt’s choral music. This
complaint—Lassus’ Improperium ex- Choir School’s legacy as one of the new recording off ers a survey of
spectavit and Victoria’s Improperia for finest in the world, in no small part Pärt’s choral works, ranging from

Good Friday—the Choir is unafraid thanks to his leadership (I myself, a his famous “tintinnabuli” technique
to swell and fade with the harmonies regular at choral services at the Ca- to music infused with infl uences of
to detail the anguish, fear, and an- thedral, bore witness to this). Hope- Gregorian Chant and other liturgi-
ger present in both texts, moments fully, he can take stock of his accom- cal styles, all of which, according to
in their respective ceremonies when plishments there and point to this the liner notes, “[reveal] the heart,
Christ confronts his own humanity. album as the culmination of nine- soul, and mind of a true master of
Another well-known motet, Bruck- teen years of hard work and peerless his language in both text and mu-
ner’s behemoth Christus factus est, fea- artistry. It is only fi tting, therefore, sic.” For those wishing to learn more
tures the gamut of colours: dark and that the Cathedral’s latest Master of about Pärt’s style, this is an excellent
bright, soft and loud, self-awareness Music should close the album with recording to immerse yourself in a
and abandon. The choral sound is music by its fi rst: Praise to the Holiest variety of his music; those familiar
not constrained by pre-conceived in the Height, set to the hymn tune with Pärt will revel in the beautiful
notions of what a choir of men Newman (named for the Cardinal) sound and vocal virtuosity of this
and boys typically sounds like: it is by Richard Runciman Terry. choir.

simultaneously finely honed and Besides the vocal quality of Glo-
unabashed. The intonation is also Vicente Chavarría riae Dei Cantores, which is consis-
superb throughout, particularly in London, England tently good throughout and excep-
such dangerous waters as Lotti’s fa- tional in some places, this recording
mous eight-voice Crucifi xus, which is is valuable for the variety of musical
here rendered exquisitely. textures and styles it represents in
In a more modern tradition, the Pärt’s compositional output. The
plainchant excerpts are accompa- opening track, Peace Upon You, Jerusa-
nied beautifully and with understat- lem, features the trebles of the choir
ed care by Assistant Master of Music with crystal clear diction and warm
Peter Stevens on the organ. His sen- vocal tone. Vibrato is employed, but
sitive touch gives life to well-known never at the expense of harmonic
melodies, including the Thomasian clarity or ensemble balance. Tracks

CHORAL JOURNAL June/July 2021 Volume 61 Number 11 79