Great boy treble tradition resounds
01/29/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Over time even traditionally great choirs vary in their excellence, so in recent years the choir of St. John's College Cambridge has a sound that is again at its apogee. Choirmaster Christopher Robinson (now, alas, recently retired from St. John's) has nurtured a choral brilliance that reminds me of the years when George Guest directed the choir. It is a delight to see that the great tradition of men and boys choirs still resounds in the Anglican Church (at least in many of England's 'Collegiate' and Cathedral choirs). St. John's is one of two ancient male voice chapel choirs at Cambridge University (the other being King's College Chapel Choir) in which the boy trebles are actually in a sense 'professionals'. Each college, in whose chapel they sing daily services, operates a nearby boarding school where the young singers--chosen for prodigious talents at strict competition-- take a high level of musical training, along with the regular school curriculum. The men's voices consist of young university students attending Cambridge on 'choral scholarships'. And for me the often heard debate regarding the merits of boy trebles versus girls (or women's) voices in church music is not moot when it comes to the Anglican musical and liturgical tradition. There is a kind of effortlessness and artlessness to the singing of the English choirboy, at this level of selection and training, that produces a wistful, often plaintive sound. It is a sound that seems most perfect for the Anglican liturgical repertoire. A female singer often seems to me likely to 'interpret' the note more, probably by virtue of natural instinct, and interject themselves more into the musical meaning of the piece. The boy treble 'tends' to have a natural emotional detachment in his singing which for me more profoundly expresses the ineffable nature of traditional Anglican music (if the expression of the ineffable is not a contradiction in terms:-). Anyway, for many all this is arcane opinion. But for lovers of this musical tradition it is its arcane nature that fills us with joy and wonderment."
Excellently performed
G.D. | Norway | 12/11/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This collection of Walton's choral music from Cambridge's Choir of St. John's College is immediately recommendable (regardless of whether you generally warm to church music - I recommend this as a firm atheist). As opposed to, say, the Finzi Singers on Chandos, the Cambridge Choir uses boy trebles rather than female singers (which surely has both pros and cons).
The Coronation Te Deum and The Twelve are probably the best known works here, and a brilliant, affirmative piece the former is, splendidly sung. Some might be bothered, though, by the fact that the Cambridge Choir's version is a little too intimate, and doesn't really capture the intended splendour. The Twelve is more unconditionally convincing in that sense - and just as well sung - but for my money, the finest piece here is the Missa Brevis, a delightful, intimate work. I don't understand the rationale behind including the Passacaglia from Henry V, but never mind - this is a warmly recommended collection."
Track Listings (16) - Disc #1