Search - John Rutter, City of London Sinfonia, Roderick Williams :: Mass of the Children

A peek into an introspective soul

M. B Hazen | Jacksonville, Fla. | 02/20/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It was a bright Florida afternoon....not much traffic on the highway. I popped Rutter's new CD in my car stereo. Wrapped in the total sound of the disc, I gathered my thoughts for this commentary.
Several years ago, the Rutters sustained the most painful, tragic loss of their young son, a computer whiz, and a singer. It was one of those accidents that should have never happened...a wayward car. This crushing blow seemed to have silenced the composer for awhile, as it would if one of us were to have sustained such a painful loss. Somehow all of us eventually find a venue to bring the pain out into acceptance, and get on with out lives.
The "Mass for Children" brought sadness to my heart, as well as the feeling of redemption. It is a beautiful work, crafted with eloquence in Rutter's own distiguishable sound. Perhaps this was Rutter's way of paying tribute to his son, clearing his soul of torment, and moving back into the light of creation....a personal catharsis.
The music on the entire CD floats with a sense of spirituality Rutter achieved with his "Requiem". (This work is always being performed somewhere in the world as it resonates with most everyone who knows it intimately.) The solo duets in this disc are truly inspired, and the voices of children fulfill Rutter's purpose in writing more music for juniors choirs. Bravo!
But this is Rutter at his best...it's not "Shepherd's Pipe Carol" or "Gloria", but it is very introspective, spiritually satisying, and definitely John Rutter."

Mass of the Children Deserves Ten Stars!

David Henderson | Arlington, Virginia | 09/12/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Mass of the Children" is, unquestionably, John Rutter's most magnificent, powerful and emotional composition. As the only guest at the recording session in May 2003 for "Mass of the Children," let me share a little about the scene - it was in the Great Hall of University College School in Hempstead - a grand room, wood paneled with a tall arched ceiling. In the balcony at one end was the Cantate Youth Choir, a group of girls, ages 13 to 18, from Essex. Below them was John's legendary choir, The Cambridge Singers - 26 of the finest voices in England. In front of The Cambridge Singers were the two soloists - soprano Joanne Lunn and baritone Roderick Williams. Then, John and a 30-piece orchestra, the City of London Sinfonia.What happened that afternoon was more than a recording session. It was more significant and more inspired. It truly was, I believe, a Mass in remembrance of a child. And, I think, you can hear it on this recording, especially in the Finale (track 5), when about halfway through the pure voices of the children soar above the orchestra and The Cambridge Singers, filling the Great Hall with something you've never heard before on a recording ... like angels singing."

Britten-lite :(

surfinmuse | Los Angeles, CA & Cambridge, UK | 03/30/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I contemplated on this 3-star rating for a bit, especially after reading all the 4- to 5-star ratings preceding this. John Rutter is a terrific and charismatic choral conductor and writer. His editing on Fauré's Requiem really galvanized the popularity of that work, not to mention his own very heart-felt Requiem setting as well. Speaking of Requiem settings, my bone to pick about the "Mass of the Children" work is such that it emulates (albeit in a heart-felt and sincere fashion) other large-scale works that involve orchestral, treble and mixed choruses, very specifically Benjamin Britten's unforgettable War Requiem. I couldn't help but feel a bit slighted by the last few pages of "Mass of the Children" and its much diluted rendition of the War Requiem's counterpart conclusion. I think those famliar w/ the Britten will know what I mean. It's hard not to draw a comparison because the similarities are striking yet determinedly contrived.



In any case, I do understand that the participants and "target audience" are perhaps less lofty than that of the Britten. According to the score inscription, this was "written at the inviation of Peter Tiboris and MidAmerica Productions."



There are other anthems on this CD that offer a nice addition. I think the Clare Benediction is a stand-out as a great latter-Rutter anthem, with a characteristically satisfying, fluent and "inevitable" cadences towards the end."