MacMillan: Seven Last Words from the Cross [Import]

James [2] MacMillan (Composer), Stephen Layton (Conductor), Britten Sinfonia (Orchestra), James Vivian (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: James Vivian
• Orchestra: Britten Sinfonia
• Conductor: Stephen Layton
• Composer: James [2] MacMillan
• Audio CD (September 13, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Hyperion UK
• ASIN: B000A17GMY
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #31,458 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #96 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Classical (c.1770-1830) > Vocal & Song > Cantatas
  • #98 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Vocal Non-Opera > Cantatas

Track Listings

1. Father, Forgive Them, For They Know Not What They Do

2. Woman, Behold Thy Son!...Behold Thy Mother!

3. Verily, I Say Unto Thee, Today Thou Shalt Be With Me In Paradise

4. Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani?

5. I Thirst

6. It Is Finished

7. Father, Into Thy Hands I Commend My Spirit

8. On The Annunciation Of The Blessed Virgin - James Vivian

9. Te Deum - James Vivian

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful music, May 11, 2008

By 

Aquinas "summa" (celestial heights, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: MacMillan: Seven Last Words from the Cross (Audio CD)

MacMillan has a wonderful inner understanding of sacred music, informed (I assume) by his Catholic faith. The Seven Last Words from the Cross are stunning, a brilliant admixture of old and new.

Track 3 (Verily, I say unto thee, thous shall be with me in Paradise) derserves a particular mention. The "ecce lignum crucis" (proclaiming darkness) is stunningly interwoven with the thrice proclaimed acclamation of "venite adoremus". Its the "venite adoremus" with its wafting neo-romantic violin solo and Brittenesque strings (reminding me very much of the famous quartet in Peter Grimes: "do we cry or do we weep" and perhaps of Brahms)that grabs you: how can this be so, how can we have crucified the "Son of Man" - the shock of it all is ironically captured more decisively through the most delicate and gentle of music although the horror is also captured in other movements through the strings (echoing Bartok).Be warned: this is a real tear jerker!

The last movement captures the death of Christ beautifully with the life draining slowly from his body, depicted through intermittent glistening of strings.

The Te Deum (last track) strongly recalls Britten.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great recording!, January 17, 2008

By 

A. McKee (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: MacMillan: Seven Last Words from the Cross (Audio CD)

This is a beautiful recording of a rarely-heard work. Macmillan's work is equal parts beautiful and terrifying, and the performance is remarkable.

5.0 out of 5 stars Astonishing and beautiful, December 17, 2010

By 

Kate - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: MacMillan: Seven Last Words from the Cross (Audio CD)

I was first introduced to this piece as a music major in college. The experience of this powerful music has lingered with me since. MacMillan has mastered the art of juxtaposing the sublimely beautiful with the gritty and sometimes painful. What better setting than Christ upon the cross? It is difficult to pick my favorite of all the movements, however the 3rd movement "Verily I say unto thee" is spectacular in its setting. It begins with a tenor and bass duet that is impressive in difficulty and execution. The strings then come in with a soaring melody that truly speaks to the holy inspiration of the Christ on the cross. This pattern continues with a tenor duet alternating with strings and full chorus and an alto/soprano duet, until it comes to the ultimate finale with 2 sopranos singing in the extremes of the soprano tessitura. It is absolutely awe-inspiring. The first time I heard this, it brought tears to my eyes. My other favorite movement is the 7th movement. However, to just listen to the 7th movement without hearing the jarring and painful 6th movement is, for lack of a better word, sacriligious. The 6th movement "It is finished" is set as jarring and painful stabs of strings are momentarily interrupted with a sweet choral setting of text, "my eyes are blind with weeping." It is almost as if, the transcendence of Jesus' soul is interrupted by the demands and pain of the body and vice versus as He is able to remove Himself from the pain of his body to see beyond the moment into eternity. The movement ends with this painful pulsing that could be interpreted to be his beating heart in the final moments of life. The 7th movement begins with the exclaimation of "Father." It almost feels as if all mankind with one voice cries out in shame, fear, hope, love, and surrender to the Almighty. This piece is life changing. I highly recommend listening. However, it is best recieved with an open heart and mind. The text is set in both latin and english, so the listener might enjoy this while reading the text at each start of each movement. I hope that you will enjoy this as much as I.