Magnificat And Nunc Dimittis, Vol. 9

Charles [Choral Composer] Wood (Composer), Francis Jackson (Composer), Bernard Rogers (Composer), Tertius Noble (Composer), Philip Moore (Composer), Edward Bairstow (Composer), John Ward (Composer), James [1] Nares (Composer), John Scott Whiteley (Composer), Herbert Howells (Composer), John Scott Whiteley (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: John Scott Whiteley
• Composer: Charles [Choral Composer] Wood, Francis Jackson, Bernard Rogers, Tertius Noble, Philip Moore, et al.
• Audio CD (June 24, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Priory Records UK
• ASIN: B000027R8D
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #879,180 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A really fine recording!, May 22, 2007

By 

Nancy Wiley - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magnificat And Nunc Dimittis, Vol. 9 (Audio CD)

The 9th in Priory's prestigious series, this CD by the choir of York Minster Cathedral is certainly among the highlights of the series.

The choir's tone is very good, if not always riveting in pitch accuracy, and they handle the music more than capably - often with refreshingly beautiful musicality. This is particularly noticable in the boys' rendition of Bairstow's unison service in E-flat. They sing this lovely music with more than their share of grace, ease, and maturity in a way that is truly delightful.

The pre-Romantic settings - of which there are three - are sung well, but I do not feel that they are the choir's strong point; at least not when compared to the magnificent way in which they sing Bairstow, Noble, Howells, and other Romantic and Modern composers.

York Minster Cathedral is - I believe - the largest medieval cathedral in England, and has simply cavernous acoustics. They are not thoroughly captured in this disc, and it is only when listening to the organ - which sounds far away from the choir (it probably is!) - that one gets an idea of the vastness of this great church. The organ is a very large and majestic instrument, rebuilt only three years before this recording. I was thus rather surprised at how really little it seemed to be a major component in this CD. Of course, there are its fine moments: the fiery "spook" music in the Noble, the ear-splitting Tuba Mirabilis and gaspingly powerful full organ in the Whiteley, and the full range of the Howells, but as a whole, this recording doesn't seem to feature the organ as a dominating presence, as does, say, the set of Mag and Nunc recordings from St Paul's in London. Even so, what is heard of the beloved instrument is sublime, and it fills every imaginable expectation.

Such is what could be said, in summation, of this recording as a whole. Its very few minor flaws pale in the face of the glory presented here - as well they should. This is great music, sung by a great choir, accompanied by a great organ, in a great cathedral. What more could be asked for?