Customer Reviews

Music for Holy Week

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I have been extremely hungry to hear English Tudor composers lately and came across this CD. Since it contained works by Tallis, Morley, Gibbons, Taverner and Sheppard, was sung by my favorite choir, and was very reasonably priced, I figured I had nothing to lose. Everything else on the disc was frosting on the cake.

I am especially delighted with the attention to program on this CD. From following Tallis's lavishly dense "Lamentations" with his thrillingly sparse "O Nata Lux" (full of tasty cross relations), to following Taverner's "Dum transisset Sabbatum I" with the well known Easter hymn, "Jesus Christ is risen today," careful attention is given to pacing and contrast over the generous 73 min 18 sec of the recording.

If I were to select two items worthy of special note, I'd point you to Lotti's "Crucifixus" and Kenneth Leighton's "Let all the world in every corner sing." The first is certainly the most exquisite use of dissonance I've ever heard in a Baroque choral work. Burney records in his 1770 diaries that the Italian choir brought him to tears when it nailed the entries on dissonant suspensions, and this recording shows you exactly what he was talking about. In the context of this program, Leighton's anthem is also a thrilling piece of work. Though decidedly modern, it uses modern organ and choral writing to the service of the text. Never do I pull back and think, "Is this weirdness for weirdness' sake?" -- as I do when listening to the works of many moderns, and Gesualdo, for that matter. It is a thrilling ride on the crest of a wave of sound that brings the entire program of King's College Choir's "Music for Holy Week" to an exhilarating conclusion. (I don't know any other work by him. Surely this isn't unique in his catalog.)

Superb ensemble singing from simply one of the finest choirs in the world. Philip Ledger's tenure at king's was relatively short but he produced a sublime sound from the choir. Then are many jewels on this disc from Lotti's 'Crucifixus' to the simply beautiful interpretation of Orlando Gibbon's 'Drop, drop slow tears'
Highly recommended.

If you're looking for Lenten music, you can't do much better than "Music for Holy Week." It was released in 1995, though everything was recorded in the early 80s, when Philip Ledger was the conductor of the King's College Choir, Cambridge. Sir Philip's artistry and the choir's top-notch musicianship make this a pleasure to listen to.

The first 7 tracks are Tallis's "Lamentations of Jeremiah," a haunting work from the scripture of the same name. "Music for Holy Week" heavily features music from English renaissance composers, such as Thomas Tallis, Thomas Morley, Orlando Gibbons, and others. Some classic Anglican hymns are included, however, including "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" and the inimitable "Jesus Christ is Risen Today." The first 19 tracks are all music for the Lenten period or the period of Holy Week before Holy Saturday; as one would expect, they evoke a sad, penitential mood, and are in minor keys. Starting with Taverner's "Dum Transisset Sabbatum I," the music is for Easter, and as such is quite uplifting. The overall result is that the album musically expresses the aim of the paschal season- a journey from sadness to hope. The only glitch in the album is the last track; it's quite jarring and does not fit with the rest of the album, at least not to my ears. Overall, however, "Music for Holy Week" is an excellent recording, and one I would recommend without hesitation.

"THE PEACE WHICH PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING" CONVEYED MOST BEAUTIFULLY BY THE KING'S COLLEGE CHOIR.

Perfection in delivery and hauntingly beautiful tone quality mark this performance of some glorious holy week music. The Choir of King's College is made up of approximately 30 members, 16 are the young boy choristers and 14 are the undergraduates, who are referred to as Scholars. The singing on this disc is simply sublime and there are many 'gems' from Lotti's '"Crucifixus" to the lovely interpretation of Orlando Gibbon's "Drop, drop slow tears". Although this music is entirely sacred, there is much variety within the selections; the dates vary from music written in the late 1500's all the way to the late 1900's, though heavy on the 1500-1700 side. But included is the ever familiar and loved "Jesus Christ is risen today","When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" and "There is a Green Hill Far Away".

This particular disc shows 2 different recording times:The Tallis selections comprising the first half of the record were recorded in 1981; the second half (of varied composers )was recorded in 1977. So we cannot be sure that all the personnel were the same, not that it really matters, because it is all so very excellent. However, I think that the Tallis half sounds like only the Scholars were singing, because there are no boy sopranos, as in the 2nd half.

THE TALLIS: "The Lamentations of Jeremiah" are usually transmitted as a single piece in most contemporary manuscripts, but they are really two separate compositions in different modes. Tallis and his contemporary John Sheppard were the only 2 English composers of the time to compose hymn settings of any quality. It has been suggested that they had it in mind to compose a cycle of settings for Mary Tudor's chapel. "O Nata lux" may belong to this Marian set. It is almost entirely homophonic, and relies rhetorically upon a flexible declamatory style.

Salvator Mundi" is one of Tallis's best-known motets. The masterly treatment of imitative writing is combined with a fine sense of structure and balance, achieved through repetition, to give a sense of large-scale design, a feature characteristic of Tallis's best large-scale compositions. And the most beautiful anthem on the disc: Tallis's "If Ye Love Me" (enhanced by the voice of countertenor Michael Chance with his lush sound). The second half of the disc (sung by full choir) included the music of William Horsley, Tomas Victoria, Thomas Morley, Orlando de Lassus, John IV King of Portugal, Gibbons, Miller, John Tavener, Dutch Carol, Sheppard and Leighton.

So much wonderful music, exquisitely sung; a delcious Easter treat!
I would like to mention to any Michael Chance fans who read this, he is definitely singing on this recording. In the first half it is very obvious, but I do think he is also on the 2nd half. He would have been with King's at this time. Just some trivia for those who are interested.

This is a good recording--you wouldn't expect anything else from this choir. They just sing really well. Diction, tone, everything. Just great performance.

I disagree, as I usually do with Kings, with some of the repertoire selected. The Tallis Lamentations at the beginnning are sung well, but, quite honestly, I usually skip them because they're boring and I want to listen to a variety of pieces on the recording. The Lotti and Sheppard are also disastrous, not because of the performance, just because, in my opinion, they are disastrous as music anyway.

The hymns are probably the best music on this recording. They exemplify the true passion of the season. The other motets (besides the Lamentations) by Tallis are excellent. Leighton's "Let all the world", while I hate singing it, is an effective way to close the recording.

Overall, a good addition to your music library, but not a necessary one.

Every selection here is a winner, beautifully sung by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge. Tallis's Lamentations of Jeremiah set the tonal mood, followed by mostly English composers, William Horsley, John Taverner & Thomas Morley. My favorite is the choir's rendition of the Dutch carol JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN TODAY. I've never heard so beautiful a rendition!!! This Easter Hymn I believe is the need to purchase this particular cd, though all else is SHEER BLISS!!!
You simply can't go wrong, wonderful religious music on all counts!!!

The music on this cd brings home the beauty of the loftiest, most beautiful cathedrals of Europe, and is fitting of the subject matter therein: the death and resurection of Christ. The only thing I have to complain about is the last selection. TERRIBLE! Forgive me, but I tried to listen to it with open mind and open heart... but everytime, the word terrible came to mind. I would try to keep my twitching fingers away from the skip buttom; but again, every time, I found my arm going straight for it. The last selection sounds like a horrible, tragicly corny and rediculous church-circus joke. The rest of the cd is gorgious. I'm just not into that new-age sound-- or whatever it's supposed to be. Did I mention that the last selection on this cd is repulsive? If I didn't, well, let me say that it stinks!!! Buy the cd anyway, and do like I do and skip the last selection... unless of course you have found a way to tollerate it.

This album delivers to the listener absolute beauty! This music list is perfect for lent, the holy season, or anyone who wants to hear some of the best choral music composed. It is wonderfully solemn and will trasform your idea of what music should be during the holiest week of the year. I cannot praise the sound and passion that spills from Kings College. Once again Kings College brings music to a new height, paradise. If anyone wants to hear how music should be sung, this album matches that and goes one step further. This is one of the best!