Customer Reviews

My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord

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Unlike its sister CD, "My Spirit Hath Rejoiced", this recording makes little attempt at delicacy of selections. This is one majestic setting after another. My personal favourites are Stanford in C, Wesley in E, and Brewer in D. Each of these seems to out-dazzle its predecessor. The opening of the Stanford is awfully dramatic (not to mention the remainder of it), and the choir of St Paul's brings it off with their customary conviction and zeal. A little bit of panache isn't a bad thing either. The Wesley is, like most Wesley, perfectly paced and set out. Nothing is in the least bit rushed, and it takes its good and steady time getting through. But with music this magnificent, I wouldn't mind if it took all day to finally get through the Gloria. The Brewer is, in my opinion, somewhat slighted in the typically rich Hyperion liner notes. After being compelled to play it again and again, simply for the little bit of heaven that the final Gloria is, I think it is really one of the highlights of the disc. It is almost like an Elgarian procession. Solemn, beautiful, and somehow - and it's magic - managing to put a lump in my throat every time. Anyone even vaguely acquainted with the choir of St Paul's under Mr. Scott is aware of their unparalleled reputation, and this disc fully reveals the reason for such. The choir sing with clarity, unity, and an uncanny sense of dynamic control, tempo flow, etc. In other words, they are musical to the point of being legendary. That Hyperion manages to capture such a great deal of St Paul's (in)famous acoustics to perfection and to such great purpose is certainly to their credit, and is one of the disc's most exciting components. This music, the sound of the great choir, and the thrill of the mammoth organ are lifted up into the atmosphere of the cathedral, and tossed around in its cavernous space to terrific effect. If you don't buy this, you cannot imagine the beauty you're missing.

This is a beautiful recording by the choir of men and boys at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. I purchased my first copy in a Cathedral bookshop in England ten years ago. I've played it over and over and over. If you enjoy various settings of the "Evening Canticles", music written for choral evensong, you'll love hearing this collection of some of the best.