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<< -- 3 -- Patric Standford BRIGHTNESS AND FIDELITY
But an excellent reason now
in early December to rush out and order this CD is the lovely
Christmas Cantata, Christus natus est, for choir and children's
choir, with soprano and a small orchestra
[listen -- track 8, 0.01-0.58].
Its five short movements are extremely imaginative arrangements of two
Latin carols from Piae Cantiones, the French carol Entre le bœuf,
and a traditional Polish carol Infant holy
[listen -- track 11, 0.42-1.30],
all linked by a series of clever variants on one of
McDowall's own carols, Of a rose. This is a piece which, if I
were king, would be done in musical schools every year!
The Fancy
of Folksongs, written for the Canterbury Chamber Choir last year, is
diverting and proficient, but not quite as inspiring as the other
works -- and is unfortunately recorded at a lower sound level. The
performances, all with Orchestra Nova under George Vass, are very
good, and the CD does enormous service for the music of a composer who
deserves to be heard as widely as possible.
Copyright © 11 December 2004
Patric Standford, Wakefield UK
Cecilia McDowall: Magnificat; Christus Natus Est
CDLX 7146 DDD Stereo NEW RELEASE 64'18" 2004 Dutton Laboratories
Rachel Nichols, soprano; Frances Bourne, mezzo-soprano; Sally Pryce, harp; Canterbury Chamber Choir; Parmiter's Senior Singers; Orchestra Nova; George Vass, conductor
Cecilia McDowall (born 1951): Ave maris stella for choir, soprano solo and string orchestra (2001); Magnificat for mixed voices, soprano, mezzo-soprano soloists and small orchestra (2003); Christus Natus Est - a cantata for Christmas for choir, soprano solo, children's choir and small orchestra (2002); A Fancy of Folksongs for mixed voices, soprano solo and harp (2003) |
BUY THIS CD FROM THE COMPOSER
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