cover of AV2086

Twentieth-century Masters · volume 3

COPLAND AND HIS
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARIES

The Choir of New College Oxford
David Newsholme, Nicholas Wearneorgan

directed by Edward Higginbottom

AV 2086

latest release

This CD may be obtained direct from New College Choir via the secure online CD Orders page

This recording of North American music of the last fifty or so years includes music by a Russian, Igor Stravinsky. His origins notwithstanding, he is one of the ‘grand old men’ of twentieth-century American music, having become an American citizen in the early 1940s, shortly before writing his Mass for choir and double wind quintet. The recording ends with a spritual, arranged by one of Britain’s most eminent twentieth-century composers—a sort of compliment to the American tradition from the other side of the pond. The rest of the music speaks for itself, with an inimitable American accent from beginning to end.

Recorded in New College Chapel, 11-15 July 2005
Playing time 67:50   DDD

Adolphus Hailstork (b. 1941)

1     The Song of Deborah[6:01]

Aaron Copland (1900-1990)

2     In the beginning [17:00]

Katherine Bond mezzo-soprano

Libby Larsen (. 1950)

3     I will sing and raise a psalm [4:46]

Morten Lauridsen (b.1943)

4     O magnum mysterium[6:09]

Ned Rorem (b. 1923)

5     O Deus, ego amo te [3:38]
6     Oratio patris condren:
       O Jesu vivens in Maria [2:01]
7     Thee, God, I come from [2:58]

Charles Ives (1874-1954)

8     Psalm 67 (God be merciful unto us)[2:26]

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

9     The dove descending [2:26]
 Mass for choir and double wind quintet
10       Kyrie [2:11]
11       Gloria [3:45]
12       Credo [4:46]
13       Sanctus [3:44]
14       Agnus Dei [2:39]

Michael TIppett (1905-1998)

15  Steal away (from A Child of our time) [3:20]

Twentieth-century Masters · volume 2

MACMILLAN AND HIS
BRITISH CONTEMPORARIES

The Choir of New College Oxford
Robert Patterson, Nicholas Wearne organ

directed by Edward Higginbottom

AV 2085

Recorded 13-15 July 2004 in Douai Abbey

Reviews

"This is one of the finest choral discs to have come my way for some time. I rejoice to find clear evidence that so much high quality music is being written for liturgical use by composers of today."

International Record Review

"Volume 2 in this ‘Twentieth-Century Masters’ series is an all-British programme, spearheaded by two James MacMillan pieces ... both eliciting lean, clear-toned performances from Higginbottom’s choir. ... The choir’s performances in this second volume are of uniformly high quality"

BBC Music Magazine

"This disc captures the choir of 2004, who sail through the programme with bright clarity. Pride of place goes to Johnathan Dove: his Ecce beatam lucem is a real charmer."

The Times

"New College Choir..brings the ideal combination of vocal freshness and consummate experience to this music, with commendable individual standout solos exemplifying the standard of the ensemble as a whole. The recording has admirable atmosphere and transparency."

The Daily Telegraph


Julian Anderson (b.1967)

1    O sing unto the Lord[6.59]

James MacMillan (b.1959)

2    Christus vincit [6.33]

Jonathan Dove (b.1959)

3    Ecce beatam lucem [5.58]

Ryan Wigglesworth (b.1976)

4    Libera nos [3.42]

James MacMillan

5    On the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin [6.49]

Jonathan Dove

6    Into thy hands [5.31]

Judith Weir (b.1954)

7    Love bade me welcome [4.16]

Robin Holloway (b.1943)

8    Since I believe [4.39]

Francis Grier (b.1955)

9    A prayer of St Augustine [4.08]

Tarik O’Regan (b.1978)

10  Surrexit Christus [2.54]

Peter Wishart (1921-1984)

11  Jesu, dulcis memoria [5.19]

John Joubert (b.1927)

12  Whitsun Carol, Op.115b [2.29]

Gabriel Jackson (b.1962)

13  Salve Regina[4.51]

Twentieth-century Masters · volume 1

POULENC AND HIS
FRENCH CONTEMPORARIES

The Choir of New College Oxford
David Newsholme, Nicholas Wearne organ

directed by Edward Higginbottom

AV 2084

Recorded 21-25 August 2005 in L'Abbaye de Saint Michel-en-Thierache, France
Playing time 70:30   DDD


Reviews

"This is the first in a series of three discs exploring 20th-century choral music. ...Poulenc takes centre-stage, his Four little Prayers for St Francis of Assisi and Mass in G major among eight works given the Rolls Royce treatment by a choir as strong on intensity and commitment as crystal-clear of voice and vision."

The Observer

"Throughout the disc Higginbottom draws exemplary clarity of texture from his New College choristers; the tantalizing, almost acidic harmonies of all these pieces are laid out like jewels ready for the closest of inspections.
Moments of beauty (and they come thick and fast) are deliciously understated . . . for performances which are full of musical and artistic integrity and a real sense of involvement with the music, these from New College, Oxford are in a class of their own."

International Record Review

" All is well tuned and enthusiastically sung ... and impeccably recorded, with good presentation and background notes."

www.musicalpointers.co.uk

"There is much in the recital to give pleasure and edification..."

BBC Music Magazine

Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)

1    Salve Regina [5.00]
Quatre petites prières de Saint François d'Assise
2    (i) Salut, Dame Sainte [2.32]
3    (ii) Tout puissant, très saint [1.26]
4    (iii) Seigneur, je vous en prie [1.24]
5    (iv) Omes très chers frères [2.07]
6    Exultate Deo [2.58]

Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992)

7    O sacrum convivium [4.46]

David Newsholme organ

Francis Poulenc

8    Quem vidistis pastores dicite [2.30]
9    Videntes stellam [2.49]

Pierre Villette (1926-1998)

10  Attende Domine, opus 45 [5.37]

Francis Poulenc

11  O magnum mysterium [3.34]
12  Hodie Christus natus est [2.39]
Messe en sol majeur
13  Kyrie [3.09]
14  Gloria [3.36]
15  Sanctus [2.29]
16  Benedcitus [3.31]
17  Agnus Dei [4.32]

Pierre Villette

18  Panis angelicus, opus 80 [3.42]
19  Hymne à la Vierge, op 24 [4.01]

Francis Poulenc

20  Litanies à la Vierge noire [8.09]

Nicholas Wearne organ

George Frideric Handel

MESSIAH (1751 version)

The Academy of Ancient Music
The Choir of New College Oxford
Henry Jenkinson, Otta Jones, Robert Brooks trebles
Iestyn Davies countertenor
Toby Spence tenor · Eamonn Dougan bass
directed by Edward Higginbottom

Naxos 8.570131-32 [2-CD set]

Messiah may be obtained direct from New College via the secure online CD Orders page

Handel’s most popular and joyous oratorio, a work of unfailing melodic invention and dramatic expressiveness, has become almost a British national institution, regularly performed by all manner of choirs and orchestras. This new recording provides the only modern re-construction of Handel’s unique London performances in 1751, when he used boy trebles not only for the choruses but for the arias as well. It is both a celebration of the British chapel choir tradition and a window onto a particular time and place in the history of Handel’s own performances of his masterpiece.

Recorded 3-8 January 2006 in
St John's Smith Square London
Playing time 2:22   DDD


GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685-1759)

MESSIAH


        Disc 1 [69:14]
        1– 19    PART ONE
        20–21   PART TWO

        Disc 2 [73:05]
        1–21     PART TWO (continued)
        22–31   PART THREE

THE GEORGIAN ANTHEM

Attwood, Battishill, Crotch,
Walmisley and Samuel Wesley

The Choir of New College Oxford

directed by Edward Higginbottom

CRD 3510

Recorded in New College Chapel, Oxford
22-24 July 2002

Playing time : 66:43   DDD

Samuel Wesley (1766-1837)

1     Exultate Deo [7'00"]
2     Constitues eos principes [4'44"]

William Crotch (1775-1847)

3     How dear are thy counsels [2'27"]

Jonathan Battishill (1738-1801)

4     Call to remembrance [6'33"]

Thomas Attwood Walmisley (1814-1856)

5     Remember, O Lord [11'36"]

Thomas Attwood (1765-1838)

6     Come, Holy Ghost [4'10"]

Samuel Wesley

7     All go unto one place (Funeral anthem) [8'18"]

Jonathan Battishill

8     O Lord, look down from heaven [3'47"]

William Crotch

9     The Lord, even the most mighty God [10'12"]

Thomas Attwood Walmisley

10   Evening Service in D minor [7'13"]

EVENSONG at
NEW COLLEGE OXFORD

The Choir of New College Oxford
Nicholas Wearne organ
Robert Patterson organ

directed by Edward Higginbottom


New Records NCR1379

This is a recording of a full choral evensong, complete with introit, office hymn, psalms, canticles, anthems and closing organ voluntary— a typical example of what a visitor to New College Chapel might experience when attending evensong during University Term.

The service also celebrates the Founder of New College, Bishop William of Wykeham, who died 600 years ago in October 1404.

Recorded in New College Chapel, Oxford
14 July 2003
Playing time : 66:31   DDD


EVENSONG at NEW COLLEGE OXFORD

1    Introit: William Harris, Faire is the heaven
2    Opening Versicles & Responses (William Smith)
3    Psalm 84 (chant: J. Coward)
4    Psalm 85 (chant: G. Martin)
5    First Lesson: I Corinthians 12.27 & 13.1–13
6    Office Hymn: Thomas Tallis, Te lucis ante terminum
7    Magnificat: setting in G major by Charles Stanford
      Treble soloist: Joseph Littlewood
8    Second Lesson: Ecclesiasticus 44. 1–15
9    Nunc dimittis: setting in G major by Charles Stanford
      Bass soloist: Gregory Sanderson
10  Creed and Lesser Litany (William Smith)
11  Lord’s Prayer (John Farmer)
12  Versicles, Responses and Collects (William Smith)
13  First Anthem: Gerald Finzi, Lo, the full final sacrifice
14  Second Anthem: Charles Wood, Hail, gladdening light
15  Prayers and Blessing
16  Hymn: Glory to thee my God this night
      (tune by Thomas Tallis)
17  Organ Voluntary: Charles Stanford, Postlude in d

Organ Scholar (tracks 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 13, 16):
      Nicholas Wearne
Assisting Organist (track 17):
      Robert Patterson

Officiating Priest: The Revd Dr Jane Shaw
Chaplain and Dean of Divinity of New College Oxford

The Choir of New College Oxford
directed by Edward Higginbottom

To buy these CDs direct from New College Choir, go to the secure online CD Orders page