"I am sure
James [MacMillan]
will be as revered in 400 years' time as
Bach
is today,"
Tenebrae
director
Nigel Short
says in the notes to this 2023 release. One may agree with that or not, but there is a certain kinship between the two composers that makes for an interesting program. That is not to say that their music sounds similar;
MacMillan
inhabits a different tonal and rhythmic universe, yet that is what makes the similarities so interesting. Both
and
proceed from a stance of religious faith. Their text-setting is determined by this; it is not programmatic in the main, but it is full of emphasis on particular ideas and turns of phrase. Even an idiomatic quality in choral writing may be sacrificed in pursuit of text expression.
is represented here by three motets, which
has performed with continuo accompaniment in the past that are done unaccompanied here.
Short
reduces the size of his choir for the motets, and these difficult works receive quite precise performances. The
pieces, one of which (
I Saw Eternity the Other Night
) is a world premiere, are sung with warmth and great care.
Signum Classics
' sound from the Snape Maltings facility is ideal. This release made classical best-seller charts in the autumn of 2023. It not only meets but surpasses
's usual high standards, and it is a must for choral music lovers in the 2023 holiday season and beyond. ~ James Manheim