Reviewed by John Irvine

I always approach discs by John Rutter's Cambridge Singers with a sense of heightened anticipation, and yet again they have come up with the goods: they never seem to disappoint either in terms of selection of material, performance or in the quality of the recording. Their constant and consistent delivery of quality material puts them streets ahead of many other choirs or choral groups. The music of this recording, all for unaccompanied choir, is loosely grouped according tot he themes in the texts of the pieces, eg, Advent, Easter, Communion, the words of Jesus, etc. All that appears to have been left out is the Second Coming and Judgment! Composers from many periods and countries have been brought together in this collection which is neither a liturgical construction for worship nor a historical survey of how Christ has been portrayed in Church music down the centuries (although the collection manages to do both of these) but more an aid to the imagination as it meditates on these images of Christ. Among the highlights of this collection are Bruckner's "Christus Factus Est", Palestrina's "Hodie Christus Natus" and two exemplary 20th century pieces: Messiaen's "O Sacrum Convivium" and Barber's moving choral setting of his famous Adagio for strings, "Agnes Dei" in a performance I would have no hesitation in recommending above many others. There is also a wealth of other short pieces, musically diverse and often not so well known, but all deserving of greater attention. A very fine collection.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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