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LOUIS VIERNE
(1870-1937)
Messe solennelle, Op. 16 (1900)
20:54
in C sharp minor - in cis-Moll - en ut dièse mineur
for mixed chorus and organ
À Théodore Dubois
1.
Kyrie eleison. Maestoso ma non troppo lento
5:00
Guy James counter-tenor
2.
Gloria in excelsis Deo. Allegro risoluto - Molto quasi doppio più lento - Tempo I
6:26
Augustus Perkins Ray bass
3.
Sanctus. Maestoso ma non troppo lento
2:03
Guy James counter-tenor
4.
Benedictus. Poco più vivo
2:59
Guy James counter-tenor
5.
Agnus Dei. Andante
4:25
Joseph Wicks second organ part
FRANCIS POULENC
(1899-1963)
Quatre Petites Prieres de Saint Francois d'Assise, S 142 (1948)
6:54
(Four Short Prayers of St Francis of Assisi)
for male chorus a cappella
Joseph Wicks tenor
6.
1
Salut. Dame sainte. Modéré, mais sans lenteur
2:15
7.
2
Tout puissant, très saint. Majestueux et éclatant
1:18
8.
3
Seigneur, je vous en prie. Très expressif et fervent
1:21
9.
4
Ô mes très chers frères. Bien calme
1:58
Xavier Hetherington tenor
OLIVIER MESSIAEN
(1908-1992)
10.
O sacrum convivium! (1937)
4:48
for mixed chorus and organ ad libitum
Lent et expressif
FRANCIS POULENC
Quatre Motets pour un temps de penitence, S 97 (1938-39)
13:57
(Four Lenten Motets)
for mixed chorus a cappella
11.
Timor et tremor. À Monsieur l'Abbé Maillet. Largement
2:59
12.
Vinea mea electa. À Yvonne Gouverné. Tendrement et mélancoliquement lent
3:47
13.
Tenebrae factae sunt. À Nadia Boulanger. Très lent
4:04
Guy James counter-tenor
14.
Tristis est anima mea. À E. Bourmauck. Très calme - Vif et inquiet - Très calme -
3:03
Jason Cobb treble
Oliver Brown treble
Guy James counter-tenor
JEAN LANGLAIS
(1907-1991)
Messe solennelle (1951)
17:50
for mixed chorus and organ
À Monsieur le Chanoine H. Hubert, Curé de Sainte Clotilde
15.
Kyrie. Andantino
4:13
Simon Ponsford counter-tenor
16.
Gloria. Moderato
4:37
Simon Ponsford counter-tenor
Jonathan Hyde baritone
17.
Sanctus. Moderato
1:35
Guy James counter-tenor
18.
Benedictus. Lento
2:23
Guy James counter-tenor
19.
Agnus Dei. Moderato
4:58
Simon Ponsford counter-tenor
Total time: 64:25
Choral: Choir of St. Johns College, Cambridge
Solo:Edward Picton-Tubervill organ
Conductor:Andrew Nethsingha
15-17 July 2014
Notes
This new album with the Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge under Andrew Nethsingha – recording exclusively for Chandos – pays homage to French sacred choral music of the early twentieth century. It features two Messes solennelles, by Louis Vierne and Jean Langlais, as well as short pieces by Francis Poulenc and Olivier Messiaen.
The two Messes solennelles in many ways emulate the Mass in F sharp minor, Op. 36 by Vierne’s organ teacher, Charles-Marie Widor. Yet, Vierne and Langlais – both blind from childhood, Paris Conservatoire students, and longstanding titular organists in main places of worship in Paris – use a more modern, forward-looking chromatic harmonic language and colourful organ writing. The versions heard here employ one organ, rather than the two commonly available in Parisian churches.
Although it is his only published contribution to liturgical choral music, the motet O sacrum convivium! by Messiaen features two of his most characteristic musical traits: the use of chromatic harmonies within the much-favoured tonality of F sharp major, and the rhythmic augmentation of note values to liberate the music from the regular succession of beats.
As well as the Four Lenten Motets by Poulenc we hear his late four short prayers ‘by St Francis of Assisi’, composed for a male choir of tenors and yet showing a remarkable variety of colour, the number of parts ranging from three to six.
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Reviews
“... this is a wonderful recording The two Masses with organ sound absolutely splendid a delight throughout. Warmly recommended.”
Roger Judd – Cathedral Music magazine – November 2015
"...Recording in an excellent acoustic the Chandos sound team has excelled with well balanced and forthright sonics. Full Latin and French texts are provided together with English translations. Under Andrew Nethsingha’s assured direction the choir sing with integrity and a profound devotional intensity. The organists in the Vierne accompany the choir with convincing weight and scale. If the repertoire suits there is absolutely no reason to hesitate about purchasing this Chandos release."
Michael Cookson - MusicWeb-International.com - 15 July 2015
“…Smart, sleek Poulenc clinches the deal on what must be one of the Best Recordings of 2015. Chandos comes across with exemplary engineering and annotation. The jaunty Delaunay painting on the booklet cover lends even more swooshes of joy to the proceedings.”
Philip Greenfield – American Record Guide – July/August 2015
“…If you buy one choral recording this year, make it this one! “ *****
Matthew Power – Choir & Organ magazine - May/June 2015
*** (Good Disc) **** (Exceptional Sound)
Dominique Joucken - Classica magazine (France) - June 2015
“… This disc offers high-quality French sacred music in very accomplished and satisfying performances… The sound and documentation are both up to the usual high Chandos standard.”
John Quinn – MusicWeb-International.com – 29 April 2015
"The stirring organ roar at the start of Vierne’s Messe solonnelle bodes well and the Choir of St John’s College, with organists Edward Picton-Tubervill and Joseph Wicks under Andrew Nethsinga, give a most impressive performance of a work fist performed in 1900 with Vierne and Widor on the two organs the accuracy, tonal warmth and rhythmic attack of the St John’s Choir all contribute to a version that makes a striking impact, especially as it has been very well recorded too The recorded sound is splendid it’s the combination of strong impact and a sense of space that make the technical aspect of this recording so impressive.”
Nigel Simeone - International Record Review - March 2015
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