1. The Shepherds Sing [3.37]
2. Nova! Nova! [2.51]
3. The Heart-in-Waiting [3.23]
4. Pilgrim Jesus [2.07]
5. Jesus, Springing [4.33]
6. The Rose in the Middle of Winter [2.42]
7. Lulajze, Jezuniu [3.54]
8. The Dove and the Olive Leaf [3.00]
9. Remember me [3.38]
10. Simple Pictures of Tomorrow [7.26]
11. Happy the Man [2.33]
12. Furusato: Sunayama (Sand Mountain) [2.35]
13. Furusato: Mura Matsuri (Village Festival) [1.19]
14. Furusato: Oborozukiyo (Blurred Moon) [2.29]
15. Furusato: Furusato (Homeland) [3.07]
16. Furusato: Momiji (Maple Leaves) [3.00]
17. Our Father (The Bread of Life) [3.43]
18. The Seeds of Stars [4.19]
Anyone who knows the name of Bob Chilcott will know that it
carries with it the promise of the highest quality in choral
music. The compositions of this former King’s Singer are unashamedly
tonal, relying on great tunes and beautiful textures for their
effect. He has a sound that is clean, transparent, quite Romantic,
and very popular. His compositions are already beloved of choral
societies the length and breadth of the UK and, as I learnt
from this disc, from much further afield as well. This disc
gathers together a range of Chilcott’s works sung by Poland’s
Wroclaw Philharmonic Choir, recently mentored and made famous
on these shores by Paul McCreesh, not least through their recordings
of Elijah
and Berlioz’s Requiem.
The combination of Chilcott’s music and the Wroclaw choral sound
makes for a very special disc which is sure to attract any lovers
of beautiful music well sung.
The first seven tracks are all songs for Christmas or Advent,
and wonderful they are too. Three of them showcase Chilcott’s
affinity with the poetry of Kevin Crossley-Holland. The
Heart-in-Waiting matches the long line of the poem to some
warmly expressive vocal writing. Pilgrim Jesus is lively
and vigorous, as is the sparky Nova! Nova! which is
to a traditional text. However, the finest Crossley-Holland
setting, and perhaps the finest thing on the disc, is the beautiful
Jesus, Springing, an archingly beautiful expression
of the poet’s meditation on Christ’s birth. Lulajze, Jezuniu
is a gorgeous Polish lullaby, and The Shepherds Sing
is a great way to open the disc, combining the choir and soprano
soloist with a piano and a haunting saxophone solo.
After the Christmas tracks the fare is more varied in style
but just as appealing. There are slightly unusual pieces, such
as a setting of the Lord’s Prayer and a Hebrew and English setting
of Genesis 8:11, describing the dove returning to Noah’s Ark.
Simple Pictures of Tomorrow is a fairly serious setting
of a translated poem by Paul Eluard. Happy the Man
sets Dryden’s ode to opportunism in a gentle, reflective manner
that lives up to the optimism of the words. The five songs of
Furusato are Japanese songs, written for the Kyoto
Echo Choir. These attractively combine Japanese melodies with
western harmonies. The title track marries a direct vocal line
with a sparkling piano accompaniment. Most interesting for me,
however, was the setting of Christina Rossetti’s poem of bereavement,
Remember Me. It’s a poem which I’ve always thought
of as rather sombre, but Chilcott’s setting makes its sentiments
seem more upbeat and hopeful - less of a lament and more of
a celebration of the one lost.
The singing of the Wroclaw choir is excellent throughout, creating
a warm, responsive sound that is harmonious and tightly knit.
Some may want more daylight between the notes, but I loved the
lush texture of their singing. They are captured beautifully
in this acoustic, blending very well with the occasional accompanying
instruments. Only in the solo singing can you detect the occasional
accent to the language. With Chilcott himself at the helm, this
disc is sure to appeal, and not just for Christmas. The booklet
contains a note from the composer, as well as the sung texts
and, where appropriate, translations into English.
Simon Thompson
NFM Wroclaw Philharmonic Choir/Bob Chilcott