Signum is the latest home of The King’s Singers and the label
has been busy with them, setting down disc after disc. This set offers
a tempting sample under the headings of Classical and Light.
Disc 1 presents the ensemble's ‘Classical’ face. I had
some misgivings about pop balances. I was wrong. While we are sometimes
given classical movements rather than whole works the approach neatly
treads the perilous path between purism and exultant appeal. The tracks
from Kreek, Tavener and Byrd all feel the pull of early church music.
I was extremely taken with this first disc, which ends on a yet higher
note with Libby Larson's
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Disc 2 is entitled
Light. It's a more popular line-up this
time. A close-up pop balance caresses the ears with King's own brand
of caramel smooth honey. You can almost see the singers leaning towards
you and snapping their fingers on occasion; in fact they do just that
in
Straighten Up. There's a high 'ooooh' quotient in the sound
of these singers and their signature is driven further home by the
sweet and high presence of two counter-tenors. Clever instrumental
emulations can be found here - a good example is the Billy Joel classic
She's Always a Woman to Me. There are some traditional items
among the pop tracks, though each is given a studio make-over as in
The Gift to Be Simple. Irving Berlin's
Blue Skies gets
the full classily aristocratic treatment. The voices are hyper-English
without 1950s cut-glass.
The words are not reproduced in the booklet which lists the tracks
- poorly contrasted text and background - alongside details of other
King’s albums from Signum and a quick overview of the ensemble’s
history. Signum have every right to preen themselves on having the
King’s Singers to themselves.
In the same general region I wonder when will someone move to reissue
Swingle II's delectable 1977 RCA LP (RL 25112) of music by Debussy,
Ravel, Poulenc, Elgar, Britten, Vaughan Williams and Stanford.
This is a class act and a good entry point. Signum has plenty more
where this comes from.
Come in from the cold and warm yourself by the King’s Singers’
crackling logs.
Rob Barnett
Track Listing
CD 1
1. Õnnis on inimene
Cyrillus Kreek 2:11
2. Gloria
William Byrd 5:53
3. In Monte Oliveti
Carlo Gesualdo 4:42
4. Bogoroditsye Dyevo
Arvo Part 1:03
5. Civitas sancti tui
William Byrd 5:06
6. The Lamb
John Tavener 3:23
7. Mon Dieu, j'ai en toi esperance - Psalm 7
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
4:38
8. My heart is a holy place
Patricia Van Ness 4:02
9. Versa est in luctum
Juan Gutierrez de Padilla 3:24
10. In ieiunio et fletu
Diogo Dias Melgas 2:50
11. Shir hama'a lot. Ashrei koi yere - Psalm 128
Salamone Rossi
Hebreo 3:53
12. Esti Dal
Zoltan Kodaly 3:16
13. Rakastava
Jean Sibelius 7:45
14. Calme des Nuits
Camille Saint-Saens 3:12
15. Music, When Soft Voices Die
Edward Bairstow 2:14
16. Lightly she whipped o'er the dales
John Mundy 3:13
17. The Silver Swan
Orlando Gibbons 1:46
18. Days, from
Even such is time Bob Chilcott 1:59
19. Lux Aurumque
Eric Whitacre 3:41
20. Shall I Compare Thee...?
Libby Larsen 3:00
CD 2
21. Lullabye - Goodnight, my angel Billy Joel 4:04
22. You are the new day John David 2:40
23. She's always a woman to me Billy Joel 3:22
24. Greensleeves Trad. English 3:03
25. Valparaiso Sting 3:49
26. Hide and Seek Imogen Heap 5:12
27. Home M. Buble, A. Foster-Gillies, A. Chang 3:53
28. Straighten up and fly right N. K. Cole, I. Mills 4:08
29. The gift to be simple Trad. American 2:09
30. Blue Skies I. Berlin 3:26
31. Recipe for Love Harry Connick, Jr 3:07
32. Hallelujah Leonard Cohen 5:03
33. Swing low, sweet chariot Trad. American 3:02
34. I'm yours Jason Mraz 3:39
35. Silent Love Mia Makaroff 3:26
36. Blackbird J. Lennon, P. McCartney 2:49
37. After the Goldrush Neil Young 3:06
38. Out of the woods Sinead Lohan 4:12
39. Swimming over London B. Chilcott, C. Bennett 3:12
40. Steal away Trad. Spiritual 2:56
