VENI EMMANUEL—MUSIC FOR ADVENT • Graham Ross, cond; Ch of Clare College Cambridge • HARMONIA MUNDI 907579 (76:48 Text and Translation)
Music of BYRD, HOWELLS, R. WILLIAMS, M. PRAETORIUS, SHEPPARD, RUTTER, J. S. BACH, MENDELSSOHN, WARLOCK, G. ROSS, TAVENER, RACHMANINOFF, CHANT
This disc arrived in good time for Advent, but not for a timely review to appear. This is an intelligent group of works, with each of eight “O” antiphons followed by one or more works on the same theme. Only O Adonai is followed by a modern setting of the same words, with Roderick Williams (b. 1965) providing the music. The program begins with Veni, veni Emmanuel, a late chant setting of obscure origin better known as O come, O come Emmanuel, which concludes the program in Graham Ross’s arrangement. In between are the “O” antiphons and their related works, the latter dating mostly from the 20th century. The eighth antiphon following the canonical seven is O virgo virginum, a slightly later piece honoring the Virgin Mary, added to the original group of seven with the same melody but not the “come” motif. The antiphons have always been sung with the Magnificat at Vespers on the seven days before Christmas Eve.
Williams’s setting is effective, and John Rutter’s Hymn to the Creator of Light (linked to O Oriens) quickly reaches a powerful climax and then continues on, the longest selection in the program. It is followed by Bach’s Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern in the chorale version BWV 436. Appropriately, just before the end, we hear the Magnificat from the Gloucester Service of Herbert Howells. Mendelssohn is represented by an excerpt from Christus and Rachmaninoff by a section from his All-Night Vigil (Vespers), a Slavonic version of the Ave Maria. The mixed choir produces a fine, well-balanced sound, and the many soloists acquit themselves well. This is an exemplary way of producing a diverse collection of music. Only Ross’s arrangement of the central work strikes me as overblown. Altogether, this is very enjoyable.
