{"product_id":"veni-emmanuel-ross-choir-of-clare-college-252299","title":"Veni Emmanuel \/ Ross, Choir of Clare College","description":"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eVENI EMMANUEL—MUSIC FOR ADVENT \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e Graham Ross, cond; Ch of Clare College Cambridge \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e HARMONIA MUNDI 907579 (76:48 \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003eText and Translation) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003eMusic of \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"COMPOSER12\"\u003eBYRD, HOWELLS, R. WILLIAMS, M. PRAETORIUS, SHEPPARD, RUTTER, J. S. BACH, MENDELSSOHN, WARLOCK, G. ROSS, TAVENER, RACHMANINOFF, CHANT \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eThis 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 \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eO Adonai\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e is followed by a modern setting of the same words, with Roderick Williams (b. 1965) providing the music. The program begins with \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eVeni, veni Emmanuel\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e, a late chant setting of obscure origin better known as \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eO come, O come Emmanuel\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e, 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 \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eO virgo virginum\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e, 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. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eWilliams’s setting is effective, and John Rutter’s \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eHymn to the Creator of Light\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e (linked to \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eO Oriens\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e) quickly reaches a powerful climax and then continues on, the longest selection in the program. It is followed by Bach’s \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eWie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e 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 \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eChristus\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e and Rachmaninoff by a section from his \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eAll-Night Vigil\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e (Vespers), a Slavonic version of the \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eAve Maria\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e. 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. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-weight:bold\"\u003eFANFARE: J. F. Weber \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Mail Order Business","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":47331434692888,"sku":"093046757922","price":19.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/0105731.jpg?v=1770162247","url":"https:\/\/hbdirect.com\/products\/veni-emmanuel-ross-choir-of-clare-college-252299","provider":"HBDirect","version":"1.0","type":"link"}