There has never been a wealth of satisfying recordings of Handel's Chandos Anthems available, so admirers of the works should be grateful for Hyperion's release three of the eleven anthems, especially because they are exceptionally well performed and recorded. Skilled and seasoned conductor Stephen Layton leads the Trinity College Choir, Cambridge, the Academy of Ancient Music, and a quartet of excellent soloists in strong, spirited, and above all, noble accounts of No. 9 "O praise the Lord with one consent," No. 11 "Let ...
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There has never been a wealth of satisfying recordings of Handel's Chandos Anthems available, so admirers of the works should be grateful for Hyperion's release three of the eleven anthems, especially because they are exceptionally well performed and recorded. Skilled and seasoned conductor Stephen Layton leads the Trinity College Choir, Cambridge, the Academy of Ancient Music, and a quartet of excellent soloists in strong, spirited, and above all, noble accounts of No. 9 "O praise the Lord with one consent," No. 11 "Let God arise," and No. 7 "My song shall be alway." The Cambridge Choir turns in superlative accounts of the work's many choruses, from the unfettered delight of "Ye boundless realms of joy" to the awestruck wonder of "Praised be the Lord!" The Academy orchestra performs brilliantly alone, as in the ebullient Sonata at the start of "My song shall be alway," and with sensitivity in its accompanimental role. The soloists are excellent: mellifluous tenor James Gilchrist in "Like as the smoke...
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