Herbert Howells' Missa Sabrinensis ("Severn Mass") of 1954 is a gigantic work, and performances have been scarce, which is partly because the payroll for the work is so large; it involves hundreds of singers and musicians. Beyond that, the music represents an aesthetic that fell out of fashion and hasn't quite made it back, despite the fall of the modernist tyranny. Its world premiere recording came in 1995, from none of other than Gennady Rozhdestvensky, with the London Symphony and Chorus, and this 2020 release by the ...
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Herbert Howells' Missa Sabrinensis ("Severn Mass") of 1954 is a gigantic work, and performances have been scarce, which is partly because the payroll for the work is so large; it involves hundreds of singers and musicians. Beyond that, the music represents an aesthetic that fell out of fashion and hasn't quite made it back, despite the fall of the modernist tyranny. Its world premiere recording came in 1995, from none of other than Gennady Rozhdestvensky, with the London Symphony and Chorus, and this 2020 release by the Bach Choir under David Hill seems to be its second. One can understand why the work, with its great waves of sound and its soaring solo parts, appealed to the famous Russian conductor, and his recording is a vital if somewhat offbeat part of his legacy, but Hill and the Bach Choir may be a bit closer to the spirit of the music. It's the choir that really strikes the listener here. Despite its name, the venerable Bach Choir has been mostly a vehicle for large British pieces that were...
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