This second Signum album devoted exclusively to Will Todd's choral music is even more impressive than its first, Mass in Blue, released in 2006. It's made up mostly of anthems and motets plus a three-movement set, Among Angels, written for Harry Christophers and the Sixteen. Scored for mixed voices and harp, it's the most ambitious and sophisticated piece on the album and deserves its place as one of Todd's most frequently performed compositions. It's characterized by the surging lyricism and lush, luminous harmonies that ...
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This second Signum album devoted exclusively to Will Todd's choral music is even more impressive than its first, Mass in Blue, released in 2006. It's made up mostly of anthems and motets plus a three-movement set, Among Angels, written for Harry Christophers and the Sixteen. Scored for mixed voices and harp, it's the most ambitious and sophisticated piece on the album and deserves its place as one of Todd's most frequently performed compositions. It's characterized by the surging lyricism and lush, luminous harmonies that are typical of the composer's choral work, along with some discreetly deployed contemporary techniques. Within that basic aesthetic framework, the styles of the other pieces range from a facile simplicity reminiscent of Rutter that sometimes veer dangerously close to cliché (The Lord Is My Shepherd, and The Call of Wisdom) to more musically sophisticated works with real depth and inventiveness, such as Stay with Me, Lord; Man Unkind; and Vidi Speciosam. I Sing Because..., a love song...
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