Gerre Hancock

Review: This disc, featuring a variety of sacred works by 20th-century composers and arrangers, fully measures up to this revered choir's reputation for first-rate singing and for being what can only be described as America's finest English cathedral choir. Everything from the bright, prominent treble tone to the enunciation and inflection--even the choir's vestments--comes from the long-established Anglican tradition, and under the careful tutelage of director Gerre Hancock these choristers have nothing to apologize for, either in technique or in musicianly command of the repertoire. The repertoire includes several traditional favorites--Stanford's Latin motets, for example--along with works closely associated with Saint Thomas, including choir-member Anthony Piccolo's beautiful anthem Heaven and Heart, T. Tertius Noble's Go to Dark Gethsemane, and Hancock's own arrangement of the Spiritual Deep River. Along the way we encounter the intensely overwrought and way-too-long Magnificat by Alan Gray and the tedious-and-fussy Vox dicentis by Edward Naylor. Stanford's gorgeous but extremely tricky motets provide many moments of listening pleasure but also reveal their challenges as the choir trebles struggle with intonational control in several places, especially in the somewhat cumbersome and awkwardly written eight-part Coelos ascendit hodie (no choir sings this piece well) and in the opening and closing bars of Beati quorum via.

Songlist: Eternal Light - Sowerby, Go To The Gethsemane - Noble, A Setting Of Collect - Parker, Heaven And Heart - Piccolo, Draw Us In The Spirit's Tether - Ossewaarde, Three Motets - Stanford, Magnificat - Gray, Nunc Dimittis - Wood, "Tis The Day Of Resurrection - Wood, Vox Dicentis: Clama - Naylor, Sonate En Ut Mineur - Gui;mant, Deep River, The Good News, Ezeckiel Saw De Wheel

Review: Considered by major critics both here and abroad to be the outstanding choral ensemble of the Anglican musical tradition in the US today. The 12 men, who are professional singers, and 18 boys, who are students at NYC's St. Thomas Choir School, one of 4 such schools in the world. Included here are 14 songs, some accompanied by the massive St. Thomas Church organ. There are single pieces by Poulenc ("Exultate Deo"), Messiaen ("O sacrum convivium), and Cesar Franck's "Psalm 150;" 4 tunes by Maurice Durufle, and 5 tunes by Jean Langlais, ("Kyrie," "Gloria," "Sanctus," "Benedictus" and "Agnus Dei").

Songlist: Exultate Deo, O Sacrum Convivium, Psalm 150, Quatre Motets on Gregorian Themes, Op. 10, Ubi caritas, Tota pulchra es, Tu es Petrus, Tantum ergo, Petite rapsodie improvisee, Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei

Review: The 29 men and boys of New York City's renowned Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys present the choral music of British composer Benjamin Britten (1913-1976). Included are "Te Deum in C Major," "A Hymn of St. Columba," "Jubilate Deo in C," "Hymn to St. Cecilia, Op 27," "Prelude and Fugue on a Theme of Vittoria," "Hymn to St. Peter" and the 7 movements of "Rejoice in the Lamb, Op. 30." Britten's compositions are brilliant, eclectic and difficult to perform, but they are handled beautifully and seemingly effortlessly by the Choir. There is some organ accompaniment. A fine collection of the works of a British master composer, by one of America's great all-male choirs.

Songlist: Te Deum in C Major, A hymn of St. Columba, Jubilate Deo in C, Hymn to St. Cecilia, Op. 27, Prelude and Fugue on a Theme of Vittoria, Hymn to St. Peter, Rejoice in the Lamb, Op. 30