Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of choral music with the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, as they present a meticulously curated collection of sacred and seasonal works. "The Choral Tradition - Bach, Handel, Mozart, Purcell" is a testament to the choir's unparalleled artistry and the enduring power of these masterpieces.
Spanning over two and a half hours, this album is a comprehensive journey through the choral repertoire, featuring iconic compositions from the Baroque to the Romantic periods. The Choir of King's College, Cambridge, renowned for their pristine vocals and profound musicality, bring a fresh and inspiring perspective to these timeless pieces.
The album opens with Bach's majestic "Magnificat in D Major," setting the stage for a diverse exploration of choral music. It includes beloved Christmas favorites like Handel's "Messiah," Purcell's "Come Ye Sons of Art," and the traditional "Joy to the World!" arranged by John Rutter. The choir's rendition of these pieces is nothing short of breathtaking, capturing the essence of the holiday spirit.
The album also delves into the solemn and reflective with works like Brahms' "Ein deutsches Requiem" and Fauré's "Requiem," showcasing the choir's ability to convey deep emotion and spiritual depth. The inclusion of lesser-known gems, such as Kodály's "Missa brevis" and Scarlatti's "Te Deum," adds a layer of intrigue and discovery for both seasoned choral enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
Each track is a testament to the choir's technical precision and expressive range, from the triumphant "Hallelujah" chorus from Handel's "Messiah" to the serene beauty of Schubert's "Der Herr ist mein Hirt." The album culminates in Elgar's rousing "Land of Hope and Glory," leaving the listener with a sense of awe and inspiration.
Recorded with impeccable sound quality by Warner Classics, this album is a celebration of the choral tradition, highlighting the Choir of King's College, Cambridge's status as one of the world's premier choirs. Whether you're a longtime fan of choral music or a newcomer looking to explore the genre, this album is a must-listen, offering a profound and enriching musical experience.
Bach, JS: Magnificat in D Major, BWV 243: I. Chorus. "Magnificat anima mea Dominum"Johann Sebastian Bach, Stephen Cleobury, Academy of Ancient Music, Choir of King's College, Cambridge
Mozart: Ave verum corpus, K. 618Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Cambridge Classical Players, Stephen Cleobury
Purcell: Come Ye Sons of Art, Z. 323 "Ode for Queen Mary's Birthday": No. 2b, Chorus. "Come Ye Sons of Art Away"Henry Purcell, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Academy of Ancient Music, Stephen Cleobury
Brahms: Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Mühseligen, Op. 74 No. 1: III. (a) Siehe, wir preisen seligJohannes Brahms, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Philip Ledger
Bach, JS: Matthäus-Passion, BWV 244, Pt. 1: No. 3, Choral. "Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen"Johann Sebastian Bach, Concentus Musicus Wien, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Regensburger Domspatzen
Handel: Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2, Scene 5: Chorus. "The Lord Gave the Word"George Frideric Handel, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Sir David Willcocks, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Britten: A Ceremony of Carols, Op. 28: II. Wolcum Yole!Benjamin Britten, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Osian Ellis, Sir David Willcocks
Brahms: Es ist das Heil uns kommen her, Op. 29 No. 1: ChoraleJohannes Brahms, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Philip Ledger
Frescobaldi: Messa sopra l'aria della monica: IV. SanctusGirolamo Frescobaldi, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury
Traditional / Arr. Rutter: Joy to the World!Traditional, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Peter Stevens, Stephen Cleobury
Vivaldi: Magnificat in G Minor, RV 610: VIII. Sicut locutus estAntonio Vivaldi, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Academy of Ancient Music, Stephen Cleobury
Bach, JS: Weihnachtsoratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 1: No. 5, Choral. "Wie soll ich dich empfangen"Johann Sebastian Bach, Philip Ledger, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Kodály: Missa brevis: II. KyrieZoltán Kodály, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Stephen Layton, Stephen Cleobury
Handel: Saul, HWV 53, Act 1 Scene 1: Chorus. "Hallelujah" (Israelites)George Frideric Handel, Philip Ledger, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, English Chamber Orchestra
Purcell: Hear My Prayer, O Lord, Z. 15Henry Purcell, Philip Ledger, Choir of King's College, Cambridge
Vaughan Williams: And All in the MorningRalph Vaughan Williams, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Sir David Willcocks
Purcell: Funeral Sentences: Thou Know'st, Lord, Z. 58C (Second Verse)Henry Purcell, Philip Ledger, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, The Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
Charpentier: Te Deum, H. 146: Pleni sunt coeli e terraMarc-Antoine Charpentier, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Felicity Lott, Charles Brett, Ian Partridge, Stephen Roberts, Philip Ledger, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1, Scene 4: Chorus. "Glory to God"George Frideric Handel, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Sir David Willcocks, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Purcell: Funeral Sentences: Thou Know'st, Lord, Z. 58CHenry Purcell, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Academy of Ancient Music, Stephen Cleobury, David Blackadder, Phillip Bainbridge, Stephen Saunders, Susan Addison, Tom Winpenny
Vivaldi: Gloria in D Major, RV 589: I. Gloria in excelsis DeoAntonio Vivaldi, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Academy of Ancient Music, Stephen Cleobury
Bach, JS: Nun danket alle Gott, BWV 386Johann Sebastian Bach, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury, Benjamin Bayl
Handel: Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1, Scene 5: Chorus. "His Yoke Is Easy"George Frideric Handel, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Sir David Willcocks, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Purcell: Funeral Sentences: Man That Is Born of a Woman, Z. 27Henry Purcell, Philip Ledger, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Timothy Byram-Wigfield, Robert Chilcott, Jonathan Robarts, Francis Grier, Michael Cockerham
Handel: Coronation Anthem No. 4, HWV 261 "My Heart Is Inditing": I. My Heart Is InditingGeorge Frideric Handel, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Academy of Ancient Music, Stephen Cleobury
Scarlatti, D: Te Deum in C Major: I. Te Deum laudamusDomenico Scarlatti, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Ashley Grote, Stephen Cleobury, Joseph Crouch
Schubert: Gott im Ungewitter, Op. Posth. 112 No. 1, D. 985: Du Schrecklicher, wer kann vor dirFranz Schubert, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Philip Ledger
Handel: Judas Maccabaeus, HWV 63, Act 3: Chorus. "Thine be the glory"George Frideric Handel, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Wallace Collection, Tom Williamson, Stephen Cleobury
Berlioz: L'enfance du Christ, Op. 25, H 130, Pt. 1 "Le songe d'Hérode", Scene 4: "Eh bien ! Par le fer qu'ils périssent !" (Hérode, Les Devins)Hector Berlioz, Stephen Cleobury, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, David Wilson-Johnson, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Rachmaninov: Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, Op. 31: II. Praise the Lord, O My SoulSergei Rachmaninoff, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury
Fauré: Requiem, Op. 48: VII. In ParadisumGabriel Fauré, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury, English Chamber Orchestra
Handel: Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1, Scene 1: Chorus. "And the Glory, the Glory of the Lord"George Frideric Handel, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury, Academy of Ancient Music
Palestrina: Missarum liber secundus: No. 7, Missa "Papae Marcelli": VII. Agnus Dei IIGiovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Sir David Willcocks
Bach, JS: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147: Choral. "Jesus bleibet meine Freude, Meines Herzen Lust und Saft"Johann Sebastian Bach, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Sir David Willcocks, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Berlioz: L'enfance du Christ, Op. 25, H 130, Pt. 2 "La fuite en Égypte": L'adieu des bergers à la Sainte Famille. "Il s'en va loin de la terre"Hector Berlioz, Stephen Cleobury, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Handel: Saul, HWV 53, Act 1 Scene 1: Chorus. "The Youth Inspired by Thee, Oh Lord" (Israelites)George Frideric Handel, Philip Ledger, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, English Chamber Orchestra
Scarlatti, D: Magnificat in D Minor: I. Magnificat anima mea DominumDomenico Scarlatti, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury
Palestrina: Missarum liber sextus: No. 5, Missa "Ave Maria": I. KyrieGiovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Philip Ledger
Handel: Saul, HWV 53, Act 3 Scene 5: Chorus. "Mourn, Israel" (Israelites)George Frideric Handel, Philip Ledger, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, English Chamber Orchestra
Bach, JS: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147: No. 1, Chor. "Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben"Johann Sebastian Bach, Sir David Willcocks, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Ian Hare, John Wilbraham, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Elgar: Coronation Ode, Op. 44: Finale. "Land of Hope and Glory"Edward Elgar, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Alfreda Hodgson, Cambridge University Musical Society, Felicity Lott, Royal Military School of Music, Stephen Roberts, Philip Ledger, New Philharmonia Orchestra
Purcell: Funeral Sentences: In the Midst of Life, Z. 17AHenry Purcell, Philip Ledger, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Timothy Byram-Wigfield, Robert Chilcott, Jonathan Robarts, Francis Grier, Michael Cockerham
Haydn: The Creation, Hob. XXI:2, Pt. 1: Trio and Chorus. "The Heavens Are Telling" (Chorus, Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael)Joseph Haydn, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Heather Harper, John Shirley-Quirk, Robert Tear, Sir David Willcocks, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2, Scene 7: Chorus. "Hallelujah"George Frideric Handel, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Sir David Willcocks, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Brahms: Es ist das Heil uns kommen her, Op. 29 No. 1: FugueJohannes Brahms, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Philip Ledger
Bach, JS: Es ist das Heil uns kommen her, BWV 9: No. 1, Chor. "Es ist das Heil uns kommen her"Johann Sebastian Bach, Gustav Leonhardt, Leonhardt-Consort, Choir of King's College, Cambridge
Mozart: Vesperae solennes de confessore, K. 339: III. Beatus virWolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Cambridge Classical Players, Stephen Layton, Stephen Cleobury
Schubert: Psalm XXIII, Op. Posth. 132, D. 706 "Der Herr ist mein Hirt"Franz Schubert, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Philip Ledger
Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem, Op. 45: IV. Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen (Version with Two Pianos)Johannes Brahms, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Evgenia Rubinova, José Gallardo, Stephen Cleobury
Handel: Coronation Anthem No. 1, HWV 258 "Zadok the Priest"George Frideric Handel, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Academy of Ancient Music, Stephen Cleobury