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Samuel Sebastian Wesley, son of composer Samuel Wesley and grandson of Charles Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was the preeminent composer in early Victorian England. His legacy is secure because of the continued prominence of his choral anthems in the repertoires of choirs of Protestant churches throughout the English-speaking world. This Naxos CD collects many of his most familiar anthems, performed by the Clare College Choir, Cambridge, conducted by Christopher Robinson and accompanied by organist James McVinney. The choir sings with an extraordinarily pure, sweet, and straight tone and with a refreshing naturalness. Its soloists have consistently attractive and unaffected voices; these are not international stars, but their direct and secure solos and ensembles are always a pleasure when they emerge from the choral fabric.
Wesley's anthems will not be to everyone's taste. He was no great melodist, and the anthems succeed primarily because of his ability to set long texts in an earnest but pleasantly lyrical style, with a Mendelsohnian sweetness. Wesley skillfully integrates a declamatory homophony with more contrapuntal writing, but the anthems are clearly text-driven; they would have little inherent musical continuity or interest as instrumental pieces. As devotional music, however, understood as part of a service of worship, they are highly effective. Naxos' sound quality is open and spacious with plenty of resonance, but not enough to obscure the textures or the texts. Thanks to the composer's skill, the performers and the recording are always clearly comprehensible.
© TiVo
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Ascribe unto the Lord (Samuel Sebastian Wesley)
Christopher Robinson, Conductor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Composer - James McVinnie, Artist, MainArtist - The Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Choir
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
O give thanks unto the Lord (Samuel Sebastian Wesley)
Christopher Robinson, Conductor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Composer - James McVinnie, Artist - The Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Choir - Philippa Boyle, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace (Samuel Sebastian Wesley)
Christopher Robinson, Conductor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Composer - James McVinnie, Artist, MainArtist - The Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Choir
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
Wash me throughly (Samuel Sebastian Wesley)
Christopher Robinson, Conductor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Composer - James McVinnie, Artist - The Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Choir - Emilia Hughes, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
O God, whose nature (Samuel Sebastian Wesley)
Christopher Robinson, Conductor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Composer - James McVinnie, Artist, MainArtist - The Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Choir
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
Let us lift up our heart (Samuel Sebastian Wesley)
Christopher Robinson, Conductor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Composer - George Humphreys, Artist, MainArtist - James McVinnie, Artist - The Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Choir
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
Christopher Robinson, Conductor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Composer - George Humphreys, Artist, MainArtist - James McVinnie, Artist - The Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Choir
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
Christopher Robinson, Conductor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Composer - George Humphreys, Artist, MainArtist - James McVinnie, Artist - The Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Choir
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
Christopher Robinson, Conductor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Composer - George Humphreys, Artist, MainArtist - James McVinnie, Artist - The Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Choir
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
Christopher Robinson, Conductor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Composer - George Humphreys, Artist, MainArtist - James McVinnie, Artist - The Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Choir
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
Blessed be the God and Father (Samuel Sebastian Wesley)
Christopher Robinson, Conductor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Composer - James McVinnie, Artist - The Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Choir - Philippa Boyle, Artist, MainArtist
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
Cast me not away (Samuel Sebastian Wesley)
Christopher Robinson, Conductor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Composer - James McVinnie, Artist, MainArtist - The Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Choir
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
The wilderness and the solitary place (Samuel Sebastian Wesley)
Christopher Robinson, Conductor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Composer - George Humphreys, Artist, MainArtist - James McVinnie, Artist - The Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Choir
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
Christopher Robinson, Conductor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Composer - George Humphreys, Artist, MainArtist - James McVinnie, Artist - The Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Choir
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
Christopher Robinson, Conductor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Composer - George Humphreys, Artist, MainArtist - James McVinnie, Artist - The Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Choir
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
Christopher Robinson, Conductor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Composer - George Humphreys, Artist, MainArtist - James McVinnie, Artist - The Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Choir
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
Christopher Robinson, Conductor - Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Composer - George Humphreys, Artist, MainArtist - James McVinnie, Artist - The Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Choir
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
Album review
Samuel Sebastian Wesley, son of composer Samuel Wesley and grandson of Charles Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was the preeminent composer in early Victorian England. His legacy is secure because of the continued prominence of his choral anthems in the repertoires of choirs of Protestant churches throughout the English-speaking world. This Naxos CD collects many of his most familiar anthems, performed by the Clare College Choir, Cambridge, conducted by Christopher Robinson and accompanied by organist James McVinney. The choir sings with an extraordinarily pure, sweet, and straight tone and with a refreshing naturalness. Its soloists have consistently attractive and unaffected voices; these are not international stars, but their direct and secure solos and ensembles are always a pleasure when they emerge from the choral fabric.
Wesley's anthems will not be to everyone's taste. He was no great melodist, and the anthems succeed primarily because of his ability to set long texts in an earnest but pleasantly lyrical style, with a Mendelsohnian sweetness. Wesley skillfully integrates a declamatory homophony with more contrapuntal writing, but the anthems are clearly text-driven; they would have little inherent musical continuity or interest as instrumental pieces. As devotional music, however, understood as part of a service of worship, they are highly effective. Naxos' sound quality is open and spacious with plenty of resonance, but not enough to obscure the textures or the texts. Thanks to the composer's skill, the performers and the recording are always clearly comprehensible.
© TiVo
Details of the original recording : 75:14 - DDD - Enregistré en juillet 2006 en l'église St Michael à Tenbury (UK) - Notes en anglais & allemand, avec textes chantés en anglais
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 17 track(s)
- Total length: 01:15:05
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artists: James Mcvinnie Philippa Boyle Emilia Hughes George Humphreys The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge Christopher Robinson
- Composer: Samuel Sebastian Wesley
- Label: Naxos
- Area: Angleterre
- Genre: Classical
- Period: Romantic Music
(C) 2007 Naxos (P) 2007 Naxos
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