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Composer Cecilia McDowall has turned increasingly to large-scale choral works later in her career, and both these are major works of a commemorative nature. The Da Vinci Requiem (2019) is performed here by the group that premiered it, Wimbledon Choral (a.k.a. the Wimbledon Choral Society); it marks the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci. McDowall's 70 Degrees Below Zero is from 2012 and was written for events connected to the anniversary that year of the death of British explorer Robert Falcon Scott in the frozen Antarctic. McDowall's harmonic language builds on that of Ralph Vaughan Williams, and both these pieces, 70 Degrees Below Zero especially, have a somewhat cinematic tinge. What makes them both distinctive is that McDowall is adept in weaving together texts from different sources. The Da Vinci Requiem mixes the text of the Catholic requiem mass with short excerpts from Leonardo's writings, a wholly novel effect combining realms of Renaissance culture that are often thought of as separate. Sample the Lux aeterna, which sets Leonardo's supposed words on flight: "Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward." (He may not actually have said this, but it meshes beautifully with the Latin requiem text.) Even more persuasive is the shorter 70 Degrees Below Zero, which juxtaposes passages from Scott's journals (both spoken and sung) with poetry by Séan Street. The work concludes with Scott's final journal entry, bidding farewell to his wife, and McDowall's setting here has a transcendent quality. The performances by the Wimbledon Choral and the City of London Sinfonia, with a trio of fine soloists led by baritone Roderick Williams, are clear and warm, and the engineering keeps the texts intelligible. This recording offers definitive performances of two major contemporary choral works.
© James Manheim /TiVo
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City Of London Sinfonia, Orchestra - Anonymous, Composer - Kate Royal, MainArtist - Roderick Williams, MainArtist - Cecilia McDowall, Composer - Leonardo Da Vinci, Composer - Oxford University Press, MusicPublisher - Neil Ferris, Conductor - Wimbledon Choral, Ensemble, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Signum Classics (P) 2023 Signum Records
City Of London Sinfonia, Orchestra - Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Composer - Kate Royal, MainArtist - Cecilia McDowall, Composer - Oxford University Press, MusicPublisher - Neil Ferris, Conductor - Wimbledon Choral, Ensemble, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Signum Classics (P) 2023 Signum Records
City Of London Sinfonia, Orchestra - Anonymous, Composer - Cecilia McDowall, Composer - Leonardo Da Vinci, Composer - Oxford University Press, MusicPublisher - Neil Ferris, Conductor - Wimbledon Choral, Ensemble, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Signum Classics (P) 2023 Signum Records
City Of London Sinfonia, Orchestra - Anonymous, Composer - Cecilia McDowall, Composer - Oxford University Press, MusicPublisher - Neil Ferris, Conductor - Wimbledon Choral, Ensemble, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Signum Classics (P) 2023 Signum Records
City Of London Sinfonia, Orchestra - Anonymous, Composer - Kate Royal, MainArtist - Cecilia McDowall, Composer - Leonardo Da Vinci, Composer - Oxford University Press, MusicPublisher - Neil Ferris, Conductor - Wimbledon Choral, Ensemble, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Signum Classics (P) 2023 Signum Records
City Of London Sinfonia, Orchestra - Anonymous, Composer - Roderick Williams, MainArtist - Cecilia McDowall, Composer - Leonardo Da Vinci, Composer - Oxford University Press, MusicPublisher - Neil Ferris, Conductor - Wimbledon Choral, Ensemble, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Signum Classics (P) 2023 Signum Records
City Of London Sinfonia, Orchestra - Anonymous, Composer - Kate Royal, MainArtist - Roderick Williams, MainArtist - Cecilia McDowall, Composer - Leonardo Da Vinci, Composer - Oxford University Press, MusicPublisher - Neil Ferris, Conductor - Wimbledon Choral, Ensemble, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Signum Classics (P) 2023 Signum Records
City Of London Sinfonia, Orchestra - Cecilia McDowall, Composer - Benjamin Hulett, MainArtist - Oxford University Press, MusicPublisher - Neil Ferris, Conductor - Robert Falcon Scott, Composer - Wimbledon Choral, Ensemble, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Signum Classics (P) 2023 Signum Records
City Of London Sinfonia, Orchestra - Cecilia McDowall, Composer - Benjamin Hulett, MainArtist - Oxford University Press, MusicPublisher - Neil Ferris, Conductor - Sean Street, Composer - Wimbledon Choral, Ensemble, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Signum Classics (P) 2023 Signum Records
City Of London Sinfonia, Orchestra - Cecilia McDowall, Composer - Benjamin Hulett, MainArtist - Oxford University Press, MusicPublisher - Neil Ferris, Conductor - Robert Falcon Scott, Composer - Wimbledon Choral, Ensemble, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Signum Classics (P) 2023 Signum Records
Album review
Composer Cecilia McDowall has turned increasingly to large-scale choral works later in her career, and both these are major works of a commemorative nature. The Da Vinci Requiem (2019) is performed here by the group that premiered it, Wimbledon Choral (a.k.a. the Wimbledon Choral Society); it marks the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci. McDowall's 70 Degrees Below Zero is from 2012 and was written for events connected to the anniversary that year of the death of British explorer Robert Falcon Scott in the frozen Antarctic. McDowall's harmonic language builds on that of Ralph Vaughan Williams, and both these pieces, 70 Degrees Below Zero especially, have a somewhat cinematic tinge. What makes them both distinctive is that McDowall is adept in weaving together texts from different sources. The Da Vinci Requiem mixes the text of the Catholic requiem mass with short excerpts from Leonardo's writings, a wholly novel effect combining realms of Renaissance culture that are often thought of as separate. Sample the Lux aeterna, which sets Leonardo's supposed words on flight: "Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward." (He may not actually have said this, but it meshes beautifully with the Latin requiem text.) Even more persuasive is the shorter 70 Degrees Below Zero, which juxtaposes passages from Scott's journals (both spoken and sung) with poetry by Séan Street. The work concludes with Scott's final journal entry, bidding farewell to his wife, and McDowall's setting here has a transcendent quality. The performances by the Wimbledon Choral and the City of London Sinfonia, with a trio of fine soloists led by baritone Roderick Williams, are clear and warm, and the engineering keeps the texts intelligible. This recording offers definitive performances of two major contemporary choral works.
© James Manheim /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:56:55
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artist: Various Artists
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Signum Records
- Genre: Classical
(C) 2023 Signum Classics (P) 2023 Signum Records
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