Classical Music: Saint Louis Reflections

Saint Louis Reflections

Dobrinka Tabakova Missa Brevis; Steven Stucky The music of light; Magnus Williamson Exaltabo; Kerensa Briggs Height in Depth Suite; Charles Collins Joulupuu on rakennettu; Sasha Johnson Manning Christmas bells; Ivan Moody O viridissima virga; David Matthews Aequam memento; Carl Rütti Aus tiefer Not; Judith Bingham I lift up mine eyes unto the hills.
All tracks are premiere recordings

The Saint Louis Chamber Chorus
Philip Barnes
Spenceer Smith Organist – Bingham I lift up mine eyes unto the hills
Diana Umali, Pianist – Bingham I lift up mine eyes unto the hills and Dunphy We are the music makers

Regent REGCD591
https://www.regent-records.co.uk/

Where have I been? Apparently, this is the eighth recording on the Regent label by the top-notch Saint Louis Chamber Chorus. This attractive album showcases a selection of eleven commissions from the last fifteen years and all premiere recordings that deserve exploration. Reading the publicity material, the Chorus is one of the world’s largest annual commissioners of new choral music.

The singing is superb, well-controlled and balanced, especially in Briggs’ Out of the Deep and Exaltabo by Williamson, in which the chorus deftly shows their technical ability through all voice registers.

The lower voices are resonant, while the upper voices add a wonderful texture, as demonstrated in Rutti's Aus tiefer Not. Dobrinka Tabakova's impressive a cappella Missa Brevis captures the mystery of the Mass with delight, while the choir adroitly handles Stucky's The Music of Light with wonderful phrasing and dynamics. All parts contribute a strong performance. Sasha Johnson Manning's gorgeous Christmas bells would make a wonderful start to a Christmas Day service. The compositional writing is delightful. 

This group’s musicality is striking with strong performances, and the miscellany of compositions makes it a good all-round programme.