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Track(s) taken from CDA67680

Missa brevis

composer
March 1965; commissioned by the Friends of Coventry Cathedral for the Choir of the Cathedral
author of text
Ordinary of the Mass

Westminster Abbey Choir, James O'Donnell (conductor)
Recording details: June 2007
Westminster Abbey, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Jeremy Summerly
Engineered by David Hinitt
Release date: April 2008
Total duration: 7 minutes 48 seconds

Cover artwork: Westminster Abbey (1904) by John Fulleylove (1845-1908)
Mary Evans Picture Library, Blackheath, London
 

Other recordings available for download

Polyphony, Stephen Layton (conductor)

Reviews

‘Everything is a joy here, including the modern works, the anthem Viri Galilaei by Patrick Gowers and Francis Pott's brilliant Toccata for organ, played with assured virtuosity by Robert Quinney. The choir of Westminster Abbey under James O'Donnell sing with the happy care which his choristers at the Cathedral used to bring to their work with him’ (Gramophone)

‘This close-your-eyes and you're there service is almost matter-of-fact in its excellence … it's good to see that English cathedral music is still intact: its future is represented by Francis Pott's Toccata, commandingly played by Robert Quinney, which rounds off a truly feel-good recording for cathedral music fans’ (Choir & Organ)

‘This addition to Westminster Abbey's invaluable series of music for feast-days gets off to a cracking start with Stanford's magnificent eight-part motet Caelos ascendit hodie. This sets a jubilant tone for the whole programme, which contains some outstanding 20th-century contributions to the Anglican repertoire, including Britten's Festival Te Deum with its exciting organ effects, Finzi's triumphant God is gone up and Patrick Gowers's Viri Galilaei, whose meditative opening leads to a paean of exultation. All these, and Schutz's Der 100. Psalm, are sung with exhilarating panache’ (The Daily Telegraph)

‘No one does this grand scale of Anglican service music better than Westminster Abbey, and again the performances of this very demanding music are of the highest order … truly a triumphant recording’ (American Record Guide)

‘The planning is astute … just as cunning is the way some old cathedral favourites nestle alongside more contemporary settings. O clap your hands and God is gone up may be Anglican staples, but they are given fresh and energetic renditions here, while the brief Stanford motet at the start is a most exhilarating introduction. Best of all, perhaps, is Ascension motet Viri Galilaei by Patrick Gowers … this splendid and dramatic setting with its concluding triumphant hymn is further vibrant proof of his sympathetic writing for voices’ (International Record Review)

‘After seven years at the helm, James O'Donnell has made a formidable singing outfit of the Westminster Abbey Choir … the treble line is robust and thrilling, its soloist, Jacob Ewens, a sinuous star in Britten's Te Deum in E’ (The Times)

‘Another offering to lift the soul heavenwards from James O'Donnell and his choir, as they continue their exploration of liturgical repertoire across the centuries … the first thing that hits you about the singing is the celebratory tone. The boys might be singing Stanford's Caelos ascendit hodie, but they could just as easily be trilling 'Woohoo! It's Ascension Day!'. I love such musical joie de vivre, and not every choir is able to produce it convincingly as these chaps. It doesn't come at the expense of quality, though; this is Westminster Abbey Choir at their crystalline best, with spot-on pitching, enviable articulation and sympathetic phrasing … it is a stirring, beautifully judged programme of music, performed to the highest standard’ (bbc.co.uk)
The Missa brevis, commissioned for the choir of Coventry Cathedral, dates from 1965. The composer described it as ‘very brevis’, and indeed it is a notably compact work, expressly designed for liturgical use. The setting is unaccompanied until the Gloria, which comes last in the pattern of the Book of Common Prayer. The first three movements are rather austere in feel, but the Benedictus opens up at ‘Hosanna in the highest’ into a more opulent style. The Gloria starts with a quintessentially Waltonian burst of energy as the organ makes its surprise first appearance. There is an expressive treble solo in the centre before the closing choral section ‘For thou only art Holy’.

from notes by James O'Donnell © 2008

Commande du chœur de la cathédrale de Coventry, la Missa brevis date de 1965. Walton lui-même la qualifia de «very brevis» et, de fait, elle est remarquablement compacte, expressément vouée à un usage liturgique. Elle est sans accompagnement jusqu’au Gloria, qui vient en dernier dans le Book of Common Prayer. Les trois premiers mouvements dégagent une certaine austérité, tandis que le Benedictus s’ouvre à «Hosanna in the highest», dans un style plus opulent. Le Gloria commence par une explosion d’énergie toute waltonienne, lorsque l’orgue fait sa première apparition surprise. Le centre est marqué par un expressif solo de treble, avant la section chorale conclusive, «For thou only art Holy».

extrait des notes rédigées par James O'Donnell © 2008

Die Missa brevis war eine Auftragskomposition für den Chor der Kathedrale von Coventry und datiert von 1965. Der Komponist beschrieb sie als „sehr kurz“, und sie ist tatsächlich ein besonders kompaktes Werk, das ausdrücklich zum liturgischen Gebrauch bestimmt ist. Die Vertonung bleibt a cappella bis zum Gloria, das nach dem Muster im Book of Common Prayer zuletzt kommt. Die ersten drei Sätze vermitteln ein eher strenges Gefühl, aber das Benedictus lockert sich für „Hosanna in the highest“ in einen üppigeren Stil auf. Das Gloria beginnt mit einem typisch Waltonschen Energieausbruch im überraschenden ersten Einsatz der Orgel. In der Mitte folgt ein ausdrucksvolles Sopransolo, bevor der Chor mit „For thou only art Holy“ schließt.

aus dem Begleittext von James O'Donnell © 2008
Deutsch: Renate Wendel

Other albums featuring this work

Walton: Coronation Te Deum & other choral works
CDA67330CD temporarily out of stock
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