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Track(s) taken from CDA67603

Deus Abraham, W150

composer
1909; motet pour une messe de mariage
author of text
Psalm 128 (adapted)

Peter Morton (tenor), Thomas Gould (violin), Paul Provost (organ)
Recording details: July 2006
St John's College Chapel, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Produced by Mark Brown
Engineered by Julian Millard
Release date: April 2007
Total duration: 3 minutes 21 seconds

Cover artwork: La Gaine. Emile Fabry (1865-1966)
Peter Nahum At The Leicester Galleries, London / www.leicestergalleries.com
 

Reviews

‘Effective and forceful performances … I particularly enjoyed the more intimate textures at the end of the Peeters' Agnus Dei. The few extra solo items, featuring Tom Gould on the violin, are charming too’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘David Hill is to be congratulated for exploring this unfamiliar repertoire and then presenting it in such confident performances’ (International Record Review)

‘The choir is in fine fettle here: the sound is focused and well integrated top to bottom and it can bring forth huge climaxes and truly soft passagework equally well. With such forces at his disposal, Hill can bring out the considerable nuances in the piece … I cannot imagine it being better done than here’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘This is a wonderful disc bringing a collection of rarely heard, let alone recorded, devotional works to light … [Messe en l'honneur du Saint-Sacrement] is an engaging work … subtle both in the strains of variety within and the expressive power the music adds to the text … Jongen's motet on 1895, Pie Jesu, shows treble Alexander Robarts on angelic form set against the organ … the Choir of St John's College Cambridge under David Hill are on terrific form. London City Brass know how to bring off a good flourish when they see one, while organist Paul Provost works tirelessly throughout to provide the backbone of musical thought on a disc much worth your while’ (The Organ)

«L'idée était également excellente de la part du label anglais Hyperion d'intercaler entre les deux Messes, en une sorte d'intermède, trois beaux Motets de jeunesse de Jongen, qui complètent de manière adéquate et séduisante le portrait du compositeur liégeois le plus important» (anaclase.com)
Having moved to Brussels in 1902, Jongen became involved not only in teaching at the conservatoires but also with the Libre esthétique, the chamber music society that presented premieres of many of his works. Here he met the pianist Valentine Ziane, whom he married in 1909. For the ceremony he wrote a setting of the wedding psalm (Psalm 128), Deus Abraham, the texture of which is modelled on Quid sum miser? but the spirit of which captures a bonhomie and optimism that, sadly, were little reflected in much of Jongen’s later life.

from notes by John Scott Whiteley © 2007

Une fois installé à Bruxelles, en 1902, Jongen enseigna dans les conservatoires tout en s’impliquant dans la Libre esthétique, la société de musique de chambre qui proposa la création de nombre de ses œuvres. Là, il rencontra la pianiste Valentine Ziane, qu’il épousa en 1909. Pour leur mariage, il mit en musique le psaume du bonheur domestique (128), Deus Abraham, dont la texture est calquée sur celle de Quid sum miser?, mais dont l’esprit appréhende une bonhomie, un optimisme qui, hélas, touchèrent peu Jongen à l’automne de sa vie.

extrait des notes rédigées par John Scott Whiteley © 2007
Français: Hypérion

Nachdem er 1902 nach Brüssel zog, unterrichtete Jongen nicht nur an den Konservatorien, sondern war auch Mitglied der Libre esthétique, des Kammermusikvereins, der viele Uraufführungen seiner Werke vorstellte. Hier traf er die Pianistin Valentine Ziane, die er 1909 heiratete. Für die Zeremonie vertonte er den Hochzeitspsalm (Psalm 128), Deus Abraham, der in seiner Anlage dem Vorbild von Quid sum miser? folgt, dessen Geist jedoch von Jovialität und Optimismus erfüllt sind, die leider in Jongens späterem Leben nur selten reflektiert werden.

aus dem Begleittext von John Scott Whiteley © 2007
Deutsch: Renate Wendel

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