Hyperion Records

The Assumption and The Corpus Christi Carol date from 2001 and show the aptness of the composer’s writing for choir. Each of the four voice lines of The Assumption, for example, is eminently singable, although their combined effect greatly exceeds the sum of the work’s parts. The Corpus Christi Carol’s early sixteenth-century text does not lack strong choral settings. Burgon’s version establishes its distinct individuality from the off with an imaginatively crafted treble solo, complete with an augmented fourth interval; likewise, the harmonies employed for the carol’s ‘Lully, lulley’ refrain sound freshly minted and novel. Once again, the composer raises simplicity of texture to a virtue that allows the compelling narrative of his chosen text to flow unimpeded.

from notes by Andrew Stewart © 2006