Welcome to Hyperion Records, an independent British classical label devoted to presenting high-quality recordings of music of all styles and from all periods from the twelfth century to the twenty-first.
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BBC Singers, Sir Stephen Cleobury (conductor), Iain Farrington (organ)» More |
St John's College Choir Cambridge, Andrew Nethsingha (conductor), Glen Dempsey (organ)» More |
Nicholas Trapp (treble), Benjamin Turner (countertenor), Julian Stocker (tenor), Robert Macdonald (bass), Westminster Abbey Choir, Robert Quinney (organ), James O'Donnell (conductor)» More |
In 1962, St John’s College, Cambridge, was celebrating its 450th anniversary and Tippett was commissioned to write a liturgical work in celebration. Tippett himself decided to set the evening canticles and the first performance was given in the Chapel by the College Choir under George Guest on 13 March 1962. Controversial at the time and controversial to this day, the setting underlines the revolutionary nature of the text (he ‘hath exalted the humble and meek … and the rich he hath sent empty away’). Tippett was particularly interested in the Trompetta Real stop which had recently been added to the St John’s organ and which, with its trumpets protruding at a 45-degree angle from the casework, was an inspiration from the organs George Guest had discovered on trips to Spain. The Magnificat starts with an ecstatic flourish from the Trompetta and can be a rude awakening to those used to the comfortable and comforting settings of the previous ages. The Nunc dimittis is particularly affecting. Ian Kemp describes the low organ chords as ‘the thumping in Simeon’s heart as he is about to meet his Creator’ and goes on to say that ‘Simeon is too old to voice his own thoughts. All he can do is say “Lord”. An angel plucks the words out of his thoughts and sings them for him’ (Kemp, Ian Tippett The Composer and his Music, OUP, 1987, p374).
from notes by Andrew Carwood © 2014
Magnificat, Vol. 1 Six settings of the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis old and new—by Stanford, Sumsion, Tippett, Leighton, Jackson and Howells—in fine performances from St John's Cambridge.» More |
The Feast of St Michael and All Angels at Westminster Abbey ‘The disc is a splendid and colourful addition to the Abbey Choir's recordings of special services. They themselves are in fine form, sovereign (as be ... ‘The choir, atmospherically recorded in the Abbey itself, sings this demanding repertoire with its customary zeal and a well-blended sound, and the pe ...» More |
Tippett: Choral images Here is a recommended programme of Sir Michael Tippett's works for choir, both unaccompanied and with organ interpreted by the BBC Singers under their Conductor Laureate, Stephen Cleobury.» More |
Evensong Live 2016 A selection of the best weekly webcasts, as selected by the choir’s Director of Music from the recordings made during the preceding academic year.» More |