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.

Hyperion offers both CDs, and downloads in a number of formats. The site is also available in several languages.

Please use the dropdown buttons to set your preferred options, or use the checkbox to accept the defaults.

Click cover art to view larger version
Track(s) taken from CDA68056

The deer's cry

First line:
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me
composer
2007; SATB divisi unaccompanied; commissioned by Louth Contemporary Music Society
author of text
from St Patrick's Breastplate

Polyphony, Stephen Layton (conductor)
Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available
CD-Quality:
Studio Master:
CD-Quality:
Studio Master:
Recording details: August 2013
All Hallows, Gospel Oak, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Adrian Peacock
Engineered by David Hinitt
Release date: October 2014
Total duration: 4 minutes 0 seconds
 

Reviews

‘This one is something special. In part this is because of the choice of repertoire, which mixes the familiar and the less-often heard, and includes two first recordings, and in part it is because of the exquisite sound produced by Polyphony … highly recommended’ (Gramophone)

‘The ever-excellent Polyphony and Stephen Layton have put together a very special disc of music by Pärt for the composer’s 80th birthday ... The hour-long programme ranges from Solfeggio (1963) to the recent Virgencita (2012) in its first recording. The perfectly balanced, richly warm tones of Polyphony, especially its outstanding bass section, suit Pärt’s translucent textures extremely well, and one can’t help but admire the power of this supposedly ‘simple’ music’ (Choir & Organ)» More

‘There is no shortage of recitals of Arvo Pärt's shorter choral works in catalogue, but anything by Polyphony is always welcome … Polyphony's sound is, as always, so rich and beautiful that there is no sense of anything missing’ (BBC Music Magazine)» More
PERFORMANCE
RECORDING

‘This disc of Pärt's choral music is one of the most singularly beautiful recordings I've heard this year … this is a stunning addition to Pärt’s ever-increasing discography and is unreservedly recommended’ (International Record Review)» More
The deer’s cry dates from the same year as Morning star, 2007. Pärt responded to a commission from the Louth Contemporary Music Society in Ireland by setting the closing verse of ‘St Patrick’s Breastplate’. Known also as the Lorica of St Patrick, this text may, or may not, date back to Patrick’s own lifetime in the fifth century. A Lorica, taking its name from the Latin for a shield or armour, came to be known as a verbal inscription on the shield of a knight, a prayer for recitation before going into battle. In the case of St Patrick, the story goes that he and his followers evaded ambush in a forest by reciting this prayer, and by their foes seeing them pass by as a doe and twenty fawns; hence the Lorica’s other name, The deer’s cry. With the piece’s rootedness in A minor emphasizing the incantatory nature of the prayer, a gently cumulative quality rises to a fairly un-Pärtian descending sequence on ‘Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me’.

from notes by Meurig Bowen © 2014

Comme Morning star, The deer’s cry date de 2007. Ce fut pour honorer une commande de la Louth Contemporary Music Society d’Irlande que Pärt mit en musique le verset conclusif de «Saint Patrick’s Breastplate». Ce texte, également appelé Lorica de saint Patrick, pourrait remonter au temps de Patrick (Ve siècle). «Lorica», un mot latin pour bouclier ou cuirasse, en vint à désigner une inscription sur les boucliers des chevaliers, une prière à réciter avant de partir au combat. Dans le cas de saint Patrick, l’histoire raconte que ses disciples et lui réchappèrent d’une embuscade en forêt en récitant cette prière, leurs ennemis les ayant vu passer sous la forme d’une biche et de vingt faons—d’où l’autre nom de ce Lorica, The deer’s cry («Le cri de la biche»). Ancrée en un la mineur qui accentue la nature incantatoire de la prière, cette œuvre présente une douce cumulation culminant en une séquence descendante, pas vraiment pärtienne, sur «Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me».

extrait des notes rédigées par Meurig Bowen © 2014
Français: Hypérion

The deer’s cry stammt aus demselben Jahr wie Morning star, 2007. Pärt erfüllte einen Auftrag der irischen Louth Contemporary Music Society, indem er die letzten Verse von „St. Patrick’s Breastplate“ vertonte. Dieser auch als Lorica of St. Patrick bekannte Text, könnte vielleicht zu Lebzeiten Patricks im fünften Jahrhundert entstanden sein. Eine Lorica, deren Name aus dem Lateinischen für Schild oder Panzer stammt, wurde als Inschrift auf den Schilden von Rittern bekannt, als ein Gebet, das vor der Schlacht gesprochen wurde. Über St. Patrick heißt es, dass er und seine Anhänger einem Hinterhalt im Wald durch das Sprechen dieses Gebetes entgingen und im Vorbeigehen von ihren Gegnern für ein Reh und 20 Rehkitze gehalten wurden; daher der andere Name dieser Lorica, The deer’s cry. Das Stück ist fest in a-Moll verankert, wodurch der beschwörende Charakter des Gebetes betont wird, und steigert sich sanft zu der für Pärt recht ungewöhnlichen absteigenden Sequenz bei „Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me“ (Christus sei in jedem Auge, das mich sieht, Christus sei in jedem Ohr, das mich hört).

aus dem Begleittext von Meurig Bowen © 2014
Deutsch: Christiane Frobenius

Waiting for content to load...
Waiting for content to load...