Two Festival Anthems

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This disc's two large-scale choral works--the Magnificat and The Falcon--show Rutter at his most engaging, thoughtful, and adept. His usual canny sense of tunefulness and rhythmic rightness, flavored with splashes of pop harmony, accomplish his purpose in the Magnificat: to depict Mary's prayer as a celebratory occasion rather than a somber one. The Falcon's image-rich subject matter (the mysteries and symbols of Christianity) and texts, drawn from medieval poetry, the Bible, and Roman liturgy, obviously fired the composer's imagination. Although much of the resulting score--Rutter's first major choral work--draws from the composer's now- familiar bag of melodic/harmonic/rhythmic tools, it is effectively colored with the hues and shadings of ancient compositional devices. The performances, by Rutter's own, first-class Cambridge Singers, are exemplary, and the sound lends ideal clarity and naturalness to voices and instruments. --David Vernier

John Rutter: Magnificat/The Falcon/Two Festival Anthems, Music, John Rutter, John Rutter, London Sinfonia, London Sinfonia [members of], The City of London Sinfonia, Andrew Lucas, John Scott, Patricia Forbes, Choral, Choral Music, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Classical Vocals, Magnificat

John Rutter: Magnificat; The Falcon; Two Festival Anthems
Average customer rating:

Beautiful Music

My soul rejoices in this music

Better than the Requiem

Inspiring

Magnificat a Masterpiece

John Rutter: Magnificat; The Falcon; Two Festival Anthems

Manufacturer: Collegium
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Rutter | Rutter, John | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Magnificats | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Be Thou My Vision

Sing Ye Heavens - Hymns for All Time

John Rutter Collection

The John Rutter Christmas Album

Christmas Star

ASIN: B0000031HL
Release Date: 1993-05-06

Tracks:

Magnificat: Magnificat anima mea
Magnificat: Of A Rose, A Lovely Rose
Magnificat: Quia fecit mihi magna
Magnificat: Et misericordia
Magnificat: Fecit potentiam
Magnificat: Esurientes
Magnificat: Gloria Patri
The Falcon: First Movement: Vivace e ritmico
The Falcon: Second Movement: Lento
The Falcon: Third Movement: Passacaglia
Two Festival Anthems: O Praise The Lord Of Heaven
Two Festival Anthems: Behold, The Tabernacle Of God

Amazon.com

This disc's two large-scale choral works--the Magnificat and The Falcon--show Rutter at his most engaging, thoughtful, and adept. His usual canny sense of tunefulness and rhythmic rightness, flavored with splashes of pop harmony, accomplish his purpose in the Magnificat: to depict Mary's prayer as a celebratory occasion rather than a somber one. The Falcon's image-rich subject matter (the mysteries and symbols of Christianity) and texts, drawn from medieval poetry, the Bible, and Roman liturgy, obviously fired the composer's imagination. Although much of the resulting score--Rutter's first major choral work--draws from the composer's now- familiar bag of melodic/harmonic/rhythmic tools, it is effectively colored with the hues and shadings of ancient compositional devices. The performances, by Rutter's own, first-class Cambridge Singers, are exemplary, and the sound lends ideal clarity and naturalness to voices and instruments. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Music.......2006-05-28

The Cambridge Singers are the best when it comes to the music of John Rutter. Their sound is unmistakable and unable to be surpassed by any other group. Their Latin pronunciation is perfect and a lot more elaborate than others. The sound is very modern and captures the delicacy and the grandeur of this magical piece by Rutter.

The Magnificat, is, in my opinion, the greatest work of John Rutter, much better than the Requiem. The Requiem is soft and dull, while the Magnificat is jocund and full of exsquisite and sentimental tones that can only be found in Rutter music.

The Falcon is an interesting piece, one of Rutter's earliest. It features mediaeval texts. It may not have the melodies of the Magnificat, but it is still interesting. The Two Festival Anthems are an excellent addition as well and evoke the power of religious music.

My soul rejoices in this music.......2005-10-04

This recording of the Cambridge Singers has them recording pieces composed by their own director, John Rutter. The Magnificat is Rutter's version of a standard piece of liturgical music, an intersection of old and new. This was recorded at one of the Cambridge Singers' favourite venues, the Great Hall of University College School, London, in 1991.

--Music--
'The Magnificat' is one of my favourite pieces of the liturgy, and one I enjoy hearing set to different kinds of music. This is a very lively and spirit-filled rendering, with magnificent vocals expressing the joy that is found in the prayer of Mary - 'My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour'. The repetition of the word 'magnificat' over and over in the early part of the music reinforces this idea of joy and praise. Rutter writes, 'I was conscious of following Bach's example in adding to the liturgical text - with the lovely old English poem "Of a Rose" and the prayer "Sancta Maria", both of which strengthen the Marian connection, and with the interpolated "Sanctus" (to the Gregorian chant of the Missa cum jubilo) in the third movement.' This is an extended Magnificat, done in seven movements.

'The Falcon' was Rutter's first large-scale choral piece. This is based on a medieval poem of the same name, and taps into eucharistic imagery and grail legend. This piece included decidedly modern aspects as well as ancient sounds from Gregorian chants. Rutter uses a boys' choir (St. Paul's Cathedral) for this - Rutter remembers his own participation in a boys' choir in chosing this.

The two festival anthems are bright and exuberant, with high sounding brass and energetic paces. These anthems are of praise and passion in the music, and involve full-orchestra accompaniment here (the City of London Sinfonia).

This is remarkable music.

--Liner Notes--
The notes include an introduction to the CD by Rutter describing some of the influences and expressions in his composition. Lyrics are included, and where the original is in Latin, an English translation is provided. There is a listing of the performers of the Cambridge Singers, but no description of the group, nor biographical information about John Rutter.

--John Rutter--
Rutter was born in London and educated at Clare College, Cambridge. This was where his career as a composer, arranger and conductor began. His early work was with groups at King's College Chapel at Cambridge as well as the Bath Choir and Philharmonic Orchestra. He has worked for the BBC providing music for educational series such as 'The Archaeology of the Bible Lands', until in 1979 he began forming the Cambridge Singers, and has continued a remarkable career of performance and recording as their director ever since.

--The Cambridge Singers--
The Cambridge Singers are a mixed choir of voices, many of whom were members of choir of Rutter's college, Clare College, Cambridge. While they specialise in English and Latin liturgical pieces, they have a wide range of recordings that span from modern compositions (including a remarkable requiem by Rutter) to English folk songs of the Middle Ages. Many are former members of the choir of Clare College and other Cambridge collegiate choirs (hence the name, Cambridge Singers). In the quarter-century since the founding, the Cambridge Singers have produced an impressive body of recordings.

This is impressive indeed - were this a vinyl recording, my copy of the 'Magnificat' most likely would be worn away by now.

Better than the Requiem.......2004-05-24

Rutter's Requiem is probably his best-known work, but this CD clearly demonstrates that he's done even better. The Magnificat is the same as is available on a mid-price recording (coupled with the Requiem). The Magnificat is, in some ways, based on Bach's Magnificat, especially in the interpolation of additional texts.

What makes this disc worth the price, though, is "The Falcon," one of Rutter's earliest works, and one that seems to bear little resemblance to the Magnificat, and even less to the Requiem. But it is nevertheless a brilliant piece, well worth hearing.

And if these weren't enough, two relatively early Rutter anthems, "Behold, the Tabernacle of God" and "Praise the Lord of Heaven" are included as well. If you like Rutter's Requiem, you should definitely try this CD.

Inspiring.......2002-07-09

John Rutter turned my opinion of choral music from appreciative to loving it. I first heard Magnificat done by an above average community chorus here and was hooked. Since then I've bought half a dozen of his recordings. Magnificat is truly inspirational music. What makes him a favorite is that he writes challenging pieces for musicians while making them accessible to the listener- harder to do than many think.
By the way- if you don't know- you can't beat Rutter's Christmas music. Some of it is astonishing.

Magnificat a Masterpiece.......2001-05-22

The work was superb Rutter knows how to blend the pop melody and then converted it in a contemporary music forms. The work was so emotional specially the "Et Misericordia & Essurientes", with the grand effects on the first movement towards the last movement. This work is easy to appreciate but deep in its sentiments and its concepts. The work is truly a celebration, not only in music but in faith. Ave Maria!!!

Music Review:

Music Review

Music Review: 100 Classical Highlights: Beethoven/Mozart [Box set]

Christmas With Ronnie Milsap

Get a Move On [CD-single] [Import]

Grapevine

Le Meilleur De [Import]

Folklore [Enhanced]

Get It Off! [Import]

It's Hard (+4 Bonus Tracks) [Original recording remastered]

Give Thanks

Cowboy Film, Pt. 1 [CD-single] [Import]

Hyphy/In Love With a Hood Rat [CD-single]

Recital

Frigg