A YEAR AT TRURO - Truro Cathedral Choir

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A YEAR AT TRURO - Truro Cathedral Choir - Christopher Gray (Director) - Luke Bond (Organ) - 802561037729 - Released: July 2012 - Regent REGCD377

1} English traditional - The truth from above (Advent)
2} Paul Drayton - The World's Desire (Christmas)
3} Cornish traditional - Sans Day Carol (Christmas)
4} David Bednall - Noe, noe (Christmas)
5} John Henry Hopkins - We three kings (Epiphany)
6} Johannes Brahms - Warum ist das Licht gegeben (Lent)
7} Gabriel Fauré - Ave Maria (Annunciation)
8} Anton Bruckner - Christus factus est (Passiontide)
9} German traditional - This joyful Eastertide (Easter)
10} Gerald Finzi - God is gone up (Ascension)
11} Grayston Ives - Listen, sweet dove (Pentecost)
12} David Cheetham - Blessed be the Holy Trinity (Trinity)
13} William Walton - The Twelve (All Saints)
14} Edward Bairstow - Blessed city, heavenly Salem (Dedication)
15} Jonathan Dove - Seek him that maketh the seven stars (Christ the King)

Fast on the heels of the wonderful A Year at Winchester reviewed here, Regent Records have again done an amazing job with this new release in that series titled A Year at Truro. From the beauty and purity of the boy chorister voices that open The truth from above to the impressive full choir, full organ, blow your hair back powerful chords that close David Bednall's Noe, noe, this recording covers a wide spectrum of choral works closely related to the liturgical year.

The versatility of expressive delivery that this choir is capable of is beyond reproach and comes right to the fore in the taxing The Twelve by William Walton. And director Christopher Gray deserves high praise for keeping it all together and bringing everything to a boil at the end. Wait 'til you hear how they intone Finzi's God is gone up with a triumphant shout. I'm surprised Truro cathedral is still standing. By contrast the inward quality of their final chord of the Bruckner sounds ethereal. Without a doubt, in my opinion, the stand-out work on this CD is the captivating Seek him that maketh the seven stars by Jonathan Dove. It imposes heavy demands on both the singers and the organist, but its flowing forward momentum and masterful sense of balance just pull you, the listener, into its vortex of sound.

Play it loud and close your eyes. You will feel the energy of Truro Cathedral around you. Well recommended!

Jean-Yves Duperron - August 2012