Agnus Dei Music of Inner Harmony

This is one of those albums that is conceived as a program carefully calculated to give the listener Goosebumps and evoke a tear from the eye. When lesser musicians try to pull such a stunt, the effect is maddening. You feel as though you are being emotionally manipulated, and you resent it. When the efforts of first class musicians such as Higginbottom and the Choir of New College, Oxford, attempt such a feat, it is an emotional, musical, and religious experience. The majority of the repertoire heard on this disc is quite familiar to most listeners in one form or another, but you will rarely hear a choir of such clean, precise and yet passionate sound take on these pieces. The first selection on the disc is Samuel Barber¿s own transcription of his ¿Adagio for Strings¿ to the Mass text, ¿Agnus Dei.¿ This composition is difficult for string players to keep in tune, so we can imagine how difficult it is for a choir to sustain the pitch a cappella! The New College performance is a ¿must hear.¿ Words fail to adequately convey the beauty, balance, and intense music making captured on this disc. The effect is hypnotic. The conductor had the good sense and taste to offer a program with enough variety that you are given an emotional rest on occasion, but the basic meditative atmosphere is sustained throughout the program. The Elgar transcription of ¿Lux Aeterna¿ arranged by John Cameron is particularly worth treasuring. It shares much of the ethos of the Barber work and is rarely heard in this form. The Bach, Mozart, Mendelssohn and Faure which round out the work are very familiar favorites and given graceful, splendid performances. They are so good, in fact, that it would make the album a great gift idea for churches to give amateur choir members as a thank you and inspiration for improvement. The Rachmaninoff and Gorecki are music for the initiated and receive convincing, winning performances here. The Allegri, though rarely heard, is a hauntingly beautiful composition and was a particular favorite of Mozart. This beautiful album makes a wonderful background for meditation. It is the perfect music to glory in when your soul is thirsty.

Inspiring music conducive to prayer, meditation, reflection, joural writing, etc. inspiring a quiet and contemplative mood. This music, for some people could bring on sad feelings but I found it stimulated deep emotional feelings that were not necessarily sad but moving. The choir is excellent which should be no surprise to those familiar with works under the direction of Higginbottom. I originally got this CD for my Lenten meditations and was perfectly suited but I still listen to it daily because it is so beautiful. The written texts provided are in English, Latin, French and German.

King's College is known for its wonderful choral music tradition. This cd is no exception. Full of choral standard repertoire, each piece is performed to its aesthetic limit. You can't do without this cd!