Angel of Peace

by The Sixteen, Harry Christophers

Overview

The music on this album corresponds to that performed on The Sixteen's Choral Pilgrimage tour of 2025. There is no indication in the packaging here as to how far in advance that was scheduled; it must have been some considerable length of time, considering the logistics of moving a choir around and finding a space for it in busy cathedral schedules. Nevertheless, the Angel of Peace theme has undeniable relevance to the threats in the world as of that year. Beyond this, however, is how the album exemplifies the continuing appeal and relevance of The Sixteen and its original director, Harry Christophers, who first began performing in the late '70s. It strikes a good balance between what the group's confirmed fans expect and what they might have not heard and might like. Arvo Pärt, whom Christophers has championed for many years, is present with three works, but two of them, Tribute to Caesar and Da pacem Domine, are not such common items. There are also works by composers whom The Sixteen have rarely, if ever, undertaken before; the album's title comes from a work by Will Todd, setting a meditation by Cardinal John Henry Newman, and there is a setting by Anna Clyne of a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke. These are both lovely works, not quite of the usual Sixteen universe, but close enough to stretch it a bit; both have a solo violin. The album is nicely structured, with two similar halves consisting of a chant by Hildegard of Bingen, a Pärt work, a piece by one of the new composers, and one by John Taverner, and the Pärt Magnificat is inserted right before the end. A Sixteen album that shows both tranquility and commitment. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	04/04/2025
Label:	CORO
UPC:	0828021621024

Tracks

1. Ave, generosa~Verses 1-4
2. Tribute to Caesar
3. I shall be an angel of peace
4. Gaude plurimum
5. Ave, generosa~Verses 5-7
6. Da pacem Domine
7. Orbits
8. Magnificat
9. O splendor gloriae

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Sixteen   Primary Artist,Choir/Chorus
Harry Christophers   Primary Artist
Ben Davies   Bass (Vocal)
Alexandra Kidgell   Soprano (Vocal)
Sarah Sexton   Violin

Technical Credits

Hildegard von Bingen   Composer,Text
Robert Bly   Text Translation
Mike Hatch   Engineer
Jeremy White   Text Translation
Arvo Paert   Composer
Leonardo da Vinci   Cover Painting
Raphael Mouterde   Recording Producer
Johnny Millar   Photography
Andrew Mellor   Liner Notes
John Henry Newman   Text
Rainer Maria Rilke   Text
Will Todd   Composer
Mark Brown   Recording Producer
Andrew Giles   Design
John Taverner   Composer
Ben Dunwell   Text Adaptation
Harry Christophers   Liner Notes
Anna Clyne   Composer