All-Night Vigil
TENEBRAE

COME, LET US WORSHIP
BLESS THE LORD, 0 MY SOUL
BLESSED IS THE MAN
GLADSOME LIGHT
LORD, NOW LETTEST THOU
REJOICE 0 VIRGIN
THE SIX PSALMS
PRAISE THE NAME OF THE LORD
BLESSED ART THOU 0 LORD
HAVING BEHELD THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
MY SOUL MAGNIFIES THE LORO
THE GREAT DOXOLOGY
TODAY SALVATION HAS COME
THOU DIDST RISE FROM THE TOMB
TO THEE, THE VICTORIOUS LEADER

WE PRAISE THEE

Signum Classics SIGCD 0054 [Sept.2004, Total 60 mins]

The Orthodox all-night vigil was reduced to three hours by the end of the 19 C. Tenebrae, a fine British choir, gives a one-hour selection which makes an imposing sequence. It was recorded live in St Asaph Cathedral during the North Wales International Festival and sounds magnificent as heard at home. Some of the sections are calm and meditative, others passionate, rising to imposing climaxes, notably the setting from the Song of Simeon LORD, NOW LETTEST THOU.

Rachmaninoff retains the modal purity of the original more than did Glinka and Tchaikovsky, creating ample variety instead by divisi voice parts and uninhibited dynamic contrasts.

The documentation (notes by David Bray) is helpful and it is good to be able to follow the Russian transliteration whilst following the English translation.

A welcome Christmastide arrival; recommended, as is an earlier CD by Tenebrae:-

- - Giles Swayne's Magnificat is included in a new CD Mother & Child (Signum Two SIGCD 501). " Tenebrae performs by candlelight, creating an atmosphere of 'spiritual and musical contemplation "; though this is not for me, people who respond to this sort of thing (and there are more of them than of those like me) can be assured that the programme is extremely well put across and sumptuously recorded at the City of London's Temple Church.

I find it hard to become involved in the ever-prolific Tavener's Mother and Child , the title track of the whole. Swayne's Magnificat is probably the most innovative item in the programme, which is firmly based upon conventional tonality. Paradoxically such caution is not necessary for a fully professional choir (q.v. Mäntyjärvi's essay above ) . Apart from the Swayne & Tavener, I enjoyed best Francis Pott's My song is love unknown, a substantial work with organ (Jeremy Filsell) and soprano solo (Carys Lane). Presentation is immaculate, with complete texts.