A new recording featuring the choirs of Trinity Church, Copley Square, Boston

Richard Webster, Conductor

Colin Lynch & Ross Wood, Organists 

Sounds of Light
The Trinity Choir
Trinity Church, Boston
Brian Jones, music director emeritus
Michael Kleinschmidt, music director

A program of classic choral works from the 16th to the 20th century, from Byrd to Tavener, this recording also includes new settings of familiar texts, such as “This little light of mine” and “God so loved the World.” Boston’s Trinity Choir is a critically acclaimed ensemble that has been hailed as “one of North America’s treasures” by classicstoday.com.

Morten Lauridsen: Ubi caritas
Anthony Piccolo: The Key
Ernani Aguiar: Salmo 150
Bob Chilcott: God so loved the world 
Spiritual, arr. Moses Hogan: This little light of mine 
Georg Schumann: Komm, heil’ger Geist 
Lydia Adams: Mi’kmaq Honour Song 
Colin Mawby: Ave verum corpus 
Jonathan Harvey: I love the Lord 
Franz Schubert, arr. Ralph Allwood: Litanei 
Arvo Pärt: The Beatitudes 
Geraint Lewis: Souls of the Righteous 
William Byrd: Ave verum corpus 
Harold E. Darke: O brother man 
John Tavener: As one who has slept 
Thomas Weelkes: When David heard 
Alan Hovhaness: From the End of the Earth

It is not insignificant that recordings of Gregorian chant, an art form that first originated near the end of the previous millennium, are among the industry's best sellers.   The beauty of the human voice and the profundity of the words seem to speak to an inherent emotional need that is greater in this modern world, perhaps, than ever before.   Despite the astonishing evolution of music over the past century, sacred choral music continues to singularly inspire the human spirit regardless of style, faith, or language.

​

1. Ave Maria - Franz Biebl (b.1906)
2. The Lamb - John Tavener (b.1944)
3. Magnificat - Arvo Pärt (b.1935)
4. Sing, Ye Faithful - Richard Wayne Dirksen (b.1921)
5. O Magnum Mysterium - Morten Lauridsen (b.1943)
6. Cherubic Hymn - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
7. A Hymn to the Mother of God - Tavener
8. Alleluia - Randall Thompson (1899-1984)
9. Viri Galilæi - Patrick Gowers (b.1936)
10. Have Ye Not Known? & Ye Shall Have a Song - Thompson
11. Song for Athene - Tavener
12. Radiant Light - Victor Kalinnikov (1870-1927)
13. A Gaelic Blessing - John Rutter (b.1945)

  1. O Come, All Ye Faithful

  2. Candlelight Carol

  3. Carol Of The Bells

  4. All Poor Men And Humble

  5. Shepherd's Pipe Carol

  6. The First Nowell

  7. What Is This Lovely Fragrance?

  8. King Jesus Hath A Garden

  9. A Spotless Rose

  10. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

  11. Away In A Manger

  12. Joseph est bien marie

  13. Sleeps Judea Fair

  14. Noel Sing!

  15. O Holy Night

  16. Suo Gan

  17. What Strangers Are These?

  18. I Wonder As I Wander

  19. O Little Town of Bethlehem

A carol is defined simply as 'a song of praise or joy,' and as with much popular and classical music, has its origin in dance.   In medieval times a carol was a round dance with music, around a text dealing with the life of Christ.   Not all of the selections on the present recording can be lumped under one heading of 'carols'; there are also hymns, lullabies, and motets - certainly the desire to 'increase the element of joy' has been an overriding principle in choosing these twenty one pieces.

​

1. Sing we to this merry company • John Rutter (b.1945)
2. Still, still, still • Arr. Norman Luboff (1917-1987)
3. Ding! dong! merrily on high • Arr. Gerald Near (b.1942)
4. In dulci jubilo • Arr. Robert L. Pearsall (1795-1856)
5. What sweeter music • J. Rutter
6. Tomorrow shall be my dancing day • John Gardner (b.1917)
7. The holly and the ivy • Arr. M. Shaw (1875-1958)/C. Robinson (b.1936)
8. Jesus Christ the apple tree • Elzabeth Poston (1905-1987)
9. Go tell it on the mountain • Arr. Alan Murchie (b.1963)
10. Mid-winter • Bob Chilcott (b.1955)
11. I saw three ships • Arr. J. Rutter
12. Coventry Carol • Arr. Norman Gilbert
13. Before the marvel of this night • Carl Schalk (b.1929)
14. Once, as I remember • Arr. Charles Wood (1866-1926)
15. A stable in Bethlehem • Peter Taylor
16. Noël nouvelet • Arr. Stephen Jackson
17. O magnum mysterium • Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)
18. On this day earth shall ring • Arr. Gustav Holst (1874-1934)
19. The little road to Bethlehem • Michael Head (1900-1976)
20. O little town of Bethlehem • Arr. Brian Jones (b.1943)
21. God is with us • John Tavener (b.1944)

Historic Trinity Church on Copley Square in Boston is the setting for this program of choral music.  A generous amount of music from the Anglican tradition included, but what makes this recording distinctive is the inclusion of music from other traditions, including the spiritual There is a Balm in Gilead, the F. Melius Christiansen arrangement of Beautiful Saviour, and the only recording of the Victorian classic, "The Holy City" that we are aware of.

Stanford: Te Deum Laudamus in B Flat 
arr. Christiansen: Beautiful Savior 
Franck: O Lord Most Holy 
Hogan: Magnificat - Mt. St. Alban
Stanford: O For A Closer Walk 
Hadley: My Beloved Spake 
arr. Dawson: There Is A Balm In Gilead 
Stanford: When Mary Thro' the Garden Went 
Webber: Pie Jesu from Requiem 
Adams arr. Cain: The Holy City 
Parker: Jam Sol Recedit 
Britten: Te Deum in C 
Tschesnokoff: Salvation Is Created 
Bairstow: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Vaughan Williams: Easter from Five Mystical Songs 
Leighton: Lully, Lulla., Thou Little Tiny child 
Parry: I Was glad