Never has a choral recording been more appropriately titled than Eric Whitacre's new CD `Light and Gold'
It is a selection of pieces polished to burnished gold, with tonal and harmonic beauty. Look further within those tight harmonic lines, which almost sit in each others laps, and the intricacies of the works become apparent as well as the shining simplicity and deeply personal meaning behind these pieces.
The Eric Whitacre Singers make a highly polished debut, obviously bathed in this composer's music, supported on this recording by Laudibus and The King's Singers. The other star of the recording is the almost Cathedral-like acoustic of St Silas' Church, Kentish Town, London. The warmth and clarity of the recording and acoustic add to the awe of the pieces and provide Light to that burnished gold.
The pieces themselves are a veritable rainbow and I would encourage you to read the accompanying booklet before you listen, which put the pieces into context. Some booklets are simply marketing / promotional bumph, but not this one....
My particular favourites are `The Seal Lullaby', based on a Rudyard Kipling story, and `I thank you God for most this amazing day'
When listening to new choral music, as well as intricate highly professional pieces, I also seek pieces that offer repertoire to amateur choirs and the piece that I hope will be taken up by choirs across the UK is the beautiful Hebrew love song `Kala Kalla (Light Bride)'.