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Product Description
Classic FM Magazine
'...something special, a composition destined to last...A recording for repeated listening and total spiritual immersion.'
Editor's Choice
'... this is a piece you simply must hear if you have any interest in contemporary sacred orchestral and choral work'
Editor's Choice
'... this is a piece you simply must hear if you have any interest in contemporary sacred orchestral and choral work'
CD Description
When Sir Colin Davis was asked to select a composer to write a new work for his 80th birthday he chose James MacMillan. MacMillan had previously considered writing a passion and used the opportunity to produce a setting based on the Gospel of St. John. The result is a highly dramatic Passion, fusing MacMillan's own Catholic faith, compositional style and musical influences with the long tradition of settings for the Passion of Christ in both the Catholic and Lutheran faiths. In addition to the choir and orchestra, MacMillan uses a small choir of professional singers to provide the narration and a solitary baritone soloist to portray Christ. The work received its premiere on 27th April at the Barbican, London.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Settings of the Passion have historically been for the Lutheran Vespers (Evening/Afternoon Prayer) service for Good Friday and Teleman, Bach, Buxtehude et al were all involved in liturgical enterprises. In Leipzig, when the St Matthew Passion of J S Bach had its first performance it would have been possible to go to several competing Passion settings on that afternoon in the various Lutheran churches of the town. So as a committed Roman Catholic and writing for modern orchestra and choir, James MacMillan's work is not going to have the same "hands on" frisson of the great Passion settings of the 18th Century. It will be something of a "memorial" or "tribute" rather than an active religious service. This is not to say that it is not sincere and deeply felt. The composer's emotional involvement with his material is almost palpable. On the other hand, it does explain why there is an introductory note from Archbishop Rowan Williams (the Anglican primate of Canterbury, no less) explaining that the work is worth listening to, even if one is not a believer: in the 1740's in Leipzig only the very elderly and sick would NOT have been in church on Good Friday afternoon whereas today the level of religious involvement is much less.
In place of the chorale (congregational hymn) settings that were put into the biblical text by earler composers, MacMillan puts Latin hymns and also includes the Good Friday Reproaches from the Catholic Solemn Liturgy of the Lord's Passion. This is very powerful and makes a fascinating alternative view. Another unusual aspect of the work is that it is very centred on the Christ figure as a baritone soloist. All the other parts are sung by a small choir (the individual voices, e.g. Peter, Pilate, Judas, the serving maid etc) or a large choir (the crowd exclamations like "Crucify him!"). I wonder if this is to suggest all human solidarity in the events being narrated (and crucially the Narrator is a small choir) but I have to say that I find the drammatic effect is not a strong as having individual soloists for these parts.
Macmillan's music is spare and entirely fitted to the subject-matter. It is contemporary and, for a change, this means that it is not "hard on the ear". Neither is it trivial or simplistic. Whilst I don't think this is the "War Requiem" of this decade, I recommend it as a fine piece of contemporary music by one of Scotland's foremost composers.
The recording favours the orchestra over the choirs, which are a little clouded in sound from time to time. That said, LSO Live do their usual wonders with the congested sound of London's Barbican Hall and the overall result is sonically satisfying.
In place of the chorale (congregational hymn) settings that were put into the biblical text by earler composers, MacMillan puts Latin hymns and also includes the Good Friday Reproaches from the Catholic Solemn Liturgy of the Lord's Passion. This is very powerful and makes a fascinating alternative view. Another unusual aspect of the work is that it is very centred on the Christ figure as a baritone soloist. All the other parts are sung by a small choir (the individual voices, e.g. Peter, Pilate, Judas, the serving maid etc) or a large choir (the crowd exclamations like "Crucify him!"). I wonder if this is to suggest all human solidarity in the events being narrated (and crucially the Narrator is a small choir) but I have to say that I find the drammatic effect is not a strong as having individual soloists for these parts.
Macmillan's music is spare and entirely fitted to the subject-matter. It is contemporary and, for a change, this means that it is not "hard on the ear". Neither is it trivial or simplistic. Whilst I don't think this is the "War Requiem" of this decade, I recommend it as a fine piece of contemporary music by one of Scotland's foremost composers.
The recording favours the orchestra over the choirs, which are a little clouded in sound from time to time. That said, LSO Live do their usual wonders with the congested sound of London's Barbican Hall and the overall result is sonically satisfying.
15 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
James Macmillan has once again created a powerful and appealing work. It is ultimately overwhelming and beautifully recorded and deserves to become a classic choral work. Anyone who likes choral music will get a lot out of this stunning work. Cannot recommend it highly enough!
Steve Johnson, former BBC Birmingham Online arts reviewer.
Steve Johnson, former BBC Birmingham Online arts reviewer.
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Wouldn`t have chosen this to listen to normally (others love the work but I`m not wild about "modern" music) but needed to learn the choruses. A very good live recording as live recordings go but the balance between choir/s and orchestra leans more towards the instrumentalists and at times it is difficult to hear the individual voice parts with any clarity, even straining my ears inside my very good closed-back headphones and with the score in front of me ... or is that just me?! I`ll be selling it again soon (as I say, not something that is going to go on holiday with me for entertainment - sorry Mr MacMillan) so if you want it watch the "used" area of Amazon!
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