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Fanfare

This is a fine collection of American choral works. There is sufficient variety of style in the program to hold the listener’s interest, and the choral singing is beautifully balanced. Alban Voices is a British choir who convincingly capture the spirit of these American pieces. The choir’s diction is crystal clear, so the fact that Divine Art doesn’t provide texts is not a significant issue. I should also note that their pronunciation of the English texts falls rather comfortably on American ears.

Randall Thompson’s Alleluia for a cappella choir was commissioned by Serge Koussevitzky for the opening of Tanglewood in 1940. Koussevitzky expected a celebratory work, but instead he got this pensive, reflective piece in keeping with the mood of the country during the war. It is Thompson’s most popular work, moving in its beauty. The excellent tuning and blending of Alban Voices and their sensitive shading make this a very successful opener for the disc.

Agnus Dei is Samuel Barber’s own choral arrangement of his famed Adagio for Strings. “Sure on this Shining Night” was composed as a song in 1938, and in that form is one of Barber’s most performed works. In 1961 he arranged it for choir and piano, and that lovely version is attractively sung here.

Eric Whitacre’s intimate style of composition, along with his gift for melody, has made him among the most performed of American choral composers. The attractive setting of the poem “Lux aurumque” (originally in English but translated into Latin for this a cappella setting­­—poet unknown) is notable for its hushed, peaceful atmosphere.

Copland’s In the Beginning is the most extensive work on the program. It is a cantata for mezzo-soprano and choir, telling the biblical Creation story. Copland mixed a few influences into his score, including Jewish liturgical music and jazz. The problem here is the edge and unsteadiness in mezzo Barbara Naylor’s voice. Her role as the cantor is important enough that her vocal flaws detract from the performance.

The Alban Singers’ account of Ives’s Psalm 67 is successful in large part because of the precise tuning of the choir in a work that demands it. “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess is given here in a version that has an easy swing appropriate to the piece, and conductor Robin White’s arrangement of the beloved traditional folk song “Shenandoah” is also quite lovely. The disc closes with a witty, crisp performance of Copland’s “I bought me a cat” from his settings of Old American Songs.

I cannot give this disc an unqualified recommendation, but it offers lovely choral singing of some very fine music. According to the Alban Singers’ website, “Our singers are all members of leading London and St Albans choirs. They are hand-picked for each event according to requirements.” Robin White’s notes are helpful, if a bit sketchy, and the recorded sound is excellent.