Fanfare
Full of Grace: Choral Music by James Woodhall offers several works by the English composer. A graduate of the University of Surrey, Woodhall also participated in an exchange program with the University of North Texas. Woodhall has composed several musicals and choral works. He is also the co-founder of the Cold Light Ensemble, combining jazz trio with string quartet. Woodhall directs and composes for that group. The central work on Full of Grace is The Damascus Road, scored for vocal soloists, chorus, and piano. The piece fulfills Woodhall’s longtime wish to compose a work based on the Biblical narrative of Saul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. Acts 9 provides the majority of the text, supplemented by other Biblical passages. The choir acts as both narrator and personification of the masses who encounter Saul. A baritone portrays Saul, while the role of Jesus is sung by a tenor. Woodhall’s musical theater pedigree is evident in his lyrical and accessible writing. The frequent use of syncopation in agitated passages is another nod to the musical theater tradition. The narrative is always front and center in Woodhall’s concept, with textual clarity a priority, both for solo and choral writing. The choral group Cantores Lucis handles their multiple roles with distinction, offering a lovely, blended ensemble, crisp diction, and rhythmic verve. Lyric baritone Will Houghton is an affecting Saul, while tenor Hugh Legg is heartfelt and eloquent, if somewhat vocally pressed, as Jesus.
Five brief a cappella choral works (Full of Grace, The Shepherd’s Carol, Ave Verum Corpus, Ave Maria, Light from Light) constitute the remaining works. Here, musical theater and British choral traditions combine for music that is once again lovely and communicative, beautifully performed by Cantores Lucis. The CD booklet includes the composer’s liner notes, and artist bios. The sung texts are not reproduced, but for the most part, they are easily discerned in the performances. Recommended.
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