American Record Guide
Here is an opportunity to sample the music of Rhona Clarke (b 1958), a prominent composer on the Irish choral scene. 30 years in the making, it is a varied program ranging from sacred to secular, dissonant to melodic, and complex fare to children’s rhymes where spirited handclapping is the order of the day. She’s not in a rut, and the wheat to chaff ratio should prove satisfactory to most choral aficionados. (See what you think of her 4-movement Requiem. I rather like it.)
The Latvians are not bashful singers and are recorded rather closely, so be ready for a soprano section that grows notably shrill when the dissonances start piling on. Texts, translations, and informative notes. The program is titled Sempiternam, should you be tempted to hunt it down.
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