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.

—Philip Greenfield