Advent at Merton - Choir of Merton College, Oxford

ID: DCD34122 (EAN: 801918341229)  | 1 CD | DDD - 24 b
Released in: 2012

LABEL:

DELPHIAN RECORDS

Collection:

Christmas Music

Subcollection:

Organ

Composers:

BYRD, William | DUBRA, Rihards | EŠENVALDS, Eriks | JACKSON, Gabriel | MacMILLAN, James | Mc DOWALL, Cecilia | PRAETORIUS, Michael | SKEMPTON, Howard | TAVENER, John | VICTORIA, Tomás Luis de | WEIR, Judith

Interprets:

STEPPLER, Anna (organ)

Ensembles:

Choir of Merton College, Oxford

Conductors:

NICHOLAS, Benjamin | PHILLIPS, Peter

Other info:

Choir of Merton College, Oxford
Peter Phillips & Benjamin Nicholas conductors
Anna Steppler organ


The beginning of Advent is celebrated with a particular solemnity at Merton. For its second recording the college choir explores the musical riches that adorn this most special time in the church’s year, centring on a newly commissioned sequence of Magnificat antiphons from seven leading composers.

Founded in 2008, the new Choir of Merton College, Oxford is led by newly appointed Organist and fulltime Director of Music Benjamin Nicholas, and Reed Rubin Director of Music Peter Philips. The choir is rapidly emerging as a major force in collegiate choral music. The disc is recorded in the beautiful environs of Merton College Chapel, which has stood at the heart of the College as a place of worship for almost 750 years.


Track listing

1. Ecce concipies -Matthew Martin
2. Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming
arr. David Blackwell
3. Rorate caeli desuper -William Byrd
4. Advent Antiphon - James MacMillan
5. Drop down, ye heavens, from above -Judith Weir
6. Alvus tumescit virginis - Michael Praetorius

Seven Advent Antiphons
commissioned by the Chaplain of Merton College
7. O Sapientia - Howard Skempton
8. O Adonai - John Tavener
9. O Radix Jesse - Rihards Dubra
10. O Clavis David - Gabriel Jackson
11. O Oriens - Cecilia McDowall
12. O Rex Gentium -Matthew Martin
13. O Emmanuel - E-riks Ešenvalds

14. Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen -Anton Heiller
15. Ecce Virgo concipiet - William Byrd
16. Es ist ein Ros entsprungen - Michael Praetorius
arr. Jan Sandström
17. Ave Maria - Tomás Luis de Victoria

'one of the UK's finest choral ensembles'
- Gramophone

'the new Merton College choir has leap-frogged its way almost to the top o the collegiate choral pile'
- Choir & Organ