COMPOSERS: Maxwell Davies
LABELS: Collins
WORKS: Corpus Christi, with Cat and Mouse; House of Winter; Westerlings
PERFORMER: BBC Singers/Simon Joly
CATALOGUE NO: 14632 DDD
Max the orchestral magician here achieves complementary recognition as a skilful and imaginative choral composer. To the wild Orcadian landscapes of poet George Mackay Brown, the music of Westerlings, Sea Runes and House of Winter adds glacial atmosphere and enchantment. Four charming occasional pieces are also cool-tempered. Corpus Christi, with Cat and Mouse, a helping of the more whimsical Max, may seem overlong, though this fine account sustains it with conviction all the way. Nicholas Williams
Maxwell Davies: Corpus Christi, with Cat and Mouse; House of Winter; Westerlings
Max the orchestral magician here achieves complementary recognition as a skilful and imaginative choral composer. To the wild Orcadian landscapes of poet George Mackay Brown, the music of Westerlings, Sea Runes and House of Winter adds glacial atmosphere and enchantment. Four charming occasional pieces are also cool-tempered. Corpus Christi, with Cat and Mouse, a helping of the more whimsical Max, may seem overlong, though this fine account sustains it with conviction all the way. Nicholas Williams
Published: January 20, 2012 at 3:08 pm