COMPOSERS: Bednall
LABELS: Regent
ALBUM TITLE: Bednall
WORKS: Hail, gladdening Light; The Wells Service; Adagio for Organ etc
PERFORMER: Wells Cathedral Choir/Matthew Owens; David Bednall (organ)
CATALOGUE NO: REGCD 247
There are some organ-loft composers who should remain firmly closeted with their diapasons. On the other hand there are some who understand the choral medium much better than a few big-name composers I could think of. David Bednall, assistant organist at Wells Cathedral and only midway through his twenties, is just at the threshold of the latter group, and looks set to do some really interesting things. The harmonic style is a couple of miles offshore of France, with Cochereau, Dupré and Langlais providing the prevailing wind. I confess it makes me smile to hear plummy English cathedral vowels tackle this pungent, turbulent style; it is music in a perpetual state of climax, which occasionally encourages the gentlemen of the back row to some questionable displays of vocal histrionics. On the other and, the overall choral sound is wonderfully blended and must rank as one of the top cathedral sounds outside London. Overall, it’s nicely shaped, in tune and excitingly projected, aided by Regent’s able engineering. William Whitehead
Bednall
There are some organ-loft composers who should remain firmly closeted with their diapasons. On the other hand there are some who understand the choral medium much better than a few big-name composers I could think of. David Bednall, assistant organist at Wells Cathedral and only midway through his twenties, is just at the threshold of the latter group, and looks set to do some really interesting things. The harmonic style is a couple of miles offshore of France, with Cochereau, Dupré and Langlais providing the prevailing wind.
Published: January 20, 2012 at 4:03 pm