Bob Chilcott: Canticles of Light

Name: Bob Chilcott: Canticles of Light
SKU: SIGCD729
Availability: InStock

£8.00 – £14.00

“Darkness to light is a theme which continues to engage artists, musicians, philosophers and thinkers through time, and this theme, coupled with thoughts of remembrance, hope, redemption and acceptance is the thread that ties together all the music performed on this recording” – Bob Chilcott

‘Canticles of Light’ is Bob Chilcott’s ninth album on Signum Records. Featuring celebrated
composers including Cecilia McDowall, Francis Pott and James MacMillan each work has been
carefully selected by conductor and professor Agnieszka Franków-Żelazny, with the final track
written especially for the NFM Choir.

Hailed by The Observer as ‘a contemporary hero of British choral music’, composer and conductor Bob Chilcott has enjoyed a lifelong connection with singing and choirs. As a composer he has a large catalogue of music published by Oxford University Press that reflects his broad
view of musical styles and genres.

★★★★★ “The album was recorded in 2019 but its themes gain additional resonance with its release earlier this year in a very different world” – Choir & Organ

★★★★★ “The challenge of translating this music to the point in sound and emotion is mastered by the NFM Choir under Agnieszka Frankow-Zelazny without fault. [An] engaging sound…It is choral singing full of light, with voices that radiate from within…In general – splendor and radiance stands for the performance of the NFM Choir” – Pizzicato

★★★★ Performance ★★★★ Recording “[Chilcott’s Move him into the sun] Tenor Sebastian Mach’s plangent solo in ‘Apologia pro Poemate meo’ is a highlight here, feelingly supported by players from the Wrocław Philharmonic” – BBC Music Magazine

SKU: SIGCD729

NFM Choir

Agnieszka Franków-Żelazny conductor

Release date: 06/01/23

Catalogue number:SIGCD729

Barcode: 635212072929

“We must salute the superb performance of the Poles of the choir of the National Music Forum of Wroclaw (NFM Choir) under the inspired and musical direction of Agnieszka Franków-Żelazny” – Crescendo

RECORD OF THE WEEK “The Choir of the National Forum of Music from Wrocław interpreted [the works] flawlessly… The conductor Agnieszka Franków-Żelazny perfectly conveyed the character of the two cycles Canticles of Light and Move him into the Sun. The interpretation is stylistically coherent and moving. It radiates from within…The whole creates a coherent concept, based on impeccable phrasing, emission, intonation and diction of the singers…To paraphrase the title of one of the tracks, it is music born of light” – W Kulturalny Sponsob

“With Chilcott himself as producer, these performances are both authoritative and exemplary” – Gramophone

“This is a very rewarding disc on two counts. Firstly, all the music is well worth hearing. Secondly, the NFM Choir sings everything very well indeed. There are forty singers on duty (10 voices per part) and the sound they make is excellent. The blend and balance are consistently well judged and I like the clear, fresh sound the choir makes and the discipline of their singing. Clearly, they had been prepared very thoroughly indeed by Agnieszka Franków-Żelazny who conducts the performances expertly. The instrumental ensemble offers first-rate support to the singers in the two Chilcott works” – Musicweb International

“A real treat for lovers of choral art…perfect, singing with heart, passion and energy. You can feel in it a community of breath, impeccable phrasing, luminosity and spaciousness. Canticles of Light is an album at the highest artistic level” – Wroclawski Portal

“Agnieszka Franków-Żelazny draws a panorama of great expressive possibilities from the technical resources of the choir and instrumentalists, who, together with the soloists, contribute to create this deeply human journey about relationships, death and hope” – Sonograma

“[Canticles of Light] This Polish choir and players…are persuasive advocates for a very powerful piece. Intense shorter works on similar themes of remembrance, hope and redemption by Francis Pott, Cecilia McDowall and James MacMillan are equally well performed” – Cathedral Music

[01] Canticles of Light: I. Te lucis ante terminum – Bob Chilcott
[02] Canticles of Light: II. Christe, qui, splendour et dies – Bob Chilcott
[03] Canticles of Light: III. O nata lux de lumine – Bob Chilcott
[04] Move Him Into the Sun: I. Song of Songs – Bob Chilcott
[05] Move Him Into the Sun: II. Spring Offensive – Bob Chilcott
[06] Move Him Into the Sun: III. Apologia pro Poemate meo – Bob Chilcott
[07] Move Him Into the Sun: IV. Futility – Bob Chilcott
[08] Move Him Into the Sun: V. Winter Song – Bob Chilcott
[09] Standing As I Do Before God – Cecilia McDowall
[10] Lament – Francis Pott
[11] A Child’s Prayer – James MacMillan
[12] Sing the Colour of Peace – Bob Chilcott