The Psalms

£8.00£14.00

‘Psalms are at the heart of our choir’s musical identity. They inform everything else we perform – technically, musically and emotionally. They are the best medium for a choir to communicate directly with members of a congregation. The Chapel at St John’s is a perfect space in which to sing psalms’ – Andrew Nethsingha

★★★★★ ”Beauty of sound is to the fore in liquid, blended voices flow seamlessly in and around each other, in clarity of diction and exquisitely modulated delivery…Excellent, extensive notes round off a relishable recital” – Choir and Organ

★★★★ Performance, ★★★★★ Recording “[Nethsingha’s] insistence on crisp articulation pays major dividends in a feisty reading on Psalm 52, where the come-uppance of the boastful tyrant is relished by the St John’s singers” – BBC Music Magazine

“The really remarkable thing is how much feeling they pour into the phrasing and the words so that each Psalm isn’t just a heartfelt prayer, it’s a miniature drama…The really wonderful thing is the choir’s diction. It’s so clear…Andrew Nethsingha’s shaping of every phrase is wonderful…The recording team captures the acoustic of the chapel as expertly as they always seem to on these St John’s releases, and the organ is blended perfectly with the voices” – Musicweb International

 

SKU: SIGCD721

Choir of St. John’s College Cambridge

Andrew Nethsingha Director


Release date: 16/09/2022

Catalogue number: SIGCD721

Barcode: 635212072127

“The Psalms at St John’s have always sounded different – with that distinctive glow, rooted in text, somehow more like the human voice with which the psalmist speaks in anger, pain, love and joy…Musically, this is the best of them” – Gramophone

The best choral recordings of 2022: Editor’s Choice “This beautifully sung recording from St John’s takes us into that powerful and poetic heart of choral life” – Gramophone

“The presentation is peerless, with blend, balance and intonation all beautifully manicured…the singing from the boys and men is exemplary and the choir’s musicianship beyond compare…While these accounts are highly individual, this is still a magnificent compilation and provides a superb snapshot … of a choir singing with demonstrable character, clarity and commitment” – Opera Today

“I struggle to recall an instance when I’ve heard psalms chanted in such a vivid and intelligent fashion as is to be heard on this CD…the St John’s choir sings these psalm chants marvellously and with great intelligence…The recorded sound is very good indeed. It’s also remarkably consistent …This is another fine addition to the distinguished discography of Andrew Nethsingha and the Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge” – Musicweb International

“The commitment, projection, and natural energy of this choir have never failed to inspire me – in recording, as in live performance, they communicate the music, in this case doing more than justice to texts and music alike. Given the widely spaced dates, with their changes in the choir and the organ, the ensuing consistency and precision here pays tribute to Andrew Nethsingha’s leadership and musical vision” – Organists’ Review

[01] – I Will Love Thee, O Lord (Psalm 18) [Live]
[02] – The Lord is King (Psalm 99) [Live]
[03] – Lord, Thou Art Become Gracious (Psalm 85) [Live]
[04] – In Jewry is God Known (Psalm 76) [Live]
[05] – Why Boastest Thou Thyself, Thou Tyrant (Psalm 52) [Live]
[06] – O Lord God of My Salvation (Psalm 88) [Live]
[07] – Bring Unto the Lord, O Ye Mighty (Psalm 29) [Live]
[08] – Why Do the Heathen So Furiously Rage (Psalm 2) [Live]
[09] – O Lord, Thou Hast Searched (Psalm 139) [Live]
[10] – O Praise the Lord of Heaven (Psalm 148) [Live]
[11] – I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes Unto the Hills (Psalm 121) [Live]
[12] – I Was Glad When They Said Unto Me (Psalm 122) [Live]
[13] – Unto Thee Lift I Up Mine Eyes (Psalm 123) [Live]

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