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Magnificat - MacMillan series vol. 2
James MacMillan

James MacMillan / Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic / Netherlands Radio Choir

Magnificat - MacMillan series vol. 2

Format: CD
Label: Challenge Classics
UPC: 0608917255423
Catnr: CC 72554
Release date: 05 April 2013
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1 CD
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Label
Challenge Classics
UPC
0608917255423
Catalogue number
CC 72554
Release date
05 April 2013

"I must say that the music of MacMillan pleases me much, since it emits many aspects and does not get bored quickly. The recording is excellent: a gigantic t stage against an black background "

luister, 03-3-2014
Album
Artist(s)
Composer(s)
Press
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About the album

This second volume of works by James MacMillan explores his liturgical music as well as orchestral work: his deep commitment to the Catholic faith and his dramatic and colourfully expressive writing for the orchestra have two constants during the course of his career, with frequent overlapping between the two.

O may seem at first to be a fashionably enigmatic title. In fact, it is the vocative “O” found in so many liturgical texts, and famously, in the Latin rite, the “O” antiphons which frame the Magnificat at vespers on the last seven days of the season of Advent. The vocative “O” in these remarkable texts addresses Christ, using a title drawn from the Old Testament prophecies of Isaiah and Micah – Sapientia (Wisdom), Adonai (Lord of Israel), Radix Jesse (Root of Jesse), Clavis David (Key of David), Oriens Radiant Dawn/Daypring), Rex Gentium (King of the Nations), Emmanuel (God with us), the initials of which, when reversed, form a Latin acrostic – “Ero cras”, meaning

“Tomorrow I come”.
In 2007 MacMillan set the antiphon for 21 December, O Oriens, in English translation as O Radiant Dawn, one of the series of “Strathclyde Motets” that the composer has written for practical liturgical use, simple of texture and memorable of melody. The present work is an adaptation of the motet, made in 2008, for three treble voices, trumpet in C and string orchestra. The musical material of the motet is left intact, gently haloed and amplified by the strings, but the bipartite structure of the original is changed by the insertion of a central section, heralded by the trumpet, in which the voices construct a meditative fantasy on the vowel “O”, while the wide-ranging trumpet writing seems to project the radiance of the Christological title of the text. The trumpet returns at the end of the work, hovering over pulsing choral repetitions of the word “Amen”.

Tryst is the earliest work on this disc, and was written in 1989 to a commission from the St Magnus Festival in Orkney. It was first performed there by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Paul Daniel in June of that year. The work is in one movement made up of five sections, and is dedicated to Susan Loy, the composer’s grandmother, who died in March of that year. In many ways this is the work in which the composer’s technique and vocabulary proclaimed that he was a presence
to be reckoned with, though wider renown would come with The Confession of Isobel Gowdie, completed in the following year. The work’s title comes from a poem in Scots by William Soutar

O luely, luely cam she in
And luely she lay doun:
I kent her be her caller lips
And her breists sae sma’ and roun’.
(O softly, softly came she in
and softly she lay down:
I knew her by her fresh lips
And her breasts so small and round.)

MacMillan initially wrote a simply melody for the poem, a melody that has, as he notes, “persistently appeared, in various guises, in many works composed since – a congregational mass setting, a tiny fragment for violin and piano (After the Tryst) and ... in my music theatre piece Búsqueda. Not only has it cropped up again in this piece, but it has provided both the title and the emotional core of the music.”

Though the poem is apparently a straightforward love poem, MacMillan finds in it a whole world of conflicting sentiments, associations which are transferred to the melody, which has thereby attained the status of symbol in his work, suggesting, he says “commitment, sanctity, intimacy, faith ... love, but it is also saturated with
a sadness as if all these things are about to expire.”

This ambiguity is what makes Tryst such a compelling piece. There is certainly a feeling of farewell, and lamentation, but even though one might also detect acceptance, the work is far from pacific. Indeed, it opens with what one might describe as a violent keening, a glissando- drenched duet for clarinets combined with loud interjections from the whole orchestra. There is also a more “ceremonial” style of writing, perhaps suggesting Stravinsky’s Symphonies of Wind Instruments as an ancestor, or just possibly even the chorales of Birtwistle, that first appears in the second section of the work. This solemnity is gradually transformed into a kind of intoxicated dance, but again, consistent with the mercurial quality of the work, we are unexpectedly presented with a calmly beautiful chorale, played by pianissimo strings in a way that suggests a consort of viols, under soaring, questing violins, prefiguring moments in both Veni, Veni, Emmanuel (1991-2; recorded on volume 1 of this series, Challenge CC72540) and Seven Last Words from the Cross (1993). This in turn is transformed into a folk lament, but one framed and coloured by the full resources of the orchestra. The final section brings back the chorale-like material from the central section, but once again, it is contradicted by faster, more athletic writing; in keeping with Soutar, the music fades softly away to nothing:

Sae luely, luely cam she in
Sae luely was she gaen:
And wi’ her a’ my simmer days Like they had never been.
(So softly, softly came she in
So softly was she gone:
And with her all my summer days As though they had never been.)

MacMillan’s settings of the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis were written in 1999 and 2000 to commissions from the BBC and Westminster Cathedral respectively. The Magnificat was intended to be sung at the first BBC broadcast of choral evensong of the new Millennium, from Wells Cathedral, and both works exist in versions for choir and organ and for choir and orchestra. They are both large-scale, celebratory compositions, with dramatic and colourful writing for the orchestra – the spacious, haunting orchestral opening is surely one of the most unforgettable scene-settings for this text ever written – and making use of predominantly homophonic choral writing, rather different from the composer’s preference in general for melisma and highly decorated melodic lines, so that when more ornamented writing does appear, at “He hath filled the hungry with good things...”, it is the more striking. The doxology is positively shocking in its blazing, brassy, almost snarling portrayal of divine glory, but the quiet dynamics of the choral “Amens” and the final descent into mysterious calm with string glissandi imitating doves are a typically subtle MacMillan touch.

While the Nunc dimittis shares material with the Magnificat (most obviously the final “Amen”), it appears in a different guise, with much transformed modally. The work opens with basses quietly intoning the word “Lord” on a low E, doubled by cellos and double-basses and enveloped in a bass drum roll. The composer emphasizes in his note to the work the “unusual” chirping unison melody that subsequently appears for trebles, altos and tenors, doubled in the organ version by the sesquialtera stop, and orchestrally by woodwind, trumpet with mute and harmonics on the violin. At the end the music subsides back onto the basses’ low E, the starting point for this awe-struck exclamation of faith.
Ivan Moody

Expressieve werken met prachtige liturgische teksten
Dit album met werken van James MacMillan bevat koor– en orkestwerken die in een kenmerkende expressieve stijl gecomponeerd zijn.

De liturgische composities worden sterk door MacMillans diepe katholieke geloof gedomineerd en zijn instrumentele werken stralen in hun glansrijke dramatiek. Één van die werken is O, een advent-antifoon (een vers dat gezongen wordt als inleiding op en ter afsluiting van een psalm tijdens de mis en het getijdengebed) voor een driestemmig koor, trompet en strijkers. MacMillan verwijst in dit werk naar liturgische teksten die net als een aanhef in een brief beginnen met een ‘O’ (bijvoorbeeld ‘O mater dolorose’). Dit komt ook voor in zijn Nunc dimittis en een Magnificat, beide grootschalige, feestelijke composities met glansrijke orkestbegeleiding.

Het oudste werk op dit album is Tryst dat geschreven is voor orkest en dat MacMillan opdroeg aan zijn overleden moeder. De titel en het dramatische einde zijn ontleend aan een Schots gedicht van schrijver William Soutan.

James MacMillan is een succesvolle hedendaagse componist. Ook is hij internationaal actief als dirigent. Zijn muziek zit vol invloeden afkomstig van zijn Schotse roots, katholieke geloof, zijn liefde voor de Keltische volksmuziek en muziek uit het Verre Oosten, Scandinavië en Oost-Europa. MacMillan heeft vele orkesten gedirigeerd en is onder andere gastdirigent van het Nederlandse Radio Filharmonisch Orkest. Met hen brengt hij dit prachtige album ten gehore waar dramatische en gevoelige werken op staan maar ook feestelijke werken voor de vrolijke noot.

Die zweite Aufnahme mit Werken von James MacMillan enthält Chor- und Orchesterwerke, die in seinem charakteristischen expressiven Stil komponiert sind.

Die liturgischen Kompositionen sind stark von MacMillans tiefem katholischen Glauben geprägt, seine farbenprächtigen Instrumentalwerke erstrahlen in glanzvoller Dramatik. Zu hören sind "O", ein Advent-Antiphon für 3-stimmigen Chor, Trompete und Streicher. MacMillan bezieht sich in "O", auf den in lturgischen Texten wie ein Anruf benutzten Buchstaben O (z.B. "O mater dolorosa"). Desweiteren erklingen sein "Nunc dimittis" und ein Magnificat, beide großangelegte, feierliche Kompositionen mit glanzvoller Orchesterbegleitung.

Das früheste Werk der CD ist "Tryst" für Orchester, das MacMillan seiner verstorbenen Großmutter widmete und dessen Titel und dramturgischer Ablauf von einem schottischen Gedicht des Schriftstellers William Soutan bestimmt ist.

Artist(s)

The Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic

The Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic is a versatile orchestra that covers a broad and varied terrain. The orchestra performs in various formations, from Baroque to contemporary music ensemble. Michael Schønwandt is its chief conductor and artistic director. Its principal guest conductors are Philippe Herreweghe, Frans Brüggen and James MacMillan. Former chief conductor Jaap van Zweden was appointed conductor emeritus in May 2011. Radical cutback in expenditure of the Netherlands public broadcasting results in the dissolution of  this orchestra in August 2013.  The Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic makes an important contribution to the Saturday Matinee, Sunday Morning and Robeco Summer concert series in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Utrecht’s Vredenburg Friday series and the NTR concerts in Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ. All of these...
more
The Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic is a versatile orchestra that covers a broad and varied terrain. The orchestra performs in various formations, from Baroque to contemporary music ensemble. Michael Schønwandt is its chief conductor and artistic director. Its principal guest conductors are Philippe Herreweghe, Frans Brüggen and James MacMillan. Former chief conductor Jaap van Zweden was appointed conductor emeritus in May 2011. Radical cutback in expenditure of the Netherlands public broadcasting results in the dissolution of this orchestra in August 2013. The Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic makes an important contribution to the Saturday Matinee, Sunday Morning and Robeco Summer concert series in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Utrecht’s Vredenburg Friday series and the NTR concerts in Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ. All of these concerts are broadcast via Radio 4 and many are recorded for live Internet streaming and TV broadcasts. The Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic is a frequent guest in De Magische Muziekfabriek educational series, the International Gaudeamus Music Week and the Holland Festival.
The Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic is renowned for its impassioned performances of contemporary music. At the internationally respected Donaueschingen Festival for new music, the orchestra performed no less than four world premieres in a single concert conducted by Peter Eötvös in October 2010. One month later its concertante performance of Pascal Dusapin’s Faustus, the last night, the first in the Netherlands, received rave reviews.
The Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic is also known for its performances of familiar and lesser known works of the old masters conducted by specialists in historical performance practice. In recent years the Radio Chamber Philharmonic worked with conductors like Harry Christophers, Andrew Manze, Masaaki Suzuki, Kenneth Montgomery and John Nelson and of course principal guest conductors Frans Brüggen and Philippe Herreweghe. The versatility of the orchestra is demonstrated in its wide range of recordings, from Beethoven, Haydn and Stravinsky to Henk Badings, Tristan Keuris, Otto Ketting, Richard Rijnvos and James MacMillan.

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Netherlands Radio Choir

The Netherlands Radio Choir is the largest professional choir in the Netherlands. Since its founding in 1946, the choir has performed a broad repertoire ranging from Baroque to contemporary music and has been synonymous with top-level music performed with passion. It works in various sizes and formations, depending on the music concerned and the conductor. First official chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Choir was Kenneth Montgomery. After him came Robin Gritton, Martin Wright, Simon Halsey, Celso Antunes and Gijs Leenaars. As from the 2015-2016 season Klaas Stok is chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Choir. Michael Gläser has been its permanent guest conductor since September 2010. The Netherlands Radio Choir has worked with guest conductors such as Marcus Creed and Peter Dijkstra,...
more
The Netherlands Radio Choir is the largest professional choir in the Netherlands. Since its founding in 1946, the choir has performed a broad repertoire ranging from Baroque to contemporary music and has been synonymous with top-level music performed with passion. It works in various sizes and formations, depending on the music concerned and the conductor.
First official chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Choir was Kenneth Montgomery. After him came Robin Gritton, Martin Wright, Simon Halsey, Celso Antunes and Gijs Leenaars. As from the 2015-2016 season Klaas Stok is chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Choir. Michael Gläser has been its permanent guest conductor since September 2010.
The Netherlands Radio Choir has worked with guest conductors such as Marcus Creed and Peter Dijkstra, with early music specialists as Frans Brüggen, Philippe Herreweghe and Ton Koopman, and in the symphonic choral repertoire with Jaap van Zweden, James Gaffigan, Markus Stenz and Sir Simon Rattle, among others.
The choir often performs with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra in public radio concert series, and it is regularly invited to perform with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.
Since the early 1980s, the Netherlands Radio Choir has been a frequent guest in the Saturday Matinee series of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. In these concerts the choir has regularly performed pre- mieres and works by contemporary composers such as Ligeti, Boulez, Birtwistle, Kagel, Reich, Wagemans, Adès, Adams and Vleggaar. Most concerts of the Netherlands Radio Choir are live broadcasted by Radio 4. On CD the Netherlands Radio Choir excels in a broad repertoire including music by Keuris, MacMillan, Mahler, Poulenc, Rossini and Wagner.

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James MacMillan (conductor)

James MacMillan is one of today’s most successful composers and is also internationally active as a conductor. His musical language is flooded with influences from his Scottish heritage, Catholic faith, social conscience and close connection with Celtic folk music, blended with influences from Far Eastern, Scandinavian and Eastern European music. MacMillan first became internationally recognized after the extraordinary success of The Confession of Isobel Gowdie at the BBC Proms in 1990. His prolific output has since been performed and broadcast around the world. His major works include percussion concerto Veni, Veni, Emmanuel, which has received more than 400 performances, a cello concerto for Mstislav Rostropovich and three symphonies. Recent major works include his St John Passion co-commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra,...
more

James MacMillan is one of today’s most successful composers and is also internationally active as a conductor. His musical language is flooded with influences from his Scottish heritage, Catholic faith, social conscience and close connection with Celtic folk music, blended with influences from Far Eastern, Scandinavian and Eastern European music.
MacMillan first became internationally recognized after the extraordinary success of The Confession of Isobel Gowdie at the BBC Proms in 1990.
His prolific output has since been performed and broadcast around the world. His major works include percussion concerto Veni, Veni, Emmanuel, which has received more than 400 performances, a cello concerto for Mstislav Rostropovich and three symphonies. Recent major works include his St John Passion co-commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Radio Choir, his Violin Concerto, Viola Concerto, St Luke Passion and, most recently, his Percussion Concerto No.2 for Colin Currie, co-commissioned by the Philharmonia Orchestra, Edinburgh International Festival, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra and Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music.
MacMillan enjoys a flourishing career as conductor of his own music alongside a range of contemporary and standard repertoire, praised for the composer’s insight he brings to each score. He was Principal Guest Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic until 2013 and was Composer/ Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic from 2000-2009; he has conducted orchestras such as the Baltimore Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, Vienna Radio Symphony, Danish Radio Symphony, Gothenburg Symphony, Luxembourg Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and NHK Symphony Orchestra among others. MacMillan was Composer in Residence at the 2012 Grafenegg Festival and a London Symphony Orchestra Portrait Artist in the 2009/10 season.
In spring 2014 MacMillan conducted three projects with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, culminating in a ground-breaking tour to India with Nicola Benedetti performing in Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi including public concerts, schools concerts and outreach work. In the 2014/15 season, MacMillan conducts orchestras including the Bergen Philharmonic, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Britten Sinfonia. In January 2015 he conducts a new production of his opera, Inés de Castro, at Scottish Opera and elsewhere this season conducts choral concerts in Sao Paulo and with the BBC Singers. In October 2014 MacMillan founded his music festival, The Cumnock Tryst, which takes place in his native Ayrshire.


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Edward Caswell (conductor)

Edward Caswell is a versatile and widely respected choral conductor.  Working throughout the UK and Europe he has a reputation for approaching choral conducting from a singer's perspective.   Since 2008 he has been a regular guest with Netherlands Radio Choir preparing them for concerts and recordings with Kenneth Montgomery, Markus Stenz, Masaaki Suzuki and James Gaffigan.  Highlights include collaborations with Riccardo Chailly and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, and most recently, performances of Elgar's The Kingdom with Edward Gardner and Martyn Brabbins and Mahler Symphony No. 3 with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under Daniele Gatti. Edward works with numerous other professional choirs including the BBC Singers, SWR Vokalensemble, NDR Chor, MDR Rundfunkchor, WDR Rundfunkchor,...
more

Edward Caswell is a versatile and widely respected choral conductor. Working throughout the UK and Europe he has a reputation for approaching choral conducting from a singer's perspective.

Since 2008 he has been a regular guest with Netherlands Radio Choir preparing them for concerts and recordings with Kenneth Montgomery, Markus Stenz, Masaaki Suzuki and James Gaffigan. Highlights include collaborations with Riccardo Chailly and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, and most recently, performances of Elgar's The Kingdom with Edward Gardner and Martyn Brabbins and Mahler Symphony No. 3 with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under Daniele Gatti.

Edward works with numerous other professional choirs including the BBC Singers, SWR Vokalensemble, NDR Chor, MDR Rundfunkchor, WDR Rundfunkchor, Bamberg Symphony Choir, the Danish National Choir, Collegium Vocale Gent and Vlaams Radio Koor.

In 2013 Edward founded Cromarty Youth Opera presenting Noye's Fludde by Benjamin Britten. The company returned to Britten last year with The Little Sweep and in August this year present Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell.

Engagements this season include preparing Netherlands Radio Choir for performances of The Gospel According the Other Mary by John Adams in Strasbourg and Cologne, preparing Collegium Vocale Gent for Verdi Quattro Pezzi Sacri and Mahler Symphony No. 3, preparing MDR Rundfunkchor for a Handel programme with Diego Fasolis, and preparing the combined choirs of MDR and NDR for Matthäus-Passion in the Mendelssohn version with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under Trevor Pinnock.

Edward regularly leads workshops with children and adults and directs 'Health and Wellbeing Through Song' at the University of Strathclyde. He is a council member and regular presenter for the Association of British Choral Directors.


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Composer(s)

James MacMillan

James MacMillan is one of today’s most successful composers and is also internationally active as a conductor. His musical language is flooded with influences from his Scottish heritage, Catholic faith, social conscience and close connection with Celtic folk music, blended with influences from Far Eastern, Scandinavian and Eastern European music. MacMillan first became internationally recognized after the extraordinary success of The Confession of Isobel Gowdie at the BBC Proms in 1990. His prolific output has since been performed and broadcast around the world. His major works include percussion concerto Veni, Veni, Emmanuel, which has received more than 400 performances, a cello concerto for Mstislav Rostropovich and three symphonies. Recent major works include his St John Passion co-commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra,...
more

James MacMillan is one of today’s most successful composers and is also internationally active as a conductor. His musical language is flooded with influences from his Scottish heritage, Catholic faith, social conscience and close connection with Celtic folk music, blended with influences from Far Eastern, Scandinavian and Eastern European music.
MacMillan first became internationally recognized after the extraordinary success of The Confession of Isobel Gowdie at the BBC Proms in 1990.
His prolific output has since been performed and broadcast around the world. His major works include percussion concerto Veni, Veni, Emmanuel, which has received more than 400 performances, a cello concerto for Mstislav Rostropovich and three symphonies. Recent major works include his St John Passion co-commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Radio Choir, his Violin Concerto, Viola Concerto, St Luke Passion and, most recently, his Percussion Concerto No.2 for Colin Currie, co-commissioned by the Philharmonia Orchestra, Edinburgh International Festival, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra and Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music.
MacMillan enjoys a flourishing career as conductor of his own music alongside a range of contemporary and standard repertoire, praised for the composer’s insight he brings to each score. He was Principal Guest Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic until 2013 and was Composer/ Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic from 2000-2009; he has conducted orchestras such as the Baltimore Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, Vienna Radio Symphony, Danish Radio Symphony, Gothenburg Symphony, Luxembourg Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and NHK Symphony Orchestra among others. MacMillan was Composer in Residence at the 2012 Grafenegg Festival and a London Symphony Orchestra Portrait Artist in the 2009/10 season.
In spring 2014 MacMillan conducted three projects with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, culminating in a ground-breaking tour to India with Nicola Benedetti performing in Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi including public concerts, schools concerts and outreach work. In the 2014/15 season, MacMillan conducts orchestras including the Bergen Philharmonic, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Britten Sinfonia. In January 2015 he conducts a new production of his opera, Inés de Castro, at Scottish Opera and elsewhere this season conducts choral concerts in Sao Paulo and with the BBC Singers. In October 2014 MacMillan founded his music festival, The Cumnock Tryst, which takes place in his native Ayrshire.


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Press

I must say that the music of MacMillan pleases me much, since it emits many aspects and does not get bored quickly. The recording is excellent: a gigantic t stage against an black background 
luister, 03-3-2014

It is an excellent demonstration of the benefits accuring when a composer is also a technically fine conductor.
BBC Music Magazine, 01-11-2013

"This is music that matters, both in its mystical and in its secular sense"
www.opusklassiek.nl, 25-9-2013

"MacMillan’s music may initially seem heavy and tough to penetrate but this excellently performed second volume is approachable, with a reasonable amount of concentration, and will certainly bring rewards"
www.musicweb-international.com, 12-9-2013

James MacMillan’s conducting provides textural and structural clarity while the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic respond with style. 
Music Web International, 01-9-2013

I must say that the music of MacMillan extremely pleases me, since it shows many aspects, and does not get bored quickly.
Luister, 31-7-2013

This is clearly a fine choir but somehow it seems akward and clumsy in this repertoire, making too much of a meal of the dynamics and phrasing, and in the process obscuring the inherend beauty of Macmillan's inspired writing 
Gramophone, 01-7-2013

All compositions demonstrate the beautifully rounded atmospheric effect, deriving from a thoughtful, modern writing style that makes MacMillan one of today's most popular composers of religious music.
Scotland On Sunday, 30-6-2013

The recordings are delightful: A gigantic insightful stage against a pitch black background.
Luister, 17-6-2013

This composer-conducted performance is no doubt the best way to get to know, understand and perhaps even love the work...
International Record Review, 01-6-2013

Excellent performances.
Financial Times, 18-5-2013

Breathtaking.
Platomania, 05-5-2013

The Catholic MacMillan writes melodious choral music with an edge, convincingly sung by the Radio Choir.
NRC Handelsblad

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Often bought together with..

Willem Jeths
Symphony no. 1 | Recorder concerto
Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra / Erik Bosgraaf / Karin Strobos
Robin de Raaff
Waiting for Miss Monroe
Dutch National Opera / Netherlands Chamber Orchestra / Marc Albrecht
Mieczysław Weinberg, Karl Amadeus Hartmann, Dmitri Shostakovich
Wartime Consolations
Linus Roth / Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn / José Gallardo
James MacMillan
Work for chamber orchestra with soloists
James MacMillan / Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic

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