News
New Recordings from Oxford Choirs
The Choir of Christ Church
Cathedral, under the direction of Stephen Darlington, has just released a new disc on the Avie label. More Divine than Human: Music from the Eton Choirbook includes music by John Fawkyner, William Cornysh, Walter Lambe, Richard Davy and John Browne.
Recorded in the Chapel of Merton College, the disc commemorates the 500th Anniversary of the coronation of King Henry VIII (founder of Christ Church) on 24 June 1509 with music from the Eton Choirbook, one of the greatest jewels of choir music in the world. The Eton Choirbook epitomises a style of composition which demanded extraordinary virtuosity from its performers: it is no surprise that an Italian visitor should have described the singing he heard in 1515 as 'more divine than human'. This recording brings to life some of the most glorious music in the collection, using the original forces of men and boys.
Other acclaimed CD releases in the past months by Oxford's chapel choirs include Haydn's Creation, in this Haydn's anniversary year, recorded by the Choir of New College and the Oxford Philomusica, directed by Edward Higginbottom, and Duruflé's Requiem, recorded by the Choir of Magdalen College and the English Sinfonia, directed by Bill Ives (Harmonia Mundi).