Tenebrae, Nigel Short - Hubert Parry: Songs of Farewell (2011) Hi-Res

The title of Hubert Parry's 1915 choral song cycle, Songs of Farewell, aptly sums up the theme and tone of this a cappella album featuring the British choral ensemble Tenebrae, led by its founder, Nigel Short. All of the works have an autumnal, valedictory mood, and would be appropriate for memorial or funeral services. The music is not morbid, though; most of it emphasizes the serenity of death and has an optimistic radiance. The selections range from a part song by Arthur Sullivan to Richard Rodney Bennett's 1999 A Good-Night, a memorial tribute to Linda McCartney. The music spans more than a century, but it is consistently characterized by a warm lyricism. Few of the pieces, apart from John Tavener's austerely luminous Funeral Ikos and Parry's My soul, there is a country, are performed with much frequency, but every track is rewarding. Bring Us, O Lord God, by William H. Harris, the least familiar composer, brings the album to an especially ravishing, ecstatic close. It's an exceptionally appealing collection that should be of special interest to fans of the British choral tradition, as well as anyone looking for an album of comforting, euphonious a cappella choral music. Tenebrae delivers performances of characteristic excellence. The tone is pure, intonation impeccable, the ensemble precise, and the richly burnished blend is simply gorgeous. The sound of Signum's CD is clean and detailed, with a warm, immediate ambience. Highly recommended.