The Sixteen, Harry Christophers - Padre Pio: Prayer (2009)

The impetus behind this recording of contemporary British liturgical anthems is the Genesis Foundation, a British organization dedicated to the support of emerging artists, founded and supported by John Studzinski, an American banker and Anglophile Roman Catholic. Studzinski commissioned three composers to make settings of a prayer by Padre Pio, the controversial Italian Capuchin priest and mystic who was canonized in 2002. The most striking, largely because of its unabashed simplicity and tunefulness, is by Will Todd. Its entirely tonal, arpeggiated piano accompaniment supports a graceful, surging melody, sung largely in unison by an SATB chorus. It's easily within the reach of most church choirs, and its directness and dignity make it a piece that deserves broad exposure. The contribution by Scots composer James MacMillan succeeds as a very different take on the text. Set for choir and organ, it's infinitely more sophisticated, but its material is memorable and appealing, and the text setting is vivid and direct. Roxanna Panufnik's version has moments of effectiveness, but overall makes less of an impact than the other two. The CD is filled out with other shorter works by the three composers. Panufnik's Prayer, to a text by George Herbert, is an especially attractive piece. The Sixteen, conducted by Harry Christophers, sing with warm, pure tone and fervent intensity. Coro's sound is clear, well-balanced, and nicely resonant.