Requiem & Magnificat/Rutter, Cambridge Singers

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•	John Rutter Collection
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Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com
Two of John Rutter's most popular large-scale choral works are paired in this bargain-priced CD. Requiem, his first composition written without being commissioned, is a convincing affirmation of Christian doctrine on death and eternal life. It is also a substantial and sincere work that strives to be widely appealing while preserving a spiritual context centered on themes of light and consolation. Highlights include "Out of the Deep," its modal tune and harmonies giving it the flavor of a spiritual, and the wonderfully gentle and restful 23rd Psalm. Rutter personalizes his Requiem by adding movements not traditionally part of the Requiem Mass--passages from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, for instance--and this proves to be an effective strategy. Rutter's own, first-class Cambridge Singers are superb, as usual, and soloist Caroline Ashton steals the show with her heavenly Pie Jesu. The Magnificat shows Rutter at his most engaging, thoughtful, and adept. His usual canny sense of tunefulness and rhythmic rightness, flavored with splashes of pop harmony, accomplish his purpose in the Magnificat: to depict Mary's prayer as a celebratory occasion rather than a somber one. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews: Read 23 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

Great Works and Great Performance November 3, 2000
48 out of 48 found this review helpful

Two of John Rutter's best works, the Requiem and the Magnificat, are performed on this CD in a brilliant way by the composer himself conducting the Cambridge Singers. The Requiem is one of the best settings of the Mass for the Dead by any composer. This is not a strict setting of the Roman Catholic Requiem Mass, but it also have inserts from the 1682 Book of Common Prayer. As a whole, the piece is a reflection on the issues of death and eternal life, combining soothing moments as the ethereal Kirie to rousing choruses like the Sanctus. The performance of the Cambridge Singers is, as always, near perfection. It is specially noteworthy the ethereal performance of soprano Caroline Ashton in the beautiful Pie Jesu. The Magnificat, on the other hand, is an exultant setting of Mary's canticle. Again Rutter, blends the original text with lovely additions, like the beautiful English poem 'Of a Rose', the Gregorian setting of the Sanctus and the moving prayer 'Sancta Maria'. Soprano Patricia Forbes is radiant and soaring in her three solos. The City of London Sinfonia brings an expert playing to the superlative singing, ably conducted by John Rutter. Both the Requiem and the Magnificat are meditative and joyful reflections on some of the most beautiful and meaningful beliefs of the Christian tradition.

4 out of 5 stars

The Composer conducts June 3, 2000
28 out of 29 found this review helpful

When a composer conducts his own music you get his real intentions for the way it should sound. Having personally performed the Requiem just a month ago, I can say that the score and the recording are in line with each other (i.e. Rutter's performance does not vary (significantly) from what he wrote in the score). This recording features fine singers and instrumentalists as well. My only quibble is that the pieces sound a bit "studio"-like. There is great precision, blend, balance, etc., but sometimes the emotion seems stiffled or flat. But perhaps this is as Rutter intended... Don't misunderstand me, this is a fine recording of some very nice (even great) music. It is probably the best recording of these pieces in existence.

As far as the compositions go, I personally like the Requiem more. It is more "serious" in style. It is less "Rutter-like" in the sense that it does not have the "pop" feel that is common in much of his work. The Requiem also contains some VERY lovely melodies (Kyrie eleison, Pie Jesu, The Lord is My Shepherd), and some elegantly understated orchestration. I agree with the other reviewers who believe it is Rutter's best work.

The Magnificat is very upbeat and more popular in feel. It is a joyful piece which brings a smile to my heart.

This recording is an excellent way to experience Rutter's larger works, though a live performance might give you some of the spark that I felt was a bit lacking.

5 out of 5 stars A piece of beautiful mourning.   November 8, 1999
13 out of 13 found this review helpful

It is haunting, yet beautiful. It fully portrays the agony of death and moans of aching hearts. By far Rutter's best work. The listener finds a bit of the composer's soul locked inside these pieces. A piece of a soul yearning to be released in the moaning of the cello and the wailing of the voices. Out of the Deep is a beautiful lament Psalm and was masterfully set to music.

5 out of 5 stars From the singer's perspective   January 9, 2001
13 out of 13 found this review helpful

I absolutely adore Rutter's Requiem. This is easily the finest recording of some of the best religious music of this century. Having perfomed this piece locally, I can assure you that it is carried out with technical perfection. Everything is as beautiful and gripping as the composer intended it to be. Usually, when I am exposed to piece this much, I grow tired of it. Not so with Rutter's Requiem. I am spellbound every time I hear it. This is the sort of album that will do more than enrich your music collection; it will enrich your life.

5 out of 5 stars Divine inspiration   December 29, 2001
13 out of 14 found this review helpful

There are two schools of requiems: those that try to scare the living into being good (including those by Mozart, Berlioz, Verdi, and Webber) and those that try to console the grieving (including those by Brahms, Faure, and Durufle). Brahms has met his match in the Rutter Requiem!

The Rutter Requiem is fairly short, clocking in at approximately 35 minutes, but it is exquisite. I'd argue that every movement is perfectly composed. This recording shifts the balance away from the orchestra and towards the choir, but that helps to enhance the listener's connection to the Latin and English texts. Unfortunately, Caroline Ashton sounds tentative on the Pie Jesu, and she lacks the emotion and phrasing to pull off the movement. Besides that, the artistry of the recording is virtually flawless. Kudos to Donna Deam for a moving, pure, and clear solo in the final movement.

Movement I: Requiem aeternam / Kyrie. After a mysterious introduction, Rutter introduces a divinely inspired melody that will melt the hardest of hearts.

Movement II: Out of the deep (Psalm 130). A plaintive cello solo combines with the choir's plea for God to listen and show mercy.

Movement III: Pie Jesu. An exquisitely simple request for Jesus to grant the dead everlasting rest.

Movement IV: Sanctus. A joyous song of praise. I can understand those who find this movement repetitive and with too much emphasis on high-register instruments and voices.

Movement V: Agnus Dei. An incredible building up of a standard supplication, interspersed with excerpts from the Book of Common Prayer and flute solos that hearken back hundreds of years.

Movement VI: The Lord is my shepherd (Psalm 23). The apex of the requiem, a statement of faith and confidence, with lush strings and a beautiful oboe solo.

Movement VII: Lux aeterna. A reassuring conclusion, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord," before a return to the melody of the first movement.

The MAGNIFICAT has some truly wonderful moments of exuberant joy and quiet reverence in it, but it cannot compare emotionally with the REQUIEM. (Personally, I don't especially care for the second movement.) Patricia Forbes has one of the best voices I've ever heard, especially well suited for the calm, lyrical, confident parts of movements IV and VI.

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