This release made classical best-seller lists in the late autumn of 2024 and has been one of the successes of that year's holiday season. A bit of sampling will show why this is so, yet potential buyers should do that sampling to make sure that they're getting what they want. The
Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
, is a mixed-gender, mixed-age choir with boy trebles, male and female altos, and adult male tenors and basses. Those wanting a classically pure English collegiate choir sound should probably look elsewhere, for the singing here has some grain. It is not just a question of the boys; a passage like the opening figure of
Giles Swayne
's
Magnificat
is not really in sharp focus. On the other hand, there is an appealing naturalness and even gutsiness about these young singers under the direction of
Steven Grahl
, and they have a strong sense of considering the words they are singing. Listen to the African American spiritual
Glory to the newborn King
, a piece that might sound stilted indeed with many an English choir. Here, it has an attractive straightforwardness; it is neither denatured nor mannered. The program is strong, with a few traditional pieces, but the bulk consists of well-chosen 20th century works, starting with
William Walton
and going forward. There are a few favorites here, like
Elizabeth Poston
Jesus Christ the Apple Tree
, but most of the works are not terribly common. There are also strong solo organ pieces;
Benjamin Sheen
performs the
Toccata-Gigue on the Sussex Carol
with an appropriately festive flair. The album was recorded not at Christ Church but at Merton College, Chapel, Oxford, whose organ has an appropriately bright, penetrating sound. As long as listeners know what they're getting, they may greatly enjoy this release. ~ James Manheim