Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Bill Ives (born 1948) has enjoyed a long and successful career as a professional musician, from boy chorister at Ely Cathedral to 'Informator Choristarum' (that's Director of Music for us non-Oxbridge listeners) at Magdalen College, Oxford via a spell as a Kings Singer. Thus he knows choral music from the inside, as it were. When composing, Bill Ives uses the name Grayston Ives and what he writes manages to be both complex yet accessible and while your reviewer does not attend a church where requiems are used in the liturgy, he does belong to a choir that is always on the look out for a piece such as this. Whether it is likely to join the list of 'performance requiems' such as those by Brahms, Mozart, Verdi, and such like, only time will tell. It is certainly an easy listen without ever slipping into easy listening, if you know what I mean. I enjoyed hearing it but have to confess that very little stuck in my memory, at least first time through although I did not dislike it and giving it a second hearing was no hardship. This recording is a 'double first' for the choirs of Jesus College, Cambridge, being the first time the choir have collaborated on a recording with the Britten Sinfonia, as well as being the first time both chapel and college choirs have joined forces for an entire album. The singing is very assured throughout and the tenor soloist, Ronan Busfield, is excellent. Over the years I have attended and enjoyed many performances by the Britten Sinfonia and on this recording they do not disappoint. The recording was made on the choir's home ground at Jesus College, Cambridge and the audio quality, courtesy of producer Chris Hazell, keeps the voices and instruments in perfect balance. While 42 minutes is about par for a requiem it is less than generous for a CD. Given that Grayston Ives has an extensive catalogue of choral compositions I am disappointed that no one thought to add another 20 minutes to the programme. No complaints about what we do have, a well-written and sung requiem with some outstanding instrumental work from the Britten Sinfonia, and while it left me wanting more it did so in perhaps the wrong way. Rather than asking for an encore I am left wondering about value for money, which is a shame as Ives' Requiem does deserve to be heard.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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