Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Yet again Suzy Digby and her outstanding choir ORA Singers give us a splendid collection of Renaissance vocal music coupled with some contemporary responses. The theme is stated in the sub-title: 'A Song Of Songs Collection' and there we find the one possible fly in the ointment. The Biblical book known variously as The Song of Solomon, The Song of Songs, or Canticles depending on your translation has been a popular source book for many artists, poets and composers but there is less than unanimity on what the book is actually about - a discussion outlined most interestingly in an essay in the CD booklet by Revd Tim Harding of Queen's College, Cambridge. Thus some of the music in this collection does not sit comfortably with how I understand the texts - which is my problem, not yours. Following from this point is the issue of duplication. If you enjoy Renaissance vocal music it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that you already have versions of some of these pieces in your collection. The most likely examples are Tomas Luis de Victoria's "Vadam Et Circulbo Civitatem" ("I Will Arise And Go About The City") and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina's "Duo Ubera Tua" ("Thy Two Breasts") as well as the Plainchant "Tota Pulchera Est" ("You Are Wholly Beautiful") - a text also set by Robert White. There are, though, some newer pieces, including Gabriel Jackson's "I Am The Rose Of Sharon" and two works commissioned by ORA Singers here receiving premiere recordings, "Vadem Et Circulbo Civitem", the same words used by de Victoria but here put to music by Gabriel Jackson, and "Sicut Illium Inter Spinas" ("As The Lily Among Thorns") by John Barber which closes the programme and mirrors the opening piece where Antoine Brumel sets the same words. So while the theme unifies the programme the music is never less than interesting with some superlative singing throughout. If you have enjoyed the previous releases from ORA Singers this offers the same high values in performance, recording and content. Listeners with a taste for either Renaissance or contemporary acappella singing will find much to enjoy. My own personal quibble is that there were one or two points at which I found myself thinking that I had heard this before. It is true that the versions on this disc are as good as any but, for me, one is enough. But do not let my quibbling put you off investigating what is a very fine piece of work.

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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