Davison: The Armour Of Light

   in Choir & Organ (Nov, 2015)
Matthew Owens is second to none in his championing of living composers. Here with the girl choristers and Vicars Choral of Wells Cathedral, he introduces us to the music of American composer Gary Davison, organist and choirmaster of Saint Francis Episcopal Church, Potomac, Maryland. Davison’s greatest strength is a deep understanding of a sacred text, which informs his writing. Composers don’t develop in isolation and Davison’s influences can be spotted throughout this overview, among them John Tavener and Vaughan Williams. There is an uncluttered, harmonic appeal to his writing, and particularly imaginative are the stunning title track The Armour of Light, Easter for trebles, organ and viola, the settings of The …