Gary Davison: Awake, My Soul – Wells Cathedral Choir

   in Choir & Organ (Jul, 2018)
The main work on this disc is American composer Gary Davison’s nine-movement Requiem, Missa pro defunctis, set to the full liturgical Latin text of the Roman rite. The scoring – for chorus, organ, viola and mezzo-soprano soloist – is innovative. Davison pays tribute to past composers, but with his own individuality. The music veers from the drama of the ‘Dies irae’ to the tender lyricism of the ‘Dominus regit me’, with an inspiring combination of viola and mezzo-soprano. Throughout, Davison’s colouring of the text, use of voices in various combinations, and innovative organ part (performed with creative insight by David Bednall) make this a very welcome addition to the catalogue …