Christoph Graupner : Cantates de la Passion, vol. 1. Ex Tempore, Heyerick.

   in Choir & Organ (May, 2015)
One doesn’t often find Thomas Tallis, Edward Elgar and John Tavener sandwiching Massive Attack, but the lovely Teardrop works astonishingly well in this mixed programme devoted to the concept of light in all its moods and forms: hot, uplifting, revelatory, melancholy, nourishing, fierce. Thematically, it’s a clever concept, and is both programmed and sung with rare intelligence. With just two female and two high male voices, the ensemble has a distinctive texture and the acoustics (mostly in Dore Abbey, Herefordshire) are responsive but not too bright. A water glass ensemble mimics fluting organ stops on Eriks Esenvalds’s glorious Stars. The other surprise highlight is The Luckiest, by pop singer Ben …