London Voices
Ben Parry conductor
Signum Classics SIGCD873
Joanna Forbes L’Estrange is the daughter of the celebrated Scottish viola player Watson Forbes, who was a member of the Aeolian String Quartet and for some years Head of Music for BBC Scotland. Joanna’s husband Alexander L’Estrange, and son Harry, are also involved as composers of some of the music on this CD. Joanna also sings with the soprano line of London Voices.
The first 10 items deal with Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. You will be familiar with the words of the songs and carols. Many are shaped, or entirely written, by Joanna Forbes L’Estrange. Nearly all of the music is new, including some world premiere recordings.
The performance opens with Advent ‘O’ Carol. The ‘O’ refers to the wordless refrain, repeated throughout the work. The singing has an orchestral quality with spacious harmonies that suggest a Cathedral ambience.
The second piece has music composed by Alexander L’Estrange. Here is jaunty choral singing along with a swinging organ accompaniment. You will recognise the words ‘The people who walked in darkness, have seen a great light. That idea of light is important throughout this first section. Harry L’Estrange is the composer of the fourth item, the only one in Latin, O Virgo Virginum. Harry’s handling of harmony is thoroughly inviting.
Two of the carols have texts made famous by Christina Rosetti. In The Bleak Midwinter sits proudly alongside the famous settings by Holst and Harold Darke. Here we have four-part female voices along with a soprano solo sung with feeling by Imogen Parry, and harp played by Olivia Jageurs, a delightful flight of the composer’s imagination.
Three crossover songs including The Three Wise Women lead us into five Winter Songs in which Climate Concerns are highlighted. Many of these are co-composed or arranged by Alexander L’Estrange. He adds a distinct jazzy feeling to the music with piano accompaniments played by Harry Baker.
You can probably guess the message delivered by Green Christmas. The performance closes with an arrangement of Auld Lang Syne for eight-part choir with tenor Guy Cutting singing the familiar tune in an arrangement made by Joanna when she was Musical Director of the Swingle Singers.
A great recording for choir directors seeking attractive contemporary pieces for their choirs, or why not just for really enjoyable listening.
Review by Alan Cooper