Convocation
16th October 2006
The disc features vibrant performances by the National Youth Choir of Great Britain of works from the last twenty years, including the popular Magnificat I and Missa Tiburtina as well as the Blake setting The Tiglet and seasonal works such as Midwinter and the Winter Solstice Carol.
In addition, organist Michael Bonaventure performs The Coming of Saskia Hawkins and, with countertenor Stephen Wallace, gives a thrilling account of A Convocation of Worms; both in premiere recordings.
In its first review, the disc was awarded five stars out of five from The Times, which wrote:
“Swayne pushes at the boundaries of choral singing to create works of excitement and beauty. The extract from his 1995 setting of Blake's The Tiger crackles with dark, dangerous mystery in a thrilling performance by Laudibus, formerly the National Youth Chamber Choir for which it was written. The voices both of this and the larger ensemble betray no youth and are testament to the current vocal culture -- and what soloists are produced. The counter-tenor Stephen Wallace expresses the terrifying madness in the solo cantata A Convocation of Worms with almost psychopathic feverishness. Swayne is undoubtedly the finest choral composer writing today.”
