The Lord’s My Shepherd
Acis, 2023
8/10
Listen to The Lord’s My Shepherd
The chorister Francis Segger, trumpet player Charles Johnson and pianist and organist Jeremy Filsell bring their talents to this diverse listen that employs the Saint Thomas Choir School.
“Nunc Dimittis”, by Geoffrey Burgon, begins the listen with gorgeous singing and plenty of warmth, and it isn’t long until William Bradley Roberts’ “Little Lamb, who made thee?” recruits plenty of harmonic gestures amid the soothing keys of the expressive climate.
Landing in the middle, Ned Rorem’s “Organ Book II: Episode” pays close attention to mood via the rich keys, while “Light of the World”, by John Dankworth, uses the swirling keys with the poetic vocals for the album’s best.
Arriving near the end, the loud organ playing of the soaring “Scherzo”, a selection from Six Studies for Organ, by Alan Ridout, won’t go unnoticed with its firm presence, and C.H.H. Parry’s “Long since in Egypt’s plenteous land” exits with a stirring intimacy that’s immediately striking.
A listen with no lack of organ solos, the songs were captured at St. Thomas Church in New York, New York, and present much beauty to these time honored tracks.
Travels well with: Renée Anne Louprette- Bach: Clavier-Ubung III; Jasmine Barnes- Dreamer