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Decca, 2023
9/10
The Grammy winning composer Eric Whitacre brings along the inimitable vocal group, VOCES8, for their a cappella presence that benefits from occasional instrumentation, too.
“Go Lovely Rose” opens the listen with the 8 voices harmonizing with incredible warmth and grace in the stirring 4.5 minutes, and “The Seal Lullaby” follows with subtle but effective piano playing that guides the poetic and expressive singing of the new recording of a Whitacre favorite.
Halfway through, “Sing Gently”, which was composed during lockdown and is made up of over 17,500 singers from 124 different countries, soars with a very fluid and engaging appeal, while “All Seems Beautiful To Me” emits a radiant intimacy that has each of the 8 vocals taking the spotlight at some point.
The longest piece, “The Sacred Evil”, is spread out over 12 movements, and showcases Emma Denton’s cello and Christopher Glynn’s piano for the text by Charles Anthony Silvestri, which discusses the death of the poet’s young wife, Julie, from ovarian cancer and pays close attention to emotion and tone.
A heartbreaking and particularly absorbing listen, there’s much in the way of harmony and choral dynamics that no one could parallel, as both Whitacre and VOCES8 execute their craft flawlessly.
Travels well with: Jessye Norman- The Unreleased Masters; Richard Wagner- The Golden Ring