COMPOSERS: Harris
LABELS: ASV
WORKS: Motets: Praise the Lord, O my Soul; Faire is the Heaven; Evening Hymn; Organ solos: Flourish for an Occasion; Fantasy on the tune ‘Babylon’s Streams’
PERFORMER: Patrick Russill (organ) Exon Singers/Andrew Carwood
CATALOGUE NO: CD DCA
Lucky William H Harris, to have found two such ardent champions as Carwood and Russill. Their enthusiasm shines through in the tone and sheer quantity of the booklet notes, and in the performances – from the bright, rounded sound of Praise the Lord, O my Soul, which opens the disc, to the seamless legato of Bring Us, O Lord God, which closes it. Harris’s life (1883-1973) spanned the reigns of six British monarchs and some huge leaps forward in Western music. He seems to have remained unperturbed, however: he was happy to continue writing conservative music, with rich textures reminiscent of Parry’s partsongs. At their best, his anthems are pure inspiration, but they are never less than superbly crafted. The recorded sound is very good, bright and immediate. Janet Banks
Harris: Motets: Praise the Lord, O my Soul; Faire is the Heaven; Evening Hymn; Organ solos: Flourish for an Occasion; Fantasy on the tune 'Babylon's Streams'
Lucky William H Harris, to have found two such ardent champions as Carwood and Russill. Their enthusiasm shines through in the tone and sheer quantity of the booklet notes, and in the performances – from the bright, rounded sound of Praise the Lord, O my Soul, which opens the disc, to the seamless legato of Bring Us, O Lord God, which closes it. Harris’s life (1883-1973) spanned the reigns of six British monarchs and some huge leaps forward in Western music.
Our rating
4
Published: January 20, 2012 at 1:21 pm