Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Artistic Director and Conductor Suzi Digby believes the Renaissance to have been a golden age of choral music and is convinced that we are presently enjoying another golden age both for choral writing and performing and, what is more, on this superb CD she proves it. Founded in 2014 ORA is a talented UK-based choir with a near perfect blend and balance, well able to move from the still, small voice of calm to the glorious power that is sometimes required. If you have any interest in acappella choral singing you will want to hear ORA. The content is also well worth noting. The programme is built around that brightest of Tudor stars, William Byrd (c. 1540-1623), with his "Quomodo cantabimus", "Mass For Five Voices" and "Ave verum corpus". Even if these pieces are already in your collection this new recording is so well sung and recorded that you will not mind the duplication. But there is more. In addition to Byrd we also travel back in time to hear the lesser known Philippe de Monte (1521-1603) with his "Super Flumina Babylonis" and then we have something remarkable: six contemporary works commissioned by ORA and here given world premiere recordings. These are, as in the album's sub-title, "reflections" on and of the "Renaissance gems" provided by Byrd and de Monte. This is precisely the right word. We are not hearing pastiche, all six are rooted in the music of the Renaissance but are nevertheless distinctively modern and any listener with even the slightest interest in contemporary choral music will appreciate what we are given by, in order of appearance, Roxanna Panufnik (born 1968), Francis Pott (born 1957), Alexander L'Estrange (born 1974), Owain Park (born 1993), Charlotte Bray (born 1982), and Roderick Williams (born 1965). The sum total, when we add together the compositions both ancient and modern and the singing, is magnificent. The CD is billed as 'Volume 1' and this reviewer eagerly awaits 'Volume 2'.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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