Search - Chapel Choir of Emmanuel College, Prosser, Mills :: Veni Veni Emmanuel

Unexpected Gem

R. Nichols | 12/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A few years ago I took a chance on buying this album from Amazon and I've been glad I did ever since. The Emmanuel College Choir is not as well known as some of the other Cambridge choirs but they are on a par with the best of them. This choir has both male and female singers. The sound is pure and the diction is crystal clear. The musical selections are wonderful and include many less familiar songs as well as the old favorites. The choir does a good job in moving from more reverent songs to joyous ones. It's hard to single out any work but "Bethlehem Down" and "The Shepherd's Farewell" are especially beautiful. There are also some very fine solos in some of the songs. If you're wondering if you should buy this album, do yourself a favor and do it!"

A voice teacher and early music fan

George Peabody | Planet Earth | 12/11/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"SUPERB SINGING, CREATIVE INTERPRETAIONS, ARRESTING ARRANGEMENTS, ATTRACTIVE VARIETY OF SELECTIONS!

Recorded in July of 1995, by Emmanuael College Choir in Cambridge, England. This is a remarkable exception in the line-up of British Choirs in that the sopranos and altos are all female. In fact I puchased this years ago on the assumption that there were boy sopranos and male altos, the grouping I prefer. BUT in the end I was not disappointed at all, and I'm puzzled that I forgot about this disc, and recently came across it in my vast library.



This is truly an outstanding performance in every way. The sopranos have a light, clear clean sound (sound almost like young boys). The altos are light and in no way heavy as is sometimes the case with female altos. The tenors are resonant and unforced and the basses vibrant and non-rumbling as is often the case in many choirs. In short, we are presented here with perfection of pitch, very fine balance between the parts and very precise diction, and a buoyant forward moving sound. I really can't find anything wrong with it!



The song choices are varied and quite interesting offering the music of such writers as John Rutter (What Sweeter Music(), Benjamin Britten (A Hymn to the Virgin),Ralph von Williams(This is the truth sent from above- and Wither's Rocking Hymn), Willian Matthias (Sir Christemas)one of my personal favorites, and many many more, all most enjoyable. (They are listed on this website underneath the recording listing. A most enjoyable combination of carols.



The choir consists of twenty college students: 7 sopranos, 4 altos, 5 tenors and four basses with organist Jonathan Mills and guitarist James Maxwell under the expert direction of Timothy Prosser. DON'T MISS THIS ONE!!!!"