Song of Songs - Laudibus


From Raymond S. Tuttle in International Record Review, September 2007:

"From Dunstaple (c.1390-1453) to Jackson (b.1962) is about six centuries, and it would be absurd to expect an ensemble to sing this assortment of works in one homogenous style. Indeed, Laudibus seems to be not one chamber choir but several on this CD. That's only one of the many impressive things about the singing here...

"The best chamber choirs, when they are in full cry, produce an effect that is downright eerie in its superhuman beauty. Accentus does this, and so does Laudibus... these are most impressive performances."


From The Scotsman:

"So far as thematic programming and quality of performance is concerned, this new disc from Delphian is inspired and impressive. The repertoire, stretching across five centuries, is a wholesome cocktail of a cappella settings from the Old Testament's emotive Song of Songs, ranging from John Dunstaple's 15th-century Quam pulcraes to up-to-date settings by Gabriel Jackson (a deliciously free-flowing I am the Rose of Sharon) and Francis Grier (a plaintive Delectus meus mihi).

Mike Brewer's chamber choir Laudibus execute these with unshakeable precision, varying their approach to suit a particular period and style - compare the raw-edged rhythmic bounce of the Dunstaple motet to the seamless fluidity and warmth of those written more than a century later by Palestrina; or the soothing, extended French sequence by 20th-century Messiaen contemporary Jean Yves Daniel-Lesur to William Walton's self-confident Set me as a seal upon thine heart.

Detailed aspects of these performances may not appeal to every taste - the fruity female soprano and deliberately lean tenor tone of Bouzignac's 17th-century Surge, amica mea, for instance - but the magic of this issue lies in the strength of the overall package, to which Brewer applies his usual demanding standards."


From MusicWeb International:

"This choir of young singers... is a marvellously flexible ensemble, capable of adapting easily and idiomatically to the differing styles of music in what is a hugely demanding programme...

"...the assurance and collective virtuosity of Laudibus is quite amazing... Clearly they have received expert training from [Mike] Brewer but as well as the technical excellence of the singing a palpable sense of commitment and enthusiasm comes across.

"This is an outstanding disc and the thoughtfulness and flair behind the planning of the programme is most impressive. The recorded sound is first rate..."