The English Anthem, Vol. 8, by St. John's Cathedral Choir under John Scott is a purposeful and diligent collection largely made up of straight-ahead, Victorian sacred anthems that, at one time, were part and parcel of the Anglican church tradition. Here, one may find composers such as Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Sir John Stainer, Sir Edward Bairstow, and Percy Whitlock, whose work in terms of anthems is known more for its rigorous stamina and appropriateness for use in church than any specifically distinctive emotional or ...
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The English Anthem, Vol. 8, by St. John's Cathedral Choir under John Scott is a purposeful and diligent collection largely made up of straight-ahead, Victorian sacred anthems that, at one time, were part and parcel of the Anglican church tradition. Here, one may find composers such as Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Sir John Stainer, Sir Edward Bairstow, and Percy Whitlock, whose work in terms of anthems is known more for its rigorous stamina and appropriateness for use in church than any specifically distinctive emotional or artistic attributes. Annotator William McVicker certainly has an axe to grind -- he states that English composer Sir John Goss "has suffered at the hands of the slayers of Victoriana." One imagines the beloved, aged queen kneeling with her neck on the chopping block; a swarthy, bearded executioner in leather breeches, the lethal instrument of judgment upraised.Nonetheless, the middle-of-the-road Victoriana is not what grabs one when listening to the recording so much as the anthems...
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