Westminster Choir – O Magnum Mysterium (2018 Remaster) [One Step] (Vinil 180g, LP)

Originally recorded in 1992 by Chesky Records, “O Magnum Mysterium” is a magnificent example of the breathtaking sonic harmony, flawless balance, and nuanced emotional expression of the world-famous Westminster Choir. Under the direction of its longtime conductor, Joseph Flummerfelt, the Princeton, New Jersey-based ensemble – widely known for its historic, multi-season performances alongside the New York Philharmonic – reaches a pinnacle of choral artistry on this groundbreaking album.

The carefully curated program features nine exquisite settings of sacred vocal music that focus on the Christmas story and the mystery of the Incarnation, loosely following the structure of a traditional Sunday service. At the heart of this musical journey are three contrasting settings of the title piece, “O Magnum Mysterium,” by Tomás Luis de Victoria, Peter Maxwell Davies, and Francis Poulenc. From the delicate, airy textures of the English Renaissance in William Byrd’s “Ave Verum Corpus” to the modern, chromatic brilliance of Verdi’s “Ave Maria,” the track list offers sublime stylistic and sonic contrasts.
Recorded by renowned sound engineer Bob Katz in the vast, beautifully reverberant chancel of the Episcopal Church of St. Mary the Virgin in New York City, the natural reverb of the stone cathedral allows the choir and Nancianne Perrella’s organ playing to float in three dimensions. Using Chesky’s breathtaking 2018 remaster, Evosound presents this LP reissue using the sonically superior One-Step process – pressed on 180-gram vinyl and cut at 33 RPM.

MUSICIANS

Conductor: Joseph Flummerfelt
Choir: Westminster Choir 
Organ: Nancianne Perrella

Lista pieselor

Side A
1.    Tomás Luis de Victoria: O Magnum Mysterium
2.    Edgar L. Bainton: And I Saw a New Heaven
3.    Giuseppe Verdi: Ave Maria
4.    Peter Maxwell Davies: O Magnum Mysterium
5.    William Byrd: Ave Verum Corpus
 
Side B 
1.    Olivier Messiaen: O Sacrum Convivium
2.    Anton Bruckner: Ave Maria
3.    Maurice Duruflé: Kyrie (From Requiem)
4.    Francis Poulenc: O Magnum Mysterium
5.    Johannes Brahms: Lass Dich Nur Nichts Nicht Dauren
6.    Peter C. Lütken: The Lord Bless You and Keep You