A bevy of men and boys, some of the younger ones scarcely taller than the pews, filed into St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral on Friday night to deliver a program of choral gems from the Renaissance, Baroque and more modern eras.
A renowned example of England’s rich choral heritage, the Choir of New College located in Oxford, England comprises some 30 male voices under the longtime direction of Edward Higginbottom.
Passing through Denver on a busy touring and recording schedule, the choir impressed a full house. Drawing forth remarkable uniformity of sound, Higginbottom adroitly sculpted the young and youthful voices into a translucent soundscape.
Highlights among a handful of selections in the first half of the program were the clear and soaring treble voices in James MacMillan’s “Christis vincit.”
The clean, precise enunciation of every syllable was rendered fresh — as if for the first time — and, notably, without a hint of affectation.
Evenly spaced among the choral pieces, organist Lawrence Thain delivered strong performance of works by Johann Sebastian Bach. In the Prelude and Fugue in G Major, BWV 541, Thain landed each tricky turn but lacked a depth of expression. It wasn’t until the organ solo “Allein Gott in der Hoh sei Ehre” after intermission that Thain’s interpretation became musical and pleasingly muted.
Unfolding slowly, sweetly like a prayer, Paul Villette’s elegant “Panis angelicus” — with prose by philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas — was portrayed with elegance and exactitude before a rapt audience.
An interesting, contrasting pairing on the program also included two versions of “Salve Regina” by Czech composer Petr Eben and French composer Francis Poulenc.
Unmistakably, the choir’s success belongs mostly to Higginbottom, who brought to the evening a honed and cultured understanding of repertory and styles.
It’s no wonder that, under his direction, the choir has become an international standard-bearer.
The next concert in the series is April 30. Visit for more information.
