Rutter: Mass of the Children

• Music

Rutter's Mass of the Children was written in response to a desire to compose a work that would bring children and adults together, in the same way that performances of Britten's War Requiem had done for him when a school chorister. In five movements, the work has rapidly been taken up by choirs the world over. Also on the album are several previously unrecorded anthems and motets. With: Joanne Lunn, soprano Roderick Williams, baritone CRITICAL ACCLAIM "The performances are excellent, the Cambridge Singers fresh-toned and sensitive to direction, the City of London Sinfonia playing with skill. And, whatever else might be said about Rutter's music, it is expertly written to bring out the best in singers and players alike, both amateur and professional" - Gramophone "I can't believe anyone investing in this disc will regret it. It is already on my shortlist of Recordings of the Year." - MusicWeb International "…a performance of real distinction…" - Church Times " Restrained yet pointed scoring in the Mass and in various shorter, occasional pieces fits the quite intimate and sleek delivery of the Cambridge Singers, so accommodating to recorded sound." - BBC Music Magazine "With a simple orchestral accompaniment Mass of the Children is grounded in typical Rutter territory: pretty melodies and lilting rhythms create music that is both accessible and memorable." - Choir & Organ