A babe is born
All wisdom is from the Lord, Op. 88, No. 3
Ave verum corpus
Carillon
Festival Te Deum, Op. 28 'We praise thee, O God'
In excelsis gloria 'Gloria, Christo paremur cantica'
Jesus College Service, Op. 53
Jubilate Deo, Op. 90, No. 2 'O be joyful in the Lord'
Let the people praise thee, O God
Lift up your heads
Missa Brevis, Op. 64
Processional
Rex Gloriae - Four Latin motets, Op. 83
Rex Gloriae 'O Nata Lux', Op. 83

William Mathias’s ebullient, joyful choral writing, drawing on a variety of musical traditions, is immediately accessible and likeable whilst demonstrating an architectural sophistication that brings it into the top rank of twentieth-century liturgical music. He had a particular flair for brilliance, drama and display, which made his music highly suited to ceremonial and festive occasions; present too in his music is a sense of Celtic mysticism and deep spirituality which enhances such works as ‘All wisdom is from the Lord’ and ‘O nata lux’.

This disc includes a comprehensive selection of his works for choir and organ, spanning his wide-ranging musical career and manifold influences. It is performed by Wells Cathedral Choir recently described in Gramophone magazine as ‘probably the finest English Cathedral choir at the moment’ whose delightfully full-throated, vibrant sound is the perfect vehicle for this repertoire.



GRAMOPHONE EDITOR'S CHOICE

'This is one of those recordings that works its way into your spirit and enriches the soul … Glorious, life-affirming and distinctive choral music in superbly polished performances' (Gramophone)

'This valuable anthology of Mathias's church music … The performance is marked by a palpable understanding of text and sustained concentration … Excellent notes bu Roderic Dunnett help enormously to 'place' both Mathias and his music' (BBC Music Magazine)

'Mathias fanciers who already have the Christ Church Cathedral Choir or Gloriae Dei Cantores CDs can add this newcomer without significant redundancy … Conductor Matthew Owens obtains a creamily blended (but not bland) sound from his 34 singers … It is nice to hear a choral group pay as much attention to meaning and characterization as it does to sound per se. Organist Jonathan Vaughn doesn't overwhelm the choristers and is given a chance to bask in his own light in the Processional and Carollon' (International Record Review)

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Recording details: June 2008; Wells Cathedral, United Kingdom; Produced by Mark Brown; Engineered by Julian Millard; Release date: May 2009;