John Rutter's sacred choral pieces on this album were shaped by the performers and occasions they were written for, and by his deliberate choice of texts.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Many of the anthems on this album were originally for organ or piano, but John Rutter enjoyed scoring them for orchestra and prefers them in that form.
Recording & Production
This album combines recordings from two different periods: tracks from 1983 and tracks from 2005, featuring different lineups of The Cambridge Singers.
Composition History
The most substantial piece, Gloria, was commissioned by the Voices of Mel Olson, Omaha, Nebraska, and premiered in May 1974.
Composition History
Hymn to the Creator of Light, for unaccompanied double choir, was commissioned in memory of composer Herbert Howells for a special choral evensong in Gloucester Cathedral.
Instruments
The accompaniment for Gloria is a brass ensemble with timpani, percussion, and organ, used for both joyful and introspective passages.
Compositional Technique
John Rutter's setting of Gloria is based mainly on one of the Gregorian chants associated with the text and divides into three movements, corresponding to traditional symphonic structure.
