The Pillar of the Cloud: 5 Centuries of Oxford Anthems

Featuring

Mark Williams
Sacha Willans
Maximilan Lawrie
William Fox
Alexander Pott
Thomas Pennington-Arnold

Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford
John Stainer
John Sheppard
John Taverner
Kenneth Leighton
Edmund Rubbra
Bernard Rose
Richard Nicholson
Lennox Berkeley
Charles Hubert Hastings Parry
Thomas Weelkes
Thomas Tomkins
Basil Harwood
Sir William Walton
William Henry Harris

Did you know?

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Performer Biography

The Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford, founded in 1480, has a historic legacy spanning five centuries and is known internationally as one of the finest vocal ensembles in the UK.

Historical Context

The album features music by two giants of 16th-century Oxford, John Taverner (Organist of Christ Church) and John Sheppard (Informator Choristarum at Magdalen College).

Performer Biography

Mark Williams, the Informator Choristarum (Director of Music) at Magdalen College, Oxford, has appeared on over 30 recordings and several soundtracks, covering repertoire from Bach to the Beach Boys.

Interpretation

The Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford, primarily sings seven services a week in the College Chapel, with recordings, tours, and concerts being secondary activities during school holidays.

Composer's Artistic Vision

The album's repertoire, while all sacred, is not unified by the Exodus theme, but rather meditates on a range of emotions and showcases the breadth of musical styles and texts set by Oxford composers.

Historical Context

Many composers on this album, including William Harris, Basil Harwood, Kenneth Leighton, Hubert Parry, Bernard Rose, and Edmund Rubbra, were intrinsically linked to Oxford through their work in its colleges as academics, composers, or performers.

Album & Artwork

The album title, "The Pillar of the Cloud," refers to imagery from the biblical book of Exodus and also evokes Oxford's often cloudy, foggy atmosphere.