Composer: Franz Joseph Haydn
Performer: Andrew Foster-Williams, Jeremy Ovenden, Miah Persson, London Symphony Chorus
Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Sir Colin Davis
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: LSO
Release: 2009
Size: 392 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
CD 01
01. I. The Arrest of Jesus
02. II. Jesus Before Annas and Caiaphas, Peter Disowns Him
03. III. Jesus Before Pilate
04. IV. Jesus Is Condemned to Death
CD 02
01. V. The Crucifixion
02. VI. Christ’s Garments Divided
03. VII. Jesus and His Mother
04. VIII, The Reproaches
05. IX. The Death of Jesus
06. X. Sanctus Immortalis, Miserere Nobis
When Sir Colin Davis was asked to select a composer to write a new work for his 80th birthday he chose James MacMillan, about to celebrate his own 50th birthday. MacMillan had previously considered writing a passion and used the opportunity of the commission to produce a setting based on the Gospel of St John.The result is a highly dramatic passion, fusing MacMillan’s own Catholic faith, compositional style and musical influences with the long tradition of settings for the passion of Christ in both the Catholic and Lutheran faiths. In addition to the choir and orchestra, MacMillan uses a small choir of professional singers to provide the narration and a solitary baritone soloist to portray Christus.The work received its première on 27th April 2008 at the Barbican, in London, and follows the LSOLive release of two of James MacMillan’s earlier works: The World’s Ransoming and The Confession of Isobel Gowdie in January 2008.