Songs of Angels marks the 400th anniversary of Orlando Gibbons' death, with a thoughtfully curated program of choral music forming a landmark recording in Ora Singers' Reflections series. Here, Renaissance masterworks inspire living composers to respond in their own voices - not in imitation of Gibbons, but in dialogue with him across the centuries. Performed by the highly acclaimed choir under Suzi Digby OBE, the album places the ten complete surviving full anthems by Orlando Gibbons at it's centre-ranging from favourites such as O clap your hands and Hosanna to the Son of David to lesser-heard masterpieces including I am the resurrection and O Lord, how do my woes increase. Several works appear in modern reconstructions by David Skinner, allowing these pieces to be heard complete. Interwoven throughout are Gibbons' hymns from Hymns and Songs of the Church (1623), reimagined for the 21st century in jazz-inflected arrangements by pianist and arranger Harry Baker, combining choir and piano in a fresh yet respectful sound world. Continuing Ora Singers' commitment to commissioning, across a stellar decade of activity as one of the UK's foremost chamber choirs, new works by Marco Galvani, Nicola LeFanu, Cecilia McDowall and Will Todd respond directly to Gibbons' originals-offering a vivid contemporary counterpart to his clarity, balance and depth of feeling.

Tracklist:

Gibbons: Song 1 - The Song of Moses
Gibbons: Hosanna to the Son of David
Gibbons: Hosanna to the Son of David
Gibbons: Almighty and Everlasting God
Gibbons: Deliver us, O Lord
Gibbons: Song 34 - The Song of Angels
Gibbons: O clap your hands
McDowall: O clap your hands re-imagined
Gibbons: Lift up your heads
Gibbons: O Lord, how do my woes increase
Gibbons: Song 5 - The Lamentation of David over Saul and Jonathan
Gibbons: O Lord, in thy wrath rebuke me not
LeFanu; Be still, my soul
Gibbons: Magnificat (Short Service)
Gibbons: Nunc Dimittis (Short Service)
Gibbons: Song 18 - Who's this, that leaning on her friend
Gibbons: Song 14 - Arise thou North-winde from the North
Gibbons: Song 22 - The Song of Hezekiah
Gibbons: O Lord, I lift my heart to thee
Gibbons: I am the resurrection
Gibbons: O Lord, in thee is all my trust
Gibbons: Song 44 - Veni Creator Spiritus
Todd: Veni Creator

UPC: 5060189564682
Label: Orchid Classics
Release Date: 3.13.26
Format: CD

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