Maurice
DURUFLÉ (1902-1986)
1. Ubi caritas from Four Gregorian
Motets, Op. 10 (1960) [2:22]
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chamber
Chorus/Norman Mackenzie
rec. Episcopal Cathedral of St. Philip,
Atlanta, Georgia, USA June 2005
2. Lux aeterna from Messe
de Requiem, Op. 9 (1947) [3:58]
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Robert
Shaw
rec. Symphony Hall, Atlanta, Georgia,
USA, November 1986
Gabriel FAURÉ
(1845-1924)
3. Sanctus from Requiem,
Op. 48 (1887, rev.1899) [3:30]
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Robert
Shaw
William Preucil (violin)
rec. Symphony Hall, Atlanta, Georgia,
USA, November 1986
Morten LAURIDSEN
(b. 1943)
4. O magnum mysterium (1997)
[6:19]
Robert Shaw Singers/Robert Shaw
rec. Woodruff Arts Center, Symphony
Hall, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, June 1997
Wolfgang Amadeus
MOZART (1756-1791)
5. Ave verum corpus, Motet, K.
618 (1791) [2:55]
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Robert
Shaw
rec. Symphony Hall, Atlanta, Georgia,
USA, May 1985
Franz SCHUBERT
(1797-1828)
6. Kyrie from Mass No.
2 in G major, D.167 (1815) [3:41]
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Robert
Shaw
Dawn Upshaw (soprano)
rec. Symphony Hall, Atlanta, Georgia,
USA, December 1988
Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897)
7. How lovely is thy dwelling place
from A German Requiem, Op.
45 (1868) [5:45]
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Robert
Shaw
rec. Symphony Hall, Atlanta, Georgia,
USA, November 1983
Felix MENDELSSOHN
(1809-47)
8. Lift Thine Eyes to the Mountains
from oratorio Elijah, Op.70
(1846) [1:53]
9. He Watching over Israel from
oratorio Elijah,Op.70 (1846)
[3:53]
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Robert
Shaw
rec. Symphony Hall, Atlanta, Georgia,
USA, May 1985
Karol SZYMANOWSKI
(1882-1937)
10. Make me to weep lovingly with
you from Stabat Mater (1925-26)
[3:10]
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Robert
Shaw
Christine Goerke (soprano)
Marietta Simpson (mezzo-soprano)
rec. Woodruff Arts Center, Symphony
Hall, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, November
1983
TRADITIONAL
11. Take Time to Be Holy
[3.37]
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Orchestra at Temple Square/Craig Jessop
rec. Mormon Tabernacle, Salt lake City,
Utah, USA, February 2001
Harrison MILLARD
(1830-1895)
12. Abide with Me; ’Tis
Eventide [7:02]
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Orchestra at Temple Square/Craig Jessop
rec. Mormon Tabernacle, Salt lake City,
Utah, USA, February 2001
Sergei RACHMANINOV
(1873-1943)
13. Rejoice, O Virgin from Vespers
(All-Night Vigil) Op. 37 (1915)
[3:10]
Robert Shaw Singers Festival/Robert
Shaw
rec. Church of St. Pierre, Gramat, France,
July 1989
Gabriel FAURÉ
(1845-1924)
14. Pie Jesu from Requiem
(1887, rev.1899) [3:42]
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Robert
Shaw
Judith Blegen (soprano)
rec. Symphony Hall, Atlanta, Georgia,
USA, November 1986
TRADITIONAL
15. Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
(excerpt) [2:12]
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Orchestra at Temple Square/Craig Jessop
rec. Mormon Tabernacle, Salt lake City,
Utah, USA, February 2001
Hector BERLIOZ
(1803-1869)
16. Sanctus from Requiem,
Op. 5 (1837) [11:57]
"In Robert Shaw
I have at last found the maestro I have
been looking for." Arturo Toscanini
(1867-1957)
The Telarc label has
delved into its cavernous vault of treasured
recordings by the late choral conductor
Robert Shaw to re-issue extracts of
acclaimed sacred music discs. In other
words this release is a ‘sampler’ to
which the Telarc marketing department
have given a suitably reverential and
atmospheric title.
Sacred brings
together sacred choral works, principally
from the Classical and Romantic eras,
conducted by Shaw primarily with his
renowned Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
and Chorus. The issue also includes
three works from the celebrated Mormon
Tabernacle Choir under the baton of
Craig Jessop all taken from their recording:
The Sound of Glory. Both choral
groups have achieved considerable success
and have been the recipients of numerous
Grammy Awards.
The eminent American
conductor Robert Shaw (1916-99) had
a long career, which spanned six decades
and four cities. He was a major influence
in transforming choral conducting into
an art form. For more than half a century
he was principally responsible for setting
the standard of excellence for choral
music. He enjoyed the status of patriarch
of vocal music interpretation in America.
There are sixteen well
chosen extracts on this release and
these include in the main some of the
best known and most inspiring sacred
works in the choral repertoire. Three
or four are lesser known scores such
as: Harrison Millard’s Abide with
Me; ’Tis Eventide and O
magnum mysterium from contemporary
composer Morton Lauridsen.
As one has come to
expect with recordings from these artists
the chosen extracts demonstrate their
trademark characteristics of impeccable
ensemble and appealing timbre. Shaw’s
interpretations consistently provide
refinement and subtle beauty as well
as intensity and inspiring power. Crucially,
Shaw’s readings never lose sight of
that essential ingredient of ecclesiastical
reverence.
The high spots are
the brilliant and vigorous Kyrie
from Schubert’s Mass in G minor with
Dawn Upshaw; the much loved How lovely
is thy dwelling place from Brahms’s
A German Requiem; Mozart’s uncomplicated
and serenely noble Motet: Ave verum
corpus and the haunting Pie Jesu
from Fauré’s Requiem.
Those wanting something lesser known
are catered for and I would suggest
Rejoice, O Virgin from Rachmaninov’s
outstanding Vespers (All-Night
Vigil). Strangely there is nothing
included from Shaw’s much-admired 1990
Telarc recording of the great Verdi
Requiem.
Beautifully recorded
and performed this is more than a mere
Telarc sampler. Shaw conducts some remarkable
choral singing on this aptly named release.
Michael Cookson
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Robert
Shaw 
