Hugh Benham’s Sacred Choral Music – Review by RSCM (Church Music Quarterly)

“A proficient composer with a gift for setting familiar words in ways that shed new light on the texts”

31st August 2020

Hugh Benham’s Sacred Choral Music – Review by RSCM (Church Music Quarterly)

Listen or buy this album:

Hugh Benham’s Sacred Choral Music – Review by RSCM (Church Music Quarterly)

“A proficient composer with a gift for setting familiar words in ways that shed new light on the texts”

31st August 2020

Listen or buy this album:

There is a wide range of music here, some conceived for smaller church choirs and some on a bigger scale. Hugh Benham may be best known to CMQ readers for his work on Tudor church music and in particular John Taverner, but he is also a proficient composer with a gift for setting familiar words in ways that shed new light on the texts. He obviously loves the language of well-known hymns and prayers (such as ‘Glorious things of thee are spoken’ and ‘Teach me, my God and King’ in English, or in Latin ‘Ubi caritas’ and ‘Ave Maria’), and envelops them in well-judged choral textures. In addition there are carols, a Mass setting, an evening service, three organ pieces and more – the 19 pieces include something for everyone.

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There is a wide range of music here, some conceived for smaller church choirs and some on a bigger scale. Hugh Benham may be best known to CMQ readers for his work on Tudor church music and in particular John Taverner, but he is also a proficient composer with a gift for setting familiar words in ways that shed new light on the texts. He obviously loves the language of well-known hymns and prayers (such as ‘Glorious things of thee are spoken’ and ‘Teach me, my God and King’ in English, or in Latin ‘Ubi caritas’ and ‘Ave Maria’), and envelops them in well-judged choral textures. In addition there are carols, a Mass setting, an evening service, three organ pieces and more – the 19 pieces include something for everyone.

Review written by:

Review published in:

Other reviews by this author:

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