Once again, Convivium Records presents the superb pairing of the music of Dan Locklair and The Choir of Royal Holloway, under the direction of Rupert Gough. The label’s previous release of Dr. Locklair’s Requiem in the spring of 2022 was well received, and this compilation featuring some of his lesser-known sacred choral works is sure to be another welcomed resource for church musicians.

Organists likely know his “Rubrics (A Liturgical Suite for Organ),” written in 1988; Movement 4 – The Peace may be exchanged, is especially well known and well-loved, having been programmed for the funeral of President Ronald Reagan, and also during the inaugural weekend of former President Barack Obama. Additionally, Dr. Locklair’s communion motet, “O sacrum convivium,” is a popular choice for AAM members who lead excellent choirs. This new recording introduces even more usable material, including pieces for Christmas, a “Brief Mass,” and additional anthems that will handily fit into the liturgical year.

“From East to West” is an excellent title for an album, and the title track is a joyous Christmas anthem employing a text written by Coelius Sedulius. The fifth-century Roman poet converted to Christianity late in life and wrote this hymn for use at Lauds, the Office that takes place at dawn. AAM members will most likely know the translation by John Ellerton, #77 in The Hymnal 1982. Dr. Locklair’s setting opens with an organ introduction rocking back and forth on a tritone; the brass ensemble follows with the same alternating tonalities of D and A-flat major. Images of camels and deserts may come to mind, but the liner notes share the more distinguished goal, seeking “to symbolize the expanse of ‘East to West’ and ‘shore to shore’ that Christ’s birth and life sought to bridge.” The choir’s initial statement is regal and rhythmically direct:

From East to West, from shore to shore,
Let every heart awake and sing
the Holy Child whom Mary bore,
the Christ, the everlasting King.

The second stanza is warm and homophonic with choir and organ alone… “our very flesh our Maker shares, his fallen creatures to make new.” A brass-organ interlude leads into a much quicker and more rhythmic treatment of the following two sections. An effervescent organ part depicts the angels… “And while the angels in the sky sing praise above the silent field…” The listener senses that the “Gloria” – “All glory for this blessed time” – will conclude the piece. Then, we are surprised to hear each verse revisited in reverse order with this celebratory style. A ritard and natural stopping point on a V chord set up Dr. Locklair’s original and likable hymn tune for the first quatrain with the entire performing forces. Interestingly, the 2003 commission of this anthem was for choir and organ, and in 2005, the Cathedral Choral Society in Washington, DC, commissioned the expanded version with brass quintet and percussion. The octavo (published by Subito) is useable for organ-only performances or for one with added brass and percussion.

“Love Came Down at Christmas” was written in 2009 and is dedicated to Marilyn Keiser and The Choir of Trinity Episcopal Church in Bloomington, Indiana. When one dedicates a piece to Marilyn Keiser, it had better be beautiful, and this definitely is! Dr. Locklair demonstrates such respect for Christina Rossetti’s poetry, gently matching the elegance of her writing. In our phone interview I asked about his connection with Dr. Keiser, and he shared, “We’ve been friends for years! She was at All Souls Parish (now the Cathedral of All Souls) in Asheville, North Carolina when I was an undergraduate student at Mars Hill College. I had done some accompanying for her, and when “Rubrics” came out, she kindly asked me if she could program and record it. I credit that with the success of the piece: she did record it (twice!) and played it at major conventions and recitals around the U.S. and at the Southern Cathedrals Festival in England. Due in large part to her advocacy for the piece, many other musicians learned it, and I am grateful to them all! Composers need advocates like Marilyn, and she is a dear friend. For a number of years, when Marilyn still maintained her condo in Asheville, she would join my wife, Paula, and me for a New Year’s Day celebration.”

Last in the Christmas section of the recording is “Three Christmas Motets” for a cappella choir. Of the three, O Magnum Mysterium has been performed most frequently as it is the most accessible, but I think the other two are worth the effort if the singers are in place and capable. Quem Vidistis Pastores is a spirited setting of the “Q&A session” with the shepherds. Dr. Locklair used the English translations of a colleague at Wake Forest University, Dr. Robert W. Ulery, Jr., and I especially liked this one. It’s easy to imagine being among those excitedly asking, “Whom did you see, shepherds? Speak.” “Speak, what in the world did you see? and tell of the birth of the Christ.” The last of the set, Hodie Christus Natus Est, has some nice antiphonal effects, building to an ebullient announcement of Christ’s birth in eight-part polyphony. I asked Dr. Locklair if writing complicated polyphony was arduous or fun, and he replied with a laugh, “It’s fun once you’ve written it! Polyphony is a slow process, whether for choir or for orchestra. You may have the enthusiasm, but you don’t have the notes yet. When it works out, you’re absolutely elated.”

For prolific composers who enjoy meeting the needs of commissions, there’s really no gauging which pieces will resonate with the broader music community and, therefore, sell well. Dr. Locklair went on, “When you have one or two pieces that get a lot of attention, that usually means you have a whole catalog that isn’t getting any attention. ‘The Lord Is My Light’ falls into that category, and I’m pleased to have it on this recording.” This six-minute anthem was written for the First Baptist Church on Fifth, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 2017. Dr. Locklair took care to include some of the favorite scripture passages of the minister the piece was commissioned to honor The Rev’d George David Williamson. Organist David Goode plays the introduction with such flair and sets up the structure for the entire piece, incorporating rich harmonies and animated dotted rhythms. The selected texts from Psalm 27 and Isaiah 26 have their own unique musical dispositions, but intertwined elements hold them together logically. I especially liked the emergence of the hymn tune Foundation, played on a solo reed stop in the midst of an a cappella passage: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace.” While listening, I accessed a wonderful feature on https://locklair.com called “Sound and Score.” Dozens of his pieces are set up so that one can hear an excellent recording while following the score. How often I have wished for this when reviewing CDs! “People don’t go to spend the day at their music supply house like they used to simply because most of these stores have disappeared,” he said. (In a side conversation, we both noted the value of having the encyclopedic knowledge of Elizabeth Smith at Lois Fyfe Music as a resource.). “These scrolling scores can be accessed not only on my website, but even with a QR code in ads my publisher has put in the AAM Journal.”

The a cappella “Brief Mass” is about 18 minutes long, and Rupert Gough’s Choir of Royal Holloway absolutely shines in their singing of this. The uncredited soloists bring beauty and depth to their solo lines. Each movement can easily stand on its own, and each has a solid balance of being enjoyable to hear (and, I’m quite sure, to sing) and a challenge for the musicians. I asked about extracting movements from this and other pieces written as part of a set. “I’m fine with that,” he said. “That’s really how it is intended with my organ suites and some motet groupings, too. But as a composer, you always long to hear the piece in its entirety occasionally while you’re still alive and kicking!” Gerre Hancock was known to have loved “Brief Mass” and did it a lot at St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. “In fact, he included it on one of his last recordings,” Dr. Locklair shared.

I was especially thankful to receive this album along with a nice note from Dr. Locklair just before its release internationally in May of 2024, as a piece I had commissioned for the 200th anniversary of the Presbyterian Church I serve was included. Working with the composer on the project was a joy, and he took a lot of care to ask about personnel, musicianship, range limits in my choir, and the specifications of our Létourneau Pipe Organ, Opus 129. Careful research and consideration brought him to a text by late seventeenth-century sacred poet Samuel Willard: “Thy Goodness, Lord, a Joyful Theme.” We were honored to offer the world premiere, and I’m now delighted to have this professional recording.

Several pieces on the recording are for specific feast days or occasions. “The Texture of Creation” for double SATB choir, brass quintet, timpani, and organ was written for the Inauguration of the twelfth President of Wake Forest University and carries the majestic atmosphere for a ceremonial procession.
A cappella anthems for Ascension – “The Lord Ascendeth up on High” – and Pentecost – “Spirit of Mercy, Truth, and Love” – are from a series of anthems for the liturgical year, and I would hope to see them in resources recommending music choices for the Revised Common Lectionary. I asked if these “niche” pieces sold well, and Dr. Locklair quipped, “I would say they are completely unknown! Sometimes when I’m doing an orchestral or other instrumental work, I’ll take a break and do some short choral pieces for the church year. They’re not really commissioned… just me cleansing the palate. I’d love it if they were done at conferences or included in reading packets since we all need these types of anthems every year.”

This album is highly recommended, as every piece is engaging and useable for church musicians. The quality of the recording (engineered by Adaq Khan) is extraordinary, and all the performers are at the top of their game under Dr. Gough’s direction.