Clive Osgood’s 2009 Stabat Mater presents a compelling interpretation of this moist poignant of sacred texts. Scored for soprano, tenor and bass soloists, chorus, strings and piano, the work thoughtfully divides the original 20 stanzas into ten movements, each exploring the Virgin’s anguish at the Crucifixion with remarkable sensitivity. Osgood’s compositional voice proves both accessible and sophisticated, capturing the text’s profound grief through richly woven textures and an eloquent tonal palette. The Royal Holloway Choir under Rupert Gough delivers a performance of exceptional clarity, their perfectly balanced sections bringing crystalline precision to every phrase while maintaining the work’s inherent emotional weight.

Grace Davidson’s soprano contribution stands as a particular highlight, her voice ascending with ethereal beauty that seems to transcend earthly bounds. The instrumental forces prove equally impressive: Jack Liebeck’s violin weaves golden threads throughout the texture, while he piano provides both a structural foundation and expressive commentary. The London Mozart Players’ string section captures the work’s spiritual essence with consummate artistry.

While some might dismiss such overtly expressive music as overly sentimental, Osgood’s Stabat Mater possesses genuine depth beneath its surface appeal. The composer avoids mere sentiment through careful structural planning and sophisticated orchestration that rewards close listening. The violin’s melodic lines particularly demonstrate this balance between immediate accessibility and compositional craft.

The recording’s only shortcoming lies in its brevity – at merely 33 minutes, one wishes for more extended meditation on this timeless text. Nevertheless, this remains a thoroughly successful realisation of a genuinely moving contemporary sacred work that deserves wider recognition within the choral repertoire.