Elin Manahan Thomas (soprano), Christine Rice (mezzo), James Gilchrist (tenor), Christopher Purves (bass)

The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Academy of Ancient Music, Stephen Cleobury

1SACD & 1CD

The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge under conductor Stephen Cleobury presents a compelling second release. Here it performs Mozart Requiem (Süssmayr edition), followed by complete movement realisations by leading composers and musicologists including Michael Finnissy, Robert D. Levin and Duncan Druce. The recording features a stellar line up of guest soloists – Elin Manahan Thomas, Christine Rice, James Gilchrist, Christopher Purves – and the Academy of Ancient Music.

The release also features a unique bonus audio documentary about Mozart’s Requiem, narrated by Elin Manahan Thomas (soprano soloist, who recently toured with Eric Whitacre), with commentary illustrated by extracts of both the Requiem and the works that inspired it.

The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge is one of the world’s foremost choirs and unquestionably among the most widely heard. It owes its existence to King Henry VI, who envisaged the daily singing of services in his magnificent chapel. This remains the Choir’s raison d’être, and is an important part of the lives of its 16 choristers, who are educated at King’s College School, and the 14 choral scholars and two organ scholars, who study a variety of subjects in the College. The Choir has been a breeding ground for numerous professional singers, two of whom – James Gilchrist and Christopher Purves – appear as soloists on this recording.