Sing, Ye Heavens - Hymns For All Time

The Cambridge Singers

SO few people attend church these days that the last time many of us may have sung a hymn was during those early-morning assemblies at school.

Picture the 600 shuffling feet and barely moving lips as clutches of teenagers attempted to look 'cool' as they worked their way through several verses of He Who Would Valiant Be.

Forget that tragic scene, because The Cambridge Singers don't do foot-shuffling, coughing, nudging, or changing the words to make their friends laugh.

What you get is the feeling you are in the coolness of an English cathedral with rich choral voices soaring into the rafters.

Hymns For All Time divides itself into several disparate sections - covering hymns from the psalms (O God, Our Help in Ages Past) to Passiontide and Easter (When I Survey the Wondrous Cross) and folk hymns like Amazing Grace and We Plough the Fields and Scatter.

Many are arranged by John Rutter, who also directs The Cambridge Singers. He is a master of his craft, probably the best-known current musical arranger in Britain.

The Gregorian chants and more ancient hymns are particularly beautiful with their close harmony and haunting melodies.

Personally, I can take or leave All Things Bright And Beautiful and Morning Has Broken. The former is always a bit of a tedious marathon, whoever is singing it, and with the latter I can never get away from the vision of Cat Stevens. Actually, I think I prefer his rendition to that of a choir.

The programme notes helpfully reproduce the verses of each hymn for some private singing along.

It may not be everyone's cup of tea.

But for anyone who enjoys Songs of Praise, or who has a secret longing to relive some of those October mornings in assembly, or who simply enjoys good music performed by a quality choir, this CD is a winner.

Collegium Records

COLCD 126