Premiere and Only Works

Critical Acclaim

• “The most comprehensive survey of Rubbra’s sacred music yet available on CD, compellingly and imaginatively performed. A ‘must have’ for all devotees of this fascinating composer.”
  John Rutter, Composer, Founder and Conductor of the Cambridge Singers

 
 

• “The superior performance of the Rubbra choral works by the Gloriæ Dei Cantores choir on this recording is a direct result of the meticulous attention given to two key elements inherent in choral music: intonation and textual clarity. And in every piece the expressive details, so carefully indicated by the composer, are sensitively and wonderfully realized.”
  Music of Edmund Rubbra

• “But whatever you do, I'd urge you to hear this fine American disc, especially if you don't know Rubbra's music. I have a number of the Gloriæ Dei Cantores recordings in my collection already but this, I should say, is their finest achievement to date. They deserve accolades both for the enterprise of their choice of this repertoire and for their expertise in the execution of it. Recommended with enthusiasm.”
  Musicweb-International.com

 
 

• “The Gloriæ Dei Cantores singers, in some of their finest performances on disc, seem to have a special affinity for these often difficult pieces ...”
   
  “This is an essential disc for choral enthusiasts new to Rubbra ...”
   
  “The sound, from the ideal acoustics of Mechanics Hall ... is full, well-balanced, and respectful of detail.”
  Classics Today

 
 

• “Satisfying singing from the Cantores...and this is definitely music from the heart.”
  American Record Guide

 
 

• “Conductor Patterson (and engineer Joseph Chilorio) achieve excellent balances and blend.”
   
  “The Gloriæ Dei Cantores disc is a treasurable one. ... highly recommended to devotees of the composer and to all with an interest in sacred choral music.”
  Fanfare

 
 

• “What a joy! At last a CD entirely devoted to Rubbra’s choral music, and on the whole I can say that it is worth the wait.”
   
  “To sum up then, this American choir have done us a big favour in recording this music so beautifully. They have a fine controlled tone and the balance is superb.”
  British Music Review

 
 

• “... the performances are uniformly excellent. The recordings were made in the Mechanics Hall, Worcester, MA and are particularly well balanced in a most suitable acoustic.”
   
  “An excellent CD.”
  International Record Review

 
 

• “Committed performances ... set in an ideal ambience.”
  Gramophone

 
 

• “Gloriæ Dei Cantores performs these pieces beautifully and with reverence, thereby saving from short memories the music of a man that mattered ... Rubbra’s music has its place if for no other reason than he composed it to be heard. While religion and matters spiritual may be anathema in many cultural quarters, we ignore them at our peril. This is music that is part of our historical context, justifying its place in the catalog. Rubbra should be honored for his effort.”
  All About Jazz

 
 

• “Not a disc for one sitting, but there’s some powerful and characteristic music here. The Tenebrae responsories, brooding and intense, make a surprisingly well-contrasted cycle. The Mass setting is among Rubbra’s most intimate works, as is the exquisite Salutation. Committed performances, only occasionally stretched by the intricate polyphony, set in an ideal ambience.”
  Gramophone

See Inside