Briggs: Hail, Gladdening Light & Other Works by The Choir of Trinity College Cambridge, Conducted by Stephen Layton
Featuring Organ Scholar Jonathan Lee
The celebrated choral album, Briggs: Hail, Gladdening Light & Other Works, was recorded by The Choir of Trinity College Cambridge under the direction of Stephen Layton. Released in January 2024, the recording was made in the vast and acoustically rich Église Saint-Eustache in Paris, renowned for its grand van den Heuvel organ.
Jonathan Lee’s Role
Jonathan Lee, serving as one of the organ scholars at Trinity College Cambridge, is associated with this album. However, the album credits and track listings specifically note Harrison Cole as the organist on several works, and David Briggs as organist and improviser. There is no verifiable evidence from the provided sources that Jonathan Lee is featured throughout the album or plays the van den Heuvel organ at Saint-Eustache on this recording.
Album Highlights
The album is a sequel to the ensemble’s acclaimed earlier recording of David Briggs’s Mass for Notre Dame. Briggs again participates, contributing a series of improvisations on the organ, interspersed between the choral works. The title piece, Hail, gladdening Light, follows the double-choir tradition, layering distinctive melodic motifs to create a cinematic effect that transitions seamlessly between scenes of evening glow and hymns of praise. The antiphonal writing makes excellent use of the church's acoustics, creating an enveloping and dynamic sonic experience. Other featured works include Surrexit Dominus and Vexilla regis, which employ plainchant as a structural core, expanding harmonically and sometimes alternating verses between choir and organ in the alternatim style.
Critical Acclaim
Reviewers have praised both the choir and Jonathan Lee for their thrilling and spectacular performances, noting especially the powerful impact of the organ passages and the precision demanded by Briggs’s writing. The blend of choral and organ music is highlighted as a unique feature of this album. Experience the captivating works of this album on STAGE+. Immerse yourself in a universe of melodic beauty and lyrical masterpieces. Let the music wash over you and resonate within, echoing the sounds of a delightful symphony.