Stephen Darlington and The Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, spent the better part of a decade mining the seminal Eton Choirbook for the many gems of early-Tudor polyphony it contains, assembling this stunning five-volume series that celebrates Darlington's 30+-year legacy as Director of the distinguished Choir. The Door to Paradise is the most comprehensive recorded collection to date of music from the Eton Choirbook and features a number of world-premiere recordings.
The Door to Paradise celebrates Stephen Darlington's 30+-year legacy as Director of the distinguished Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. This unprecedented contribution to the choral discography is the most comprehensive collection to date of music from the Eton Choirbook. The Door to Paradise brings together all five volumes of the Choir's survey in a newly-packaged, beautifully presented deluxe box set with a newly-penned overview of the project by Darlington. This extraordinary collection of English sacred music from the early Renaissance reveals a striking diversity and range of stylistic structures, harmony, sonority, ornamentation and improvisation, and brings to light two world premiere recordings � Walter Lambe's Gaude flore virginali and John Browne's second setting of the Salve regina. The collection's title derives from a dual meaning: the door to paradise is the English translation of a line from Browne's O regina mundi clara, while the cover image features the Alice Door between the Deanery and Cathedral Gardens of Christ Church, Oxford, featured in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
The Door to Paradise contains over six hours of glorious choral music. It's a limited edition of 1,000 units � when they're gone they're gone!
Advertised in both BBC Music Magazine and Gramophone
CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR STEPHEN DARLINGTON AND THE CHOIR OF CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL, OXFORDa disc to send the spirits soaring. Glorious beyond words. � Gramophone, Best of 2009 (on More Divine Than Human, AV 2167)
The performances here are undoubtedly among the best � BBC Music Magazine (on Choirs of Angels, AV 2184)
Stunningly effective singing � insightful and precise direction by Stephen Darlington � a ground-breaking achievement � Early Music Review (on Courts of Heaven, AV 2314)
the strongest of the set so far � dare we hope for a Vol 5? � Gramophone, Editor's Choice (on The Sun Most Radiant, AV 2359)
gorgeous � nuanced, sensitive performances � marvelous � Early Music America (on The Gate of Glory, AV 2367)
