Gabriel Jackson: Choral Works
Record Label Resonus
Catalogue Number RES10360
Release Date 20 June 2025
Description
Few contemporary composers have enriched the choral repertoire quite like Gabriel Jackson, and this recording from The Choir of Canterbury Cathedral is a luminous testament to his singular voice.
Rooted in the grand traditions of English sacred music yet infused with a distinctly modern harmonic palette, Jackson’s writing revels in soaring treble lines, shimmering textures, and a deep affinity for space and resonance. Under the direction of David Newsholme, the Choir delivers these works with a compelling combination of precision and fervour, illuminating the rich polyphony of Ave maris stella, the jubilant energy of Praise ye the Lord, and the grandeur of the Coronation Canticles.
The cathedral’s organ, resplendent in Canterbury Concertos, emerges as a protagonist in its own right. This is music that both honours tradition and expands its boundaries, performed with eloquence and authority.
Critical response
The album was selected as an Editor’s Choice in the August 2025 edition of Gramophone Magazine.
'...this [superb anthology] is a lively portrait of a composer at the top of his game.'
Alexandra Coghlan, Gramophone Magazine, August 2025
'The diction, tuning and intonation are beyond reproach, and Jamie Rogers, whether accompanying or dealing with Jackson’s virtuosic solo organ writing, make a distinguished contribution to what is an extremely fine disc.'
Martyn Strachan, British Music Society, July 2025