A Meditation

Once again, The Sixteen bring old and new together in an imaginative and exquisitely performed programme. Each of the five choral premieres featured here sets words from A Meditation on Trust in God, a prayer by the 19th-century theologian, priest, poet, and teacher Cardinal John Henry Newman. Among the gems are Scottish composer and conductor James MacMillan’s meditative “Nothing in Vain,” which blends a rich harmonic language with hints of traditional Celtic music, and Lisa Robertson’s delicate “…a link in a chain…” with its overlapping voices and constant shifting from dark to light. Alongside the premieres are performances of three hymns, plus two anthems by Edward Elgar, all also setting words by Newman. The hymns, in particular, sung with a refreshing simplicity and expressive directness, provide a welcome change of pace among the new music.