Choir of King’s College, Cambridge / Stephen Cleobury The Choir of King’s College Cambridge sings some of the best-loved English anthems in the stunning fan-vaulted chapel which is famed throughout the world for its beautiful acoustic. The programme includes some of the most ethereal anthems, while those such as Parry’s I was glad, Stanford’s Coronation Gloria and Vaughan Williams’ Let all the World make it the perfect release to coincide with the Queen’s Jubilee Celebrations in 2002 and 2003. Filmed in High Definition.

TV Director: David Kremer

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Reviews

'They’re all here, these Sunday-best anthems of the Stanford-to-Howells era. The sequence of Hail, gladdening light, Greater love hath no man and I was glad is rich fare for a start. It might be questioned whether there is a film to be made out of this; but yes, the visual element is a genuine enrichment.
The beauty of the candlelit chapel is a presence that accompanies the music.
For those who want more, there is a 30-minute documentary which looks at a chorister’s life at King’s, plus a performance of Stanford’s Postlude in D with the option of three different, simultaneously filmed camera angles.'
The Gramophone

‘The real strength of Anthems from Kings is the sound reproduction. With surround sound the resulting aural landscape is amazing and well balanced, sounding as if one is standing in the legendary acoustic of King’s College Chapel…the alternative 2-channel stereo offers a higher digital resolution than any ordinary 16 bit CD recording and is uncompressed, lending an unusual breadth and freshness to the sound.
The candlelit camera work is elegantly done and in this respect the presentation is very dignified and understated, perhaps appropriately reflecting the King’s sound. The performances are highly musical with the expected King’s polish... Fans of the King’s tradition around the world will relish this compilation of ‘choral favourites’… Worthy extra features include an insight into the life of the boy choristers and an organ solo which can be viewed through three different camera angles or in a quad split.’
Choir & Organ

‘ …in the selection of popular church anthems from the late 19th/early 20th-century Anglican revival, the impressive full-length shots of King’s College chapel, taking in the opulent fan vaulting and expanses of stained glass, are matched by an atmospheric sonic ambience that evocatively captures the listening experience in a large church. …evident in the outbursts of Naylor’s Vox dicentis: Clama, and of great atmospheric value in the closing organ passages of Faire is the Heaven and Ireland’s Greater Love Hath No Man. …the singing itself is refined. A half-hour BBC documentary, narrated by Aled Jones, focusing on various choristers and their daily lives is among the special features, as is a performance of Stanford’s Postlude in D minor with three selectable camera angles, making novel use, for a classical release, of the DVD medium.' 
BBC Music Magazine

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