Anna Lapwood
, director of the
Chapel Choir of Pembroke College
and the
Pembroke College Girls' Choir
, is doubtless one of the current sensations on the British scene, and with this, her first Christmas album with the groups, she does not disappoint. The program consists mostly of contemporary music (
Silent Night
is the only traditional carol) and, as often with
Lapwood
, is predominantly but not entirely by female composers. The mix of Christmas themes is broad and often thought-provoking. The
Chapel Choir
is heard throughout, and they are joined by the
Girls' Choir
on nine tracks. The two groups are expertly fused together, and some of the music was actually created or arranged by the young singers of the
, which speaks to the level of commitment
inspires in her singers. It shows in the mix of perfectionism and relaxed enthusiasm in the singing, an unusual combination in the rarefied world of British collegiate choral music. There are many versions of
Eric Whitacre
's
Lux aurumque
on the market, but sample that track for a sterling example of the Pembroke sound. The recording was made not at Pembroke, but at St. George's Church, Chesterton, Cambridge, and the sound is excellent. This album made classical best-seller charts in late 2022. ~ James Manheim