England’s Convivium Records announces the release of parishioner Dan Locklair’s Gloria, featuring performances of the composer’s sacred choral works by Sospiri, conducted by Christopher Watson, and Winchester College Chapel Choir with the Portsmouth Grammar School Chamber Choir, led by Malcolm Archer.

This CD brings together pieces composed with texts that come from across the liturgical year. The works represent the style of Dan’s vocal music and show his skill and imagination in settings for a cappella choir, pieces for voices with organ accompaniment, and the central work Gloria with large choral forces, brass octet and percussion. At the core of all these pieces is the text and Dan’s setting of it.

From the extreme complexity of the contrapuntal and virtuosic writing in Gloria, to the simplicity of the restful The Lord Bless You and Keep You with its unison declamations, there is a common trait: the compositions are a personal and deeply expressive response to the texts, being set with care, vision and with faith. Repeated listening will serve to deepen our appreciation of Dan’s considerable compositional gifts, and also our own understanding of the very texts themselves.

Dan Locklair, composer, is a native of Charlotte. His music is widely performed throughout the U.S. and around the world and includes symphonic works, a ballet, an opera, chamber, instrumental, vocal and choral compositions. His compositions have been performed by musicians worldwide, including the Helsinki and Buffalo Philharmonics, the Kansas City Symphony, the St. Louis Orchestra, the Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys of New York City, the BBC Singers, the Elmer Iseler Singers of Toronto, and the Saint Paul’s Cathedral Choir of London. Broadcasts of it have included Vatican Radio, Czech Radio, Radio Finland, NPR, the BBC and the CBC. Presently, Dr. Locklair is Composer-in- Residence and Professor of Music at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

More information about Dan Locklair is available on his web site.

Track Listing:

1. Lord Jesus Think On Me
2-4. The Isaiah Canticles
5. Angel Song
6. Et Natus est Emanuel
7. Gloria
8. O Sacrum Convivium
9. Ubi Caritas
10. Ave Verum Corpus
11. St. Peter’s Rock
12. Pater Noster
13. Remembrance
14. The Lord Bless You and Keep You

 

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