Album

Ikon by Harry Christophers and the Sixteen is a marvelous offering of sacred choral gems, the group's second collection on Decca following the successful 2005 release Renaissance: Music for Inner Peace. A perfect disc to introduce this well-established vocal ensemble to newcomers, Ikon consists of 16 works that are evenly matched in their sublime moods and understated delivery; listeners who might enjoy an hour-long disc of uninterrupted "chill-out" bliss are likely to find it here, while others who relish gorgeous tone quality and rich divisi harmonies will be delighted with the warm, resonant performances. The Sixteen's specialty is a cappellachoral music, particularly of a meditative nature, and most of the selections run true to form; only Arvo Pärt's De Profundis for male chorus, percussion, and organ and James MacMillan's A Child's Prayer and A New Song, both for mixed choir and organ, diverge from the norm, though their accompaniments are muted and do not break the album's quiet, reflective character. The program is weighted in favor of works in the Russian Orthodox choral tradition—Rachmaninov's and Chesnokov's hymns are most representative, while the compositions by Tavener, Kalinnikov, and Stravinsky are more imitative—so a full appreciation of the album may depend on some acquaintance with this vein of choral music. But Christophers has elicited moving performances from his singers and made each work come across with deep sincerity, so this album is accessible to anyone with a soul. For the most part, Decca's sound is excellent, though the soft antiphonal passages in Tavener's Exhortation may be heard most clearly on headphones.

© Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide

CD 1
Sergey Vasilyevich Rachmaninov Composer Vespers, for alto, tenor, and chorus, Op.37 Work Charles Fullbrook Percussion, Harry Christophers Conductor, The Sixteen Chorus/Choir, Huw Tregelles Williams Organ
1	6.Ave Maria (Rejoice o Virgin)	3:23			$0.99
Sir John Tavener Composer Song for Athene, for chorus Work Charles Fullbrook Percussion, Harry Christophers Conductor, The Sixteen Chorus/Choir, Huw Tregelles Williams Organ
2	Song for Athene, for chorus	6:25			$0.99
Sergey Vasilyevich Rachmaninov Composer The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op.31 Work Charles Fullbrook Percussion, Harry Christophers Conductor, The Sixteen Chorus/Choir, Huw Tregelles Williams Organ
3	12.We Sing to Thee	2:23			$0.99
Sir John Tavener Composer Exhortation and Kohima, for chorus Work 5:19 Charles Fullbrook Percussion, Harry Christophers Conductor, The Sixteen Chorus/Choir, Huw Tregelles Williams Organ
4	1.Exhortation	3:22			$0.99
5	2.Kohima	1:57			$0.99
Arvo Pärt Composer De profundis, for male chorus, percussion, and organ Work Charles Fullbrook Percussion, Harry Christophers Conductor, The Sixteen Chorus/Choir, Huw Tregelles Williams Organ
6	De profundis, for male chorus, percussion, and organ	6:28			$0.99
James MacMillan Composer A Child's Prayer, for treble, chorus & organ Work Charles Fullbrook Percussion, Harry Christophers Conductor, The Sixteen Chorus/Choir, Huw Tregelles Williams Organ, Grace Davidson Soprano, Elin Manahan Thomas Soprano
7	A Child's Prayer, for treble, chorus & organ	4:12			$0.99
Viktor Kalinnikov Composer Lord, Now Lettest Thou' Thy Servant Depart Work Charles Fullbrook Percussion, Harry Christophers Conductor, The Sixteen Chorus/Choir, Huw Tregelles Williams Organ
8	Lord, Now Lettest Thou' Thy Servant Depart	2:55			$0.99
James MacMillan Composer A New Song, for chorus & organ Work Charles Fullbrook Percussion, Harry Christophers Conductor, The Sixteen Chorus/Choir, Huw Tregelles Williams Organ
9	A New Song, for chorus & organ	5:48			$0.99
Arvo Pärt Composer The Woman with the Alabaster Box Work Charles Fullbrook Percussion, Harry Christophers Conductor, The Sixteen Chorus/Choir, Huw Tregelles Williams Organ
10	The Woman with the Alabaster Box	6:11			$0.99
Sergey Vasilyevich Rachmaninov Composer The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op.31 Work Charles Fullbrook Percussion, Harry Christophers Conductor, The Sixteen Chorus/Choir, Huw Tregelles Williams Organ
11	8.Which Cherubim (Cheribic Hymn)	5:08			$0.99
Igor Stravinsky Composer Pater noster (after 'Otche nash′) Work Charles Fullbrook Percussion, Harry Christophers Conductor, The Sixteen Chorus/Choir, Huw Tregelles Williams Organ
12	Pater noster (after 'Otche nash′)	1:30			$0.99
Pavel Grigor'yevich Chesnokov Composer Russian Orthodox Service, Op.40 Work Charles Fullbrook Percussion, Harry Christophers Conductor, The Sixteen Chorus/Choir, Huw Tregelles Williams Organ
13	1.Bless the Lord, O My Soul	2:27			$0.99
Igor Stravinsky Composer Ave Maria, for a cappella chorus (after 'Bogoroditse Devo') Work Charles Fullbrook Percussion, Harry Christophers Conductor, The Sixteen Chorus/Choir, Huw Tregelles Williams Organ
14	Ave Maria, for a cappella chorus (after 'Bogoroditse Devo')	2:08			$0.99
Pavel Grigor'yevich Chesnokov Composer Vesper Mass, Op.44 Work Charles Fullbrook Percussion, Harry Christophers Conductor, The Sixteen Chorus/Choir, Huw Tregelles Williams Organ
15	We Hymn Thee (Tebe poem)	3:08			$0.99
Arvo Pärt Composer 7 Magnificat Antiphons Work Charles Fullbrook Percussion, Harry Christophers Conductor, The Sixteen Chorus/Choir, Huw Tregelles Williams Organ
16	1.O Weisheit	1:49			$0.99
Gustav Holst Composer Nunc dimittis, H.127 Work Mark Dobell Tenor, Charles Fullbrook Percussion, Harry Christophers Conductor, Julie Cooper Soprano, The Sixteen Chorus/Choir, Huw Tregelles Williams Organ
17	Nunc dimittis, H.127	3:44			$0.99