Te Deum – John Featherstone

A classical-jazz-gospel Te Deum: beyond musical frontiers

‘A diversity that explodes in every domain… musical, devotional, mood, time: a reconciliation of styles, traditions, history and modernity.’ Jean-Luc Gadreau

An innovative setting of this beautiful ancient prayer that moves us by its force and its humanity, the originality of this Te Deum lies in its diversity of styles managed with artistic coherence. Grounded in the historic tradition of sacred music, the work combines classical jazz and gospel styles in reconcliatory work.

Orchestrated for three vocal ensembles (Latin classical choir, English jazz-gospel vocal ensemble, French vocal quartet) and four musicians, the work last for an hour, divided into 12 movements.

Recording

Recorded at Real World Studios,and distributed by Bayard Music and Pias, the CD brought together the Bath Camerata, BBC award-winning British Choir, conducted by Benjamin Goodson, côEnglish and French jazz-gospel singers from exceptional ensembles such as the ‘Swingles’, ‘Get Gospel’ or Kingdom Choir. . The singers are accompanied by four instrumentalists, on piano, percussion, double-bass and sax/clarinet, including regular players at Ronnie Scott’s.

In concert

The work was performed by the Bath Camerata at the premiere at the Sevenoaks Festival, and at the Temple du St Esprit, Paris, by the choeur de Grenelle at the Temple de l’Etoile in Paris and at the Théâtre de Fontenay-le-Fleury and by ensemble Lux Aeterna in Strasbourg and Mulhouse. A concert planned as part of the Cambridge Summer Music Festival with Cambridge Chorale under the direction of Owain Park was cancelled due to Covid-19. We hope to re-schedule this in Cambridge in some shape or form once choirs are allowed to sing again.