Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating: 
Summary: Sublime Music, Superbly sung
Comment: There is good reason for this recording to be topping the bestseller charts. Polyphony Choir based in England is a fantastic choir comprising some very special voices, some genius musicality and all brought together under the masterful direction of Stephen Layton. I had never heard Eric Whitacre before purchasing this disc, but I am a huge fan of Polyphony, which encouraged me to buy it, and I was NOT disappointed. Whitacre's music is sung superbly in this recording with Polyphony demonstrating their huge range of control and passion over the wide variety of Whitacre's music. From tumultuous crescendos and towering climaxes to earth-shatteringly quiet and mournful passages of despair, Polyphony seem to pull every trick out of the bag to ensure that this disc is one that every serious choral music enthusiast should own.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Mesmerising
Comment: Some of the best choral singing I've ever heard - and I'm very choosy. Obviously people are comparing this with the BYU recording - in my mind Polyphony has produced an awesome, mature, professionally interpreted and stunningly sung disc, and nothing else comes remotely close. This will never be out of my CD player.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Refreshing new take on Whitacre
Comment: This album is a welcome addition to the expanding library of recordings of Eric Whitacre's choral works. Here, Polyphony sings expertly, as always, and brings new life to many of Whitacre's pieces with their remarkable intonation, musical phrasing, and dynamic range. Stephen Layton offers a fresh perspective of some pieces, with different but musically sound conducting choices throughout the album. Certain selections stand head and shoulders above any previous recordings, especially "i thank You God..." and "Sleep," where Layton seems to strike the perfect balance between momentum and rubato.
Despite Polyphony's many successes here, there are some disappointments. The choir's very English sound doesn't work sometimes with Whitacre; the very straight-tone sopranos and altos frequently overpower the men, who often sing with more vibrato than could ever possibly blend with the treble voices. The result is a less than satisfactory blend on some of Whitacre's signature dense, stacked chords. Also, the small size of the ensemble proves problematic on a piece like "When David Heard," where the choir's sound is unsatisfyingly thin during the dramatic climax of the piece.
The most notable previous recording of Whitacre's works was done by the Brigham Young University Singers, conducted by Dr. Ronald Staheli. For my part, the BYU Singers recording still stands as the definitive recording of Whitacre's choral works. This American college choir best captures the essence of Whitacre's distinctly American voice with their gorgeous blend, exceptional intonation, and compelling spirituality.
Overall, Polyphony's recording proves to be a must-have for any Whitacre fan and is a fine addition to the catalog of Whitacre choral recordings.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Incredible disc!
Comment: It's difficult to know where to start! This disc will blow you away... The astonishing quality of EW's music (I was new to his work), the breathtaking quality of Polyphony's performance (surpassing even their usual benchmark standards), and the sensational quality of the recorded sound (I have never felt so connected with a choir on disc), combine to make this one of the most accomplished choral records in the catalogue. Buy it. Now!
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Difference Perspective
Comment: Eric Whitacre's choral works are daring to say the least. He is unafraid of dissonance and freely employs a multitude of near and cross voicing techniques in his mastery over the vocal art. This recording, in my opinion, does not outclass the original recording as performed by BYU. Ron Staheli displayed a dreamlike interpretation of Whitacre's work. This CD gives a different perspective and while it is delightful to better hear what Eric wrote in certain parts of the songs, the overall interpretation sounds like professionalism was chosen over the implied emotion of most of the pieces. A good CD though.
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