Review by: Corin Nelson-Smith
With the emotional composure and musical poise befitting a far more established ensemble, listeners might well be forgiven for assuming the Phoenix Consort is already a household name such as Tenebrae or The Sixteen, yet somehow, this is only the third commercial album from the already highly regarded vocal ensemble.
Well deserving of its eponymous noun, Choral Contemplations presents a series of 19 sacred choral pieces by a group of nine composers with a common philosophical and theological perspective, all having been influenced in some way by polymath and amateur composer Leon MacLaren’s teachings on sound, listening and, in particular, his intuitive approach to tuning systems and modes.
In his 1972 book, Music: The Foundations of Harmony, Leon MacLaren expounded his understanding of Just Intonation, which he christened the Natural Octave, a tuning system with interval frequencies which are all multiples of the whole numbers 2, 3 and 5 alone, intervals with notably consonant overtones. All of the composers on this CD encountered Maclaren’s formulations in some form and a number of them have further developed Natural Octave composition into the realm of what they refer to as Modist music: basically music which both avoids the ambiguities of Equal Temperament as well as, following MacLaren’s initiative, exploring the modes within the Just/Natural system.
As anyone familiar with their debut album, I Saw Eternity (read our record review), would expect, the Phoenix Consort’s execution of these works is as technically accomplished as it is emotionally resonant, with musical director Adam Whitmore (read our previous interview with Adam) guiding the ensemble (and listener) from meditative moments of profound reflection through the soaring harmonies inspiring near-celestial contentment. All captured, produced and mastered by Convivium Records, who, in their usual expert manner, ensure the quality of the recording more than does justice to the calibre of the musicians.
I have no doubt this album will appeal not only to sacred choral music aficionados, but also to music theory scholars, audiophiles, those who enjoy a thought-provoking listening experience and also to those who just like to fill their homes with the sound of brilliant young musicians, deservedly making a name for themselves as masters of their craft.
The CD and high-resolution digital files in various formats are available to pre-order now from Convivium Records for release on Friday, 4th September 2026, with a launch concert at Hinde Street Church, London, on Saturday, 5th September 2026.
Watch videos of the Phoenix Consort performing two pieces from 'Choral Contemplations':