William Baker Festival Singers performs Norman Dello Joio TO ST. CECILIA 

Very moving, my school sang this in chorus.

I played in a performance of this when I was a student at Boston University under the baton of the composer, who was Dean of the music school at that time. The trumpet section included the late Rolf Smedvig. To be honest, della Joio was a terrible conductor beat-wise, but an inspiring musician. In the section "But bright Cecilia rais'd the wonder high'r; When to her organ, vocal breath was giv'n," I remember him saying 'Now, outdo them, altos!" after the tenors had given their all. An inspiring and almost frightening experience because the standard of playing was so high. I was a university senior but ... wow. I really had to lift my game.

Thrilling. Almost shining.

Probably a good performance, but the balance is poor and that fact combined with the rotten acoustics almost utterly defeats the choir's efforts at textual clarification and enunciation.