SOWERBY: The Throne of God. Adoration of the Lamb of God. Angelic Admonitions to Worship God. Heavenly Benediction of the Martyrs. Triumphal Song of the Martyrs. Hymn of Praise to God, Exulting over the Fall of Babylon, The New Creation, God's Eternal Age, and Thy Word is a Lantern Unto My feet. ORGAN WORKS: Interlude for Forsaken of Man. Fanfare. William Ferris Chorale/Composer Festival Orchestra/Thomas Weisflog, organ/William Ferris, cond. ALBANY RECORDS Troy 232 (F) (DDD) TT: 69:50

Leo Sowerby (1895-1968)was a relatively unknown American composer except for a loyal corps of choir directors and Episcopalian organists working in a 40-year period from 1930 to 1970. Granted, he was especially performed and honored in Chicago where he taught composition at the American Conservatory of Music (1925-62) and served as organist and choirmaster at that city's Episcopal Cathedral of St. James (1927-62).

And therein lies the pity. Despite receiving a Pulitzer Prize for his 1946 cantata Canticle of the Sun and composing a great deal of secular music for orchestra including five symphonies and concertos for violin and piano, his oeuvre remains unnoticed save for a very rare birthday celebration concert.

Fortunately we can sample Sowerby's musical style from this recent CD holding his 1956 poem for chorus and orchestra The Throne of God, along with a group of motets, performed by the William Ferris Chorale and Orchestra. Unfortunately, bad recording balances (resulting in overly loud brass and woodwind playing) transform this Throne into an orchestral piece with incidental (and distant) chorus. That leaves fine performances by the Ferris Chorale of the motets showcasing Sowerby's well-crafted eclecticism a la Sir Edward Elgar, Howard Hanson, César Franck and Randall Thompson.

K.S.

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