There was a child

"There Was a Child is a profoundly impressive work that honours the life of Robert Pickering ... Robert died in June 1999 while snorkelling in Thailand; he was not yet 20 years old ... One can only guess at the complicated web of emotions and concerns that Mr. Dove must have felt in completing this commission. Yet he has succeeded brilliantly ... The recording itself is very fine ... This is a significant work, one of the most important works I have heard in the last decade. I was very touched by the music and the performance".

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"Jonathan Dove has chosen a variety of texts to illustrate the life of a child from birth, through the delights - and the rough and tumble - of growing up to the sorrow - inescapable in this instance - of a young life cut short ... Thesoprano and tenor soloists represent, respectively, mother andson and as well as an adult chorus Dove deploys, very understandably, a children's chorus. The music is very colourfully and imaginatively scored for what sounds like quite a large orchestra ... I think this is a fine work. Jonathan Dove has approached his task with conviction and has produced a moving piece ... As for the performance, well one word will describe it: splendid ... Simon Halsey obtains a tremendously committed performance from all concerned".

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"This live recording ... could hardly be more powerful or evocative, with sharp definition of the different textures, choral and orchestral, with children's voices most moving of all. It would be surprising if Dove's touching inspiration did not inspire local choral societies to give it regular airings, encouraged by this fine recording".