Considering that Duruflé’s choral and organ works span 40 years from the 1920s through to the 1960s, it’s remarkable how consistent his musical style remained. It’s an eclectic mixture of plainsong, Renaissance polyphony, the organ textures of fellow composers Tournemire and Vierne, and the impressionistic harmonies of Debussy and Ravel. All these diverse elements are unified by Duruflé to produce music of supreme craftsmanship and timeless beauty.

It’s a laudable idea to have the complete choral and organ works available as a double-CD set. However, there are already outstanding recordings of the organ music in the catalogue, and regretfully Adriano Falcioni’s performances don’t stand up to the competition. Generally his playing is very good, although marred by occasional misreadings and poorly judged balances between manuals and pedals. The Leeds Cathedral organ doesn’t help matters: although it has some lovely quiet flute and reed stops, its tutti is rather woolly and unfocused. I suspect that Falcioni might have given better performances on a more appropriate instrument; certainly there are moments to admire, such as the dazzling, nimble accounts of the Op 2 Scherzo and the Op 7 Alain Prelude.

The choral music fares better with the home team of the Leeds Cathedral Choir under Thomas Leech’s committed direction. They may lack the richness and sophisticated blend of other choirs but with their bright tone and honest, natural singing deliver very accomplished and satisfying performances. Leech’s tempi are often slower than the composer’s metronome markings and this has the benefit of adding to the music’s emotional impact, particularly in the Op 9 Requiem. The choir are ably supported by the splendid accompaniments of the Skipton Camerata and organists Benjamin Saunders and Daniel Justin.

Leeds Cathedral’s warm acoustic considerably enhances the sound of choir, orchestra and organ, and it’s faithfully captured by the excellent recording. It’s a pity that the CD booklet doesn’t give a list of all the singers in the choir; on the plus side, Thomas Leech’s booklet-notes are very informative and organists will be glad to have a printed specification of the organ. Despite my reservations about Falcioni’s playing, this is an enjoyable and rewarding two-CD set, which provides an effective showcase for Leeds Cathedral’s successful choral tradition.