Walton: Belshazzar's Feast & Bernstein: Chichester Psalms

 

My tastes have tempered over the years anytime I revisit Robert Shaw leading a big choral/orchestral work in Atlanta. The chorus is excellent, yet lies on the homogeneous side. The orchestral is full sounding, yet Shaw's imagination as an orchestral leader is limited. You will probably see this preface on each Telarc / Shaw collaboration I come back to.

Yet, at the time, my resources were limited, and some of Shaw's choices of literature were harder to find on CD. That is not a problem today, but to hear these big works were the important part, and Telarc filled a niche.

Here, Shaw first tackles the large 20th Century oratorio from William Walton, Belshazzar's Feast, a recounting of the Babylonian Captivity. US baritone William Stone was not the finest in this literature, although he was a sturdy singer. In Shaw's rendition, the music marks time until the outburst of orchestral splendor, rather than savoring the understated drama.

It was also good to hear Leonard Bernstein's remarkable Chichester Psalms with an orchestra, which I had only heard with organ accompaniment up until this time. Personally, I prefer a female soloist in the middle section, despite Bernstein's preference for a boy treble or countertenor. Given the choice, I would prefer the treble sound, although Derek Lee Ragin is a known quantity. At the time, I wasn't sure what to make of Bernstein's Missa Brevis either, so short and austere it sounded to my ears. No one has really championed the work, although the names of Slatkin and Alsop have also committed it to disc.

Sure, I was enthusiastic over this music when this recording came out (Check out my review below), but there are better places to look for the big works here, such as Previn in Belshazzar and Bernstein himself in Chichester. Plus, Telarc was up to its usual 80s tricks by putting Walton's 40-minute work all on one track. Thanks for the index times Telarc, but that really isn't helpful.

A review from 2006

Leonard Bernstein and William Walton were diverse composers, utilizing a variety of techniques, not only of their own time, but also from the past. Their most famous large-scale choral works are represented on this disk, works masterfully displaying their individualized styles: Walton's Belshazzar's Feast and Bernstein's Chichester Psalms and Missa Brevis.

Walton's 37-minute oratorio, Belshazzar's Feast, is scored for large orchestra, including saxophone, two additional brass bands, a multitude of percussion (slapstick, anvil, castanets, xylophone, etc.), piano, organ, as well as a double chorus and baritone soloist. The text conveys the story of the Babylonian captivity and King Belshazzar/Nebuchadnezzar. The work features stunning choral writing, seen at the outstart for a cappella choir which first sets the scene and mood. The action moves to the pagan feast of King Belshazzar and their worshipping of heathen idols, an orgiastic musical setting of great invention. The famous "handwriting on the wall" is proclaimed by the baritone soloist, before a joyous exaltation of Alleluia's directed to the end of Israel's captivity. A great variety of choral writing is implemented throughout, including both orchestral and a cappella settings; lush chorales, grand fugues, and everything inbetween; all very difficult to perform, occasional colorings of dissonance, polytonality, and "English"-isms, and colorful, dramatic, music. Of interest, is the orgiastic feast praising the various metallurgical gods (featuring the outlandish orchestration) and the unashamedly English sounding, joyous conclusion. My love of this oratorio is unparalleled, intimate musical settings vs. extroverted, and is well programmed with the Bernstein compositions.

Commissioned for the Cathedral of Chichester, the Dean asked for something which would bring the spirit of West Side Story to a religious perspective. Chichester Psalms is just that and more. The text is from Psalms, but sung in Hebrew, and unusual choice for an English cathedral. After a forceful, angular, dissonant introduction, a whimsical dance is taken up in 7/4 time, sometimes forceful, other times light, altogether it is a riot. The second movement features, on this recording, a solo counter-tenor; a beautiful and emotional musical rendering, the simplicity of the harmonic movement and subtle jazz inflections, and scoring for women's voices is breathtaking. A frantic patter song takes over and eventually the two contrasting textures overlap. A re-orchestrated version of the opening begins the 3rd movement, angular and dissonant. But a peacefully flowing melody, first heard in men's voices with not-so subtle chromatic shifting of harmonies, brings the work to an uplifting close. Scored for large orchestra, Bernstein also dramatically shifts between outlandishly grandiose to simple intimate settings of orchestra and voice; a master of drama, this choral work is a sentimental and moving choral work. The unusual Missa Brevis, "Short Mass", also by Bernstein, was music originally written for a drama about Joan of Arc. The music is ancient and medieval sounding, rather transparent, scored for chorus, solo counter-tenor, and percussion only, the medieval rhythms and modern polytonality create quite a unique work. Both works are about 19 minutes long.

These highly dramatic and unique compositions by Leonard Bernstein and William Walton for chorus and large orchestra are masterfully performed by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus under Robert Shaw. The astounding Telarc sonics make every orchestral voice and every vocal sound (text and tone) sound exceedingly clear. In addition, there is a feeling of unbridled passion which bristles throughout these works. While in the scheme of musical history these may seem minor works, they have grown to become my favorites; a great recommendation for some different, superb, dramatic choral works and performances.

Works
  William Walton
  Belshazzar's Feast (37.02)

  Leonard Bernstein
  Chichester Psalms (18.49)
  Missa Brevis (9.28)

Soloists
William Stone, baritone
Derek Lee Ragin, male alto

Donna Carter, soprano
Victoria Blakeney, mezzo-soprano
Rob Lund, tenor
Wayne Baughman, bass

Ensemble
Atlanta Symphony Chorus
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Robert Shaw, conductor

Label: Telarc
Year: 1989
Total Timing: 65.38

 

 

Not the first place to stop for the major works at hand here, but still, Robert Shaw was a consummate choral artist, easily displayed here.

 

 

 

 

 

Find more Walton recordings HERE!