Self Recommending

 

From William Vann leading the Royal Hospital Chelsea Chapel Choir.

When these performers pop up, and the literature is of interest, there is never fear of poor quality. This choir and their leader are consistently splendid.

That leaves us with the music, here featuring the choral music from Vaughan Williams. Some are a cappella, others accompanied by pipe organ. Some are folk songs, others are patriotic songs, but very little of the sacred.

Two choral triptychs are of particular interest, although there is such variety here, I think there is something for everyone. An arrangement of Stephen Foster's Swanee River seems the only oddity, but as always, RVW is tasteful as ever.

A review from 2023

A curious collection of choral music from British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. Much of the music here can only be found on this recording, and upon listening, there isn’t much reason for this music to dwell in obscurity.

The opening songs are a trio of waltzes inspired by Brahms, and a joy they are. One can here the Liebeslieder or Zigeunerlieder dwelling within them, and the following madrigal is a beautiful antidote to their unbounding joy.

The handful of folksong arrangements that follow are fun, even if Stephen Foster’s Swanee River seems out of place for the composer. The New Commonwealth is performed much better here than on an earlier performance on Albion, and along with O Praise, a double-chorus motet, are the treasures of this recording.

There is also a smattering of patriotic hymns accompanied by pipe organ. An aroma of confident victoriousness wafts about these tunes, even if their redoubtable flag-waving wasn’t my particular cup of tea compared to RVW’s more complex writing in the folksongs and other secular pieces on the program.

I like this collection though, and there really isn’t another recording to compare. The Chapel Choir of the Royal Hospital Chelsea under the direction of William Vann is a wonderful discovery on the Albion label. Here their vibrato is of differing velocities, which could irk some, but it never took away from my personal enjoyment. The Albion sonics are very good as are the liner notes.

Performers
Hugh Rowlands, organ
Royal Hospital Chelsea Chapel Choir
William Vann, conductor

Label: Albion
Year: 2018
Timing: 63.06

This is a favorite choral program of Vaughan Williams of mine.

Sure the music might not be too familiar from the composer, but that is much of the fun.

It goes without saying, the performers are excellent across the board.