Christmas from Cardiff

 

I like Geoffrey Bush's Christmas Cantata quite a bit.

It is too bad no one has come back to give the work a better performance, someone along the lines of David Willcocks, who championed little-known British choral composers such as Bush.

Otherwise, the music is tuneful, ala John Rutter, and Bush's rhythms and harmonies are bunches of fun, plus the composer throws in a couple of familiar carols amongst his original music. This music was obviously aimed at amateur choruses and appreciative congregations.

And that is what we have here. The orchestra is obviously local, who are no great shakes in tuning or ensemble. The chorus is much better, although the sopranos were trained to sound like choristers instead of adult women, a British tradition which is not my favorite. On the other hand, they sing a few Welsh carols, and who better than these singers from Cardiff.

But this performance is still the only recording of A Christmas Cantata to find, so any faults are set aside to hear this music. In addition, seven carol arrangements are sung a cappella or with pipe organ. These choices are mostly unknown to me, sitting among a couple familiar tunes, so the Cardiff singers continue in a mode of exploration, yet everything comes with a yuletide warmth.

The final two or three choral pieces sound out alongside pipe organ, and I think it is here where this recording finds its greatest success. I assume the overall 45-minute runtime comes from its LP origins, but this is another downside of the recording, although the sonic qualities are very good still today.

 

Listen on YouTube

 

 

Works
Christmas Cantata (28.34)
Shiao Bao-Bai (3.27)
Gabriel's Message (2.57)
Ar Gyfer Heddiw'r Bore (1.38)
Silent Night (3.22)
Tua Bethlem Dref (1.59)
As I Outrode This Enderes Night (1.19)
Good King Wenceslas (2.33)

Performers
Cardiff Polyphonic Choir
Cardiff Polyphonic Orchestra
Richard Elfyn Jones, conductor

Label: Saydisc
Year: 1985
Total Timing: 45.57

 

 

If you like exploring rare Christmas Cantatas like I do, this recording should give many pleasures despite its locally-sourced deficiencies.