Walton: Choral Works

 

I have a great love of recordings set forth by Paul Spicer and The Finzi Singers. They are a choral ensemble who never hold back in their performances, offering crisp rhythmic interplay and an aggressive dynamic profile, often quite different from cathedral choristers, who can sometimes be too devoutly tame, beautiful though they be. 

The Finzi Singers are a mixed choral group using adult female sopranos, although Spicer chooses a mix of male and female altos. These singers are not afraid of vibrato in the treble parts either, breathing some color into the top parts compared to the rather pale sound of boy trebles elsewhere. The Finzi Singers are not a huge group either; if the role call on the physical media is correct, 19 singers are present on this recording of choral music from Sir William Walton.

Paul Spicer is a highly touted academic who is greatly knowledgeable concerning British choral music and composers, where I appreciate his added insight reaching beyond the baton and the podium. I almost wish he had provided the liner notes to this recording, as Christopher Palmer is a rather folksy contributor in the Chandos Walton series.

The first half of Spicer's Walton program is widely appealing musically, featuring Coronation-type works with organ, as well as an early a cappella motet, and a set of four Christmas madrigals. I enjoy the upfront position of the chorus here, never becoming too entangled in their church acoustic, as happens with Polyphony on Hyperion in a similar Walton program under Stephen Layton, another adult choir performance from a decade later than this one.

The Twelve is a large work which breaks up the two halves of this choral program. There are many diverse section within the 11-minute piece, whose sounds coming forth remind me of Belshazzar's Feast, but without the presence of an orchestra. Walton even throws in a fugue at the end, a great opportunity to hear each of the sections of the choir separately and coming together for a grand conclusion. 

The second half of the program finds Walton in a more modern mode, with his music moving in strange directions accompanied by lightly dissonant and unexpected harmonies. These are not as readily appealing to my ears, but nor was I put off by them, reminding me some of Benjamin Britten to some degree. This whole recording just goes to show the wide variety Walton could compose for voices and the church. Two larger multi-movement works were new to me, Walton's Chichester Service, containing a Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis setting, and his truly brief Missa Brevis.

There are a number of performers which should be familiar to regular listeners of British music. Baritone Roderick Williams was a member of The Finzi Singers at this time, and presents a few solos on this program, as does soprano Rachel Wheatley, another recognizable singer. Actually, the numerous solos which come and go throughout these songs are each of great quality across the board, a rarity from a single ensemble.

Perhaps more importantly, is the pipe organ contribution from the great master Andrew Lumsden. His playing turns on a dime as Walton requires it, eking out a grand array of colors from the Marlborough College instrument, done so with taste and power alike.

As mentioned already, I enjoy the Chandos sonics here, which captures the ambiance of the acoustic without losing presence nor impact from the vocal ensemble. That, and I simply enjoy adult choirs more than ones using trebles, a personal preference. Otherwise, there are actually quite a few recordings with cathedral choirs performing complete Walton programs, where Simon Preston, Christopher Robinson, and Stephen Darlington easily come to mind. So, if you lean that way, there is plenty to choose from. As for adult choirs, I don't care for the acoustic on Hyperion, even if Polyphony are nearly as forthright as the Finzi Singers are here. Plus, Layton's program is ever-so slightly different than what Spicer presents, so more riches await eager listeners. If my past listenings hold true, Richard Marlow's performance on Conifer with his Cambridge college students should please as well, although I have not heard it.

Strangely, Chandos already had a choral recording dedicated to Walton before this one, from Sir David Willcocks (BLOG). Actually, Christopher Palmer orchestrated a couple of these pieces, the Coronation Te Deum, Antiphon, and Jubilate Deo, and can be found across two recordings on Chandos from Willcocks. My tastes prefer those orchestrations, but hearing the originals with pipe organ is equally thrilling, especially as performed here.

 

 

 
Works
Coronation Te Deum (10.15)
The Twelve (11.15)
Missa Brevis (8.46)
Four Christmas Carols (8.04)
Chichester Service (6.01)
Set Me as a Seal (3.16)
Jubilate Deo (3.20)
A Litany (3.11)
Cantico del Sole (6.05)
Where does the Uttered Music Go? (6.08)
Antiphon (3.02)

Soloist
Anna Crooks, soprano
Sophie Daneman, soprano
Elizabeth Elliot, soprano
Lindsay Wagstaff, soprano
Rachel Wheatley, soprano
Stephen Carter, alto
Andrew Wickens, alto
Andrew Burden, tenor
Mervyn Collins, tenor
Christopher Dolby, tenor
Jonathan Arnold, bass
John Bernays, bass
Roderick Williams, bass

Ensemble
The Finzi Singers
Paul Spicer, conductor

Label: Chandos
Year: 1993
Total Timing: 70.03

 

 

 

Personally, this is my favorite recording of William Walton's choral music, although my personal tastes dictate such a comment.

Those who enjoy boy trebles from cathedral choirs have plenty to choose from elsewhere. For me I will stick to Paul Spicer and The Finzi Singers.

Of course, there are a few ditties not performed here, but found elsewhere. Grab a few and enjoy Walton's ability with voices.

 

 

 

 

Find more Walton recordings HERE!