Sir John Stainer’s compositions have rather fallen out
of fashion nowadays though
The Crucifixion retains a place
in the English choral repertoire and some of his church music
is still sung by cathedral and parish church choirs. However,
as the good booklet essay that accompanies this CD reminds us,
he was a very significant and influential figure in Victorian
musical circles. I was aware of some of his accomplishments but
I’d not realised that he was sufficiently talented to secure
an appointment as the organist of a London parish church at the
age of just fourteen. A series of further appointments followed
until in 1872 he reached what was then the pinnacle of his profession,
securing the post of organist at St. Paul’s Cathedral,
London. Obliged by failing eyesight to relinquish that post in
1888 after a very successful tenure, he then became Professor
of Music at Oxford University in 1889, occupying that position
until 1899.
The Crucifixion. A Meditation on the Sacred Passion of the
Holy Redeemer, to give the work its full title, was composed
in 1886-7 at the prompting of a friend who was organist of St.
Marylebone Parish Church in London.
The Crucifixion was
first sung in that church on Good Friday 1887 and I understand
it is still performed there on Good Friday every year. It’s
worth bearing in mind the full title of the piece and the circumstances
in which it was composed for Stainer never intended
The Crucifixion to
be a concert work. Rather it was designed for liturgical use
to aid congregational recollection of the Passion and Death of
Christ. As such it fulfils a similar function to the Passion
settings of Bach. In particular, the interpolation of several
hymns, intended for congregational participation, fulfils a similar
function to the chorales used by Bach. To listeners today the
work may sound a little old-fashioned - not least the very Victorian
words - but we should pay Stainer the compliment of taking the
work on its own terms; if we do it’s actually a rather
successful achievement.
Stainer deliberately designed the chorus parts to be within the
compass of a decent parish church choir. The Huddersfield Choral
Society is much more than that. It is, perhaps, a rather larger
body than one might expect to hear singing the work but the choir
never sounds unwieldy. On the contrary, they sing very well indeed
and their rendition of ‘God so loved the world’ is
exceptionally fine. They do the two other set-piece choruses
well too. However, as a matter of personal taste I find that
these passages - the Processional to Calvary, ‘Fling wide
the gates’, and The Appeal of the Crucified - are much
the weakest in the whole work. Both have seemed absolutely interminable
to me whenever I’ve sung or heard them, with Stainer making
thin musical material - and poor words - go a very long way indeed.
Even the excellent singing on offer here fails to persuade me
to change my mind.
The hymns fulfil an important function, as I’ve said. They’re
prime examples of Victorian hymnody, which may be an obstacle
for some, but Joseph Cullen very sensibly ensures that the music
keeps moving forward and he varies the textures, for example
by giving one verse to unison male voices and another to the
ladies of the chorus.
The two main soloists have important roles. Andrew Kennedy sings
the tenor solos very well and in particular he discharges the
big aria, ‘King ever glorious’ with fine feeling,
building it to a ringing conclusion. Kennedy presents his solos
with taste and conviction and is careful not to step over the
line into sentimentality. About the contribution of Neal Davies
I’m not quite so sure. He has a fine, sonorous voice and
good vocal presence. However, to my ears he sometimes strives
too much for expressive effect and, as a result, sounds slightly
portentous. His singing of the short passage beginning ‘And
one of the malefactors’ offer such an example and another
occurs with his very first entry - ‘Couldst ye not watch
with me’. I prefer a more straightforward, less overtly
expressive approach and therefore find Kennedy the more convincing
soloist.
The score includes a few small male voice solos, which are to
be taken from the chorus. The chosen singers are recognisably
amateurs - as Stainer would have expected - but they deliver
these passages adequately.
Joseph Cullen has clearly prepared his choir very well indeed
and he directs the whole performance very well. His tempi are
well chosen and he conveys the sentiments of
The Crucifixion convincingly
while avoiding and suspicion of sentimentality.
I remember from my schooldays in Huddersfield that the organ
in the Town Hall was an imposing instrument and it’s good
to be reminded after all these years what a fine sound it can
produce. Under the expert hands - and feet - of Darius Battiwalla
the organ makes a telling contribution to the performance. He
uses appropriate and imaginative registrations for the quiet
passages while the full organ is deployed to telling effect elsewhere.
I was particularly impressed by the thrilling pedal sounds at
times in ‘Fling wide the gates’ and at very end of ‘King
ever Glorious’. Happily, the organ and the singers are
presented in an excellent and clear sound.
One or two slight reservations apart - and others may not share
them - this is a fine and convincing account of Stainer’s
sincere and durable Passion piece.
John Quinn
Andrew Kennedy (tenor);
Neal Davies (bass); Darius Battiwalla (organ) 
