This budget collection offers great value in terms of playing
time and the highest quality in terms of performance and sound.
All just as one would expect from EMI. It’s clearly been
marketed as part of the Jubilee celebrations but putting that
to one side it can be warmly welcomed from a purely musical
standpoint.
Stephen Cleobury’s collection of Handel’s Coronation
Anthems (Academy of Ancient Music and Choir of King’s
College Cambridge) is one of the best currently available with
great articulation and verve. The sparkling recording is slightly
recessed but the actual choral tone is full and splendid. Zadok
the Priest really zips along and the first entrance of the
chorus produces a moment of true frisson. Cleobury also directs
an outstanding performance of Eternal Source of Light Divine
in which counter-tenor Robin Blaze really shines. The sound
is bright, clear and beautifully balanced. The third Handel
work in the set is the Music for the Royal Fireworks
with Sir Roger Norrington directing the London Classical Players.
The playing is of the highest order and Norrington ensures that
everything is tight and clear with plenty of detail emerging
from the orchestra. So that’s one CD’s worth of
top recommendations so far.
The next recordings were set down in 1977, the year of the Silver
Jubilee. These were conducted by Sir Philip Ledger and comprise
the Coronation Ode by Elgar and I Was Glad by
Parry. They are presented in spectacular sound with more than
ample reverberation from the Abbey setting. This kind of sound
doesn’t always work but the results achieved here are
magnificent. It’s impossible not to get carried away in
such a massive, thrilling aural experience. Both performances
are inspired and moving.
Turning now to Purcell, Cleobury directs a moving account of
the Funeral Music for Queen Mary. The four trumpet soloists
play wonderfully well and capture the serious, melancholy atmosphere
perfectly. I hadn’t come across Davis Munrow’s 1976
recording of Come ye sons of Art away before but it offers
the kind of impeccable musicianship generally associated with
his work with the Early Music Consort of London. The contributions
from counter-tenors James Bowman and Charles Brett are excellent
with very good intonation - not always to be taken for granted
in music such as this!
Glorious Majesty would be fine value as a 2 CD set containing
all the works mentioned thus far. On that basis the third disc
can be regarded as something of a bonus, containing shorter
orchestral and choral pieces … and very good it is too.
EMI has a superb back catalogue of Walton and Elgar conducted
by Boult and Groves. The inclusion of some of their work is
most welcome. O hearken Thou conducted by Richard Hickox
is one of the highlights of the set with the London Symphony
Chorus excelling themselves especially in the piano passages.
This is wonderful singing. It’s also good to have some
of Uri Segal’s work back in circulation. He rounds things
off nicely with the lively, entertaining Gloriana Suite
by Britten recorded with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
in 1982.
For the more serious collector, this is a snip at around £10
even if it could mean duplicating some of the items on offer.
I enjoyed the whole thing enormously.
John Whitmore
see also review by Michael
Greenhalgh
Full Track-List
CD 1:
Handel
1 Zadok the Priest: Zadok the Priest 1:50
2 Zadok the Priest: And all the people rejoic'd 0:47
3 Zadok the Priest: God save the King 2:47
4 Let thy hand be strengthened: Let thy hand be strengthened
3:02
5 Let thy hand be strengthened: Let justice and judgement 2:33
6 Let thy hand be strengthened: Alleluia! 2:06
7 The King shall rejoice: The King shall rejoice 2:44
8 The King shall rejoice: Exceeding glad shall he be 2:55
9 The King shall rejoice: Glory and worship 0:31
10 The King shall rejoice: Thou hast prevented him 2:15
11 The King shall rejoice: Alleluia! 2:46
12 My heart is inditing: My heart is inditing 2:44
13 My heart is inditing: Kings' daughters 2:57
14 My heart is inditing: Upon thy right hand 2:48
15 My heart is inditing: Kings shall be thy nursing fathers
3:01
Byrd
16 Anthem: O Lord make thy servant Elizabeth 2:42
Purcell
17 Come ye sons of art away - Birthday Ode for Queen Mary (1694)
Z323 (1990 Digital Remaster): Symphony (Largo - Allegro - Adagio)
3:35
18 Come ye sons of art away - Birthday Ode for Queen Mary (1694)
Z323 (1990 Digital Remaster): Come ye sons of art away (ritornello,
ct I verse & chorus) 2:10
19 Come ye sons of art away - Birthday Ode for Queen Mary (1694)
Z323 (1990 Digital Remaster): Sound the trumpet (ct I &
II verse) 2:45
20 Come ye sons of art away - Birthday Ode for Queen Mary (1694)
Z323 (1990 Digital Remaster): Come ye sons of art away (ritornello
& chorus) 1:32
21 Come ye sons of art away - Birthday Ode for Queen Mary (1694)
Z323 (1990 Digital Remaster): Strike the viol (ct II verse &
ritornello) 4:49
22 Come ye sons of art away - Birthday Ode for Queen Mary (1694)
Z323 (1990 Digital Remaster): The day that such a blessing gave
(bass verse & chorus) 3:12
23 Come ye sons of art away - Birthday Ode for Queen Mary (1694)
Z323 (1990 Digital Remaster): Bid the Virtues (sop. verse) 3:05
24 Come ye sons of art away - Birthday Ode for Queen Mary (1694)
Z323 (1990 Digital Remaster): These are the sacred charms (bass
verse) 1:49
25 Come ye sons of art away - Birthday Ode for Queen Mary (1694)
Z323 (1990 Digital Remaster): See Nature rejoicing (sop. &
bass verse & chorus) 3:10
26 Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary 1695: March Z860i 1:49
27 Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary 1695: Canzona Z860ii
- March (Recessional) 3:01
28 Funeral Anthem of Queen Mary 1695: Thou knowest, Lord, Z.58c
2:33
CD 2:
Handel
1 Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal source of light
divine): 1. Eternal source of light divine 3:18
2 Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal source of light
divine): 2. The day that gave great Anna birth 2:41
3 Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal source of light
divine): 3. Let all the wingèd race with joy 2:35
4 Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal source of light
divine): 4. Let flocks and herds their fear forget - 1:43
5 Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal source of light
divine): The day that gave 0:39
6 Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal source of light
divine): 5. Let rolling streams their gladness show 2:26
7 Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal source of light
divine): 6. Kind Health descends on downy wings 4:29
8 Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal source of light
divine): 7. The day that gave great Anna birth 1:46
9 Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal source of light
divine): 8. Let Envy then conceal her head 2:26
10 Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal source of light
divine): 9. United nations shall combine - 1:27
11 Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal source of light
divine): The day that gave 1:42
12 Music for the Royal Fireworks: I. Ouverture 7:55
13 Music for the Royal Fireworks: II. Bourrée 1:39
14 Music for the Royal Fireworks: III. La Paix 2:53
15 Music for the Royal Fireworks: IV. La Réjouissance
2:08
16 Music for the Royal Fireworks: V. Menuet I & II 3:27
Elgar
17 Coronation Ode, Op.44 (1987 - Remaster): I. Crown the King
10:10
18 Coronation Ode, Op.44 (1987 - Remaster): IIa. The Queen 2:21
19 Coronation Ode, Op.44 (1987 - Remaster): IIb. Daughter of
ancient Kings 1:33
20 Coronation Ode, Op.44 (1987 - Remaster): III. Britain, ask
of thyself 3:48
21 Coronation Ode, Op.44 (1987 - Remaster): IV. Hark, upon the
hallowed air...Only let the heart be pure 7:25
22 Coronation Ode, Op.44 (1987 - Remaster): V. Peace, gentle
Peace 3:34
23 Coronation Ode, Op.44 (1987 - Remaster): VI. Land of hope
and glory 4:31
CD 3:
Elgar
1 Imperial March, Op.32 4:24
2 O hearken thou (Offertory) Op. 64 4:08
3 Coronation March Op. 65 (1998 Digital Remaster) 10:45
4 Nursery Suite (1989 Digital Remaster): IV. The Sad Doll (Andantino)
1:51
Parry
5 I was glad (1988 - Remaster) 6:45
Walton
6 Crown Imperial - Coronastion March (1937) (1995 Digital Remaster)
8:31
7 Coronation Te Deum (1987 Digital Remaster) 9:19
8 Orb and Sceptre - Coronation March (1953) (1995 Digital Remaster)
6:47
Vaughan Williams
9 O taste and see 1:41
10 All people that on earth do dwell (The Old Hundredth) 4:56
Britten
11 Jubilate Deo (1961) (2004 - Remaster) 2:28
12 Gloriana - Symphonic Suite from the opera Op. 53a: I. The
Tournament 3:57
13 Gloriana - Symphonic Suite from the opera Op. 53a: III. The
Courtly Dances 9:51
14 The National Anthem (arr. Elgar) (1995 Digital Remaster)
2:45
Various artists
