Charles Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924)
Service in C, op.115, Morning Service: Benedictus (1909) [5:15]
Three Motets, op.38, no.3: Beati quorum via (pub. 1905) [3:36]
Watts’ Cradle Song, (1882) (arr. Philip Moore, 2013) [4:10]
Service in C, op.115, Morning Service: Te Deum (1909) [7:59]
Three Motets, op.38, no.1: Justorum Animae (pub. 1905) [3:08]
Bible Songs, Op. 113: No. 6: A Song of Wisdom (1910) [5:02] Oh! For a closer walk with God (1910) [3:42]
When, in our music, God is glorified (tune, Engelberg) (1904) [2:32]
For Lo, I raise up, op.145 (1914) [8:20]
Three Motets, op.38, no.2: Coelos Ascendit Hodie (pub. 1905) [1:58]
Come, Ye Thankful People, Come, op.120 (?) [5:27]
If ye then be risen with Christ (1883) [8:59]
The Lord is my Shepherd (1886) [8:48]
Psalm 150 (1909) [2:30]
Winchester College/Malcolm Archer
Jamal Sutton (organ)
rec. Merton College Chapel, Oxford, 30 June-1 July 2014
CONVIVIUM RECORDS CR027 [71:00]
This new selection of anthems and canticles by Charles Villiers
Stanford is thoroughly enjoyable. It includes three premiere recordings, although
what these are, is not stated on the liner-notes or track-listings - at least
I could not find this information. Fortunately, the Stanford Society posts
details of them on its website
(accessed 23 December 2015).
Two sections are given from the well-known Service in C major, op.115 which
was composed in 1909: it was to be Stanford’s last major setting of
the Morning, Communion and Evening Canticles. The liner-notes point out that
this is ‘his most cohesive attempt in terms of thematic concentration
and cyclic unity’. It is an impressive setting, and the Morning Canticles:
Benedictus and Te Deum are an ideal place to begin exploration of this CD.
I have long appreciated the Three Motets, op.38 dating from 1905, although
they were composed earlier. Like many of Stanford’s anthems and part-songs
these are perfectly formed. The first, Justorum animae (The
souls of the righteous are in the hand of God) balances the notion of peace
with the Lord, against the ‘torment of malice’ of the middle section.
Coelos ascendit hodie (Today, Jesus Christ has ascended into
the heavens) utilises a double choir with exciting antiphonal exchanges. The
final motet Beati quorum via (Blessed are those that are undefiled)
is again reflective and meditative in its effect. I would have preferred them
to have been grouped together on this CD as they are most effective when heard
in order.
The arrangement by Philip Moore of ‘Watts’ Cradle Song’,
for SATB is particularly beautiful. This music was originally used in the
‘Lullaby’ (Thomas Dekker) published by Stanford in ‘Six
Songs’ op.19, no.2 written in 1892 for soloist and piano. This is its
premiere recording.
Stanford’s setting of the words ‘For Lo, I raise up’, op.145
from the Old Testament book of Habakkuk is truly prophetic. It was composed
in 1914 and prefigured the horrors of the coming Great War with its mechanized
warfare. This is powerful and sometimes frightening music that provides a
contrast between the belligerent element of human nature and the more peaceful
sanctuary of the Lord’s holy temple. It is an inspired work that serves
as a miniature epitome of the human condition and a particular theological
response to it.
‘Engleberg’ was composed for William Walsham How’s fine
hymn ‘For all the Saints’, and published in the 1904 edition of
Hymns: Ancient and Modern. On this disc it is paired with the words
‘When, in our music, God is glorified’ (Fred Pratt Green, 1971).
This is a good strong tune that deserves to be used more often.
‘A Song of Wisdom: I came forth’ from the ‘Bible Songs &
Six Hymns’, op.113 composed in 1910 owes much to Dvorak’s Biblical
Songs. This present number is a theological discussion about the nature and
virtue of personified Wisdom as expounded in the apocryphal book of Ecclesiasticus.
It is followed by its ‘paired hymn’, ‘O for a closer walk
with God’.
The anthem, ‘Come, ye thankful people, come’ was written for Harvest-tide.
‘If ye then be risen with Christ’ was composed in 1883 and is
another example of Stanford ‘exploring a new symphonic prose prophetic
of [his] … later masterpieces.’ (Dibble, Stanford: The Man &
his Music, 2002 -
review). Both are first recordings.
The setting of ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’, has been described by
Herbert Howells as being ‘one of the supremely lovely anthems of all
our history.’ It is a good example of Stanford musically expounding
the text in a varied and satisfying manner.
Psalm 150, ‘O Praise God in his holiness’, is a fine illustration
of an Anglican chant that typifies the genre.
I was most disappointed by the CD booklet. I think that its designer has allowed
artistic ambition to defeat utility. For example, the opening page has white
on orange. Details of the artists are white and grey text on black background.
Generally the font is small and unclear. The pages are formatted in two, three
and four columns. I accept that my aging sight is partially to blame, but
feel it is important to make this element of the CD package as user-friendly
as possible, allowing especially for people suffering from colour-blindness.
If design considerations trump legibility, the record company ought to make
a .pdf file available in clear black and white text.
I would have preferred if the track-listings had presented the full details
of opus numbers and dates, rather than having to search through the difficult-to-read
liner notes. On a more positive matter, these programme notes by Jeremy Dibble
are detailed and interesting.
Generally, as an aside, it is about time Stanford was blessed with unique
catalogue numbers, such as ‘CVS’ or the ‘JD’ prefix.
Anyone who has explored Stanford’s list of works will realise just how
complex the entries can be.
The CD cover was specially commissioned for this recording from Alison Archer.
Also included are pictures of the choir, their director, the organist and
a number of extracts from Stanford’s manuscripts.
The singing on this new CD from Winchester College, with their director Malcolm
Archer is excellent. The organ accompaniment, sometimes overlooked in reviews
of choral and liturgical music, is very well played by Jamal Sutton. The venue
chosen for the recording was Merton College Chapel, Oxford: surely there are
some suitable premises in their beautiful home city – the Cathedral
or the College Chapel?
An online reviewer (Cross-Rhythms, now possibly deleted) of this
CD suggested that general listeners may find that this CD is ‘too much
of a muchness’. Certainly, this is true if through-listened. I suggest
selecting elements for exploration and then going and doing something else.
For example, enjoy the Te Deum and the Benedictus from the Service in C, then
maybe follow this with the hymn tunes, and then the Three Motets. Other anthems
and the psalm setting can be enjoyed later.
John France
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