Royal Rhymes and Rounds
see end of review for track listing
The King’s Singers
rec. 4-6 July 2011, St Mary’s Church, Harrow. DDD
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD307 [65.50]
The music featured on this disc is broken down into four sections sovereign
by sovereign, and finished off with a new commission by Paul Drayton, rounding
up British history through its monarchs. In his note, Drayton hits the nail
on its head when he says of his work “Don’t expect erudition”.
Nevertheless, it is witty and amusing and a good, light-hearted conclusion
to the disc.
Charting musical development in Britain through music relating to its monarchs
is an interesting - if not original - concept, and the works included are
well-chosen and programmed: the musical development evident between the compositions
relating to the reign of Henry VIII and those of Elizabeth I is very striking.
I am not entirely convinced, however, by the performances, which seem to me
to lack conviction - it is very rare indeed that I feel that the performers
are hearing, understanding, feeling or communicating the words. The sound
- for better or for worse - is very breathy, and strikes one from the very
beginning as rather effeminate - especially at the piano end of the
dynamic. The overall delivery is somewhat affected. This is especially noticeable
in Ah, Robin, gentle Robin. There are also some technical problems,
of varying degrees of seriousness: the solo opening It is to me a right
great joy is very ropey and the rest of the song is not particularly secure.
None of the singers are particularly good at melismas. The first counter-tenor
struggles particularly badly. He also has difficulty producing a beautiful
note at the top end of the range. Some of the notes in To her beneath whose
steadfast star, and particularly the sustained f-natural - are rather
painful. There are also some very evident intonation problems in Fair Oriana,
beauty’s Queen. The ends of words get lost at faster tempos. You
can hear this in “running”, in As Vesta was from Latmos hill
descending, which all too obviously becomes “runnin’”.
The enunciation - not great throughout - is particularly poor in Britten’s
Choral Dances from Gloriana. The cadential chords are not always especially
well-balanced - The Triumph of Victoria suffers from this. There could
be more change of tone-colour in response to the harmony - especially given
the telling nature of the polyphonic texture in relation to the text - as
in The Silver Swan. Finally, I wasn’t especially keen on the
great gasps of breath before each phrase - maybe they’re using the breaths
as an audible upbeat, but it is quite intrusive on a recording.
I was pleased to find the words to the songs printed although there are misprints
here. On the other hand, I was disappointed though not in the slightest surprised
to find no fewer than three photographs of The King’s Singers in various
states of affected relaxation but not a single photograph or portrait of a
composer or a monarch. At least we have reasonably intelligent and thorough
notes on the music, however!
On the whole, this is a well-programmed, and presented, disc, just rather
let down by the performances. Although I cannot honestly say that I have any
particular respect for the renditions of the work on this disc, it is nevertheless
an enjoyable release to listen to and one that I will probably return to on
occasion, for the programming of works, if not the singing.
Em Marshall-Luck
A well-programmed and presented disc, just rather let down by the performances.
Track listing
HENRY VIII
KING HENRY VIII Pastime with good companie [1.53]
William CORNYSH Ah, Robin, gentle Robin [2.25] Blow thy horn,
hunter [2.23]
KING HENRY VIII It is to me a right great joy [1.33]
ANON Hey, trolly lolly lo! [3.56]
ELIZABETH I
Ellis GIBBONS Long live fair Oriana [2.39]
Orlando GIBBONS The Silver Swan (Round) [2.00]
Orlando GIBBONS The Silver Swan [1.46]
John HILTON Fair Oriana, beauty’s Queen [2.21]
John MUNDY Lightly she whipped o’er the dales [3.11]
John DOWLAND Flow, O my tears [1.37]
John BENNET Weep, O mine eyes [2.44]
Thomas WEELKES As Vesta was from Latmos hill descending [3.19]
VICTORIA
Sir Walter PARRATT The Triumph of Victoria [2.33]
Sir Hubert PARRY Who can dwell with greatness? [3.07]
Sir Edward ELGAR To her beneath whose steadfast star [4.51]
ELIZABETH II
Benjamin BRITTEN Choral Dances from Gloriana
Time [1.51]
Concord [2.25]
Time and Concord [1.46]
Country Girls [1.17]
Rustics and Fishermen [1.00]
Final Dance of Homage [2.20]
Paul DRAYTON A Rough Guide to the Royal Succession (It’s just
one damn King after another...) [12.48]