Stanford Sacred Choral Works, Vol. 3

View record and artist details

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Charles Villiers Stanford

Label: Hyperion

Magazine Review Date: 10/1998

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 64

Mastering:

DDD

Catalogue Number: CDA66974

Tracks:

Composition	Artist Credit
Services, Movement: EVENING SERVICE:	Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer David Hill, Conductor Stephen Farr, Organ Winchester Cathedral Choir
Ye choirs of New Jerusalem	Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer David Hill, Conductor Stephen Farr, Organ Winchester Cathedral Choir
Festal Communion Service, Movement: Gloria	Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer David Hill, Conductor Stephen Farr, Organ Winchester Cathedral Choir
St. Patrick's Breastplate	Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer David Hill, Conductor Stephen Farr, Organ Winchester Cathedral Choir
(3) Motets, Movement: No. 2, Eternal Father (wds. Bridges)	Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer David Hill, Conductor Winchester Cathedral Choir
(3) Motets, Movement: No. 3, Glorious and Powerful God (wds. anon)	Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer David Hill, Conductor Winchester Cathedral Choir
For lo, I raise up	Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer David Hill, Conductor Stephen Farr, Organ Winchester Cathedral Choir
Magnificat	Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer David Hill, Conductor Winchester Cathedral Choir
Lighten our darkness	Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer Christopher Monks, Organ David Hill, Conductor Winchester Cathedral Choir
How beauteous are their feet	Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer Charles Villiers Stanford, Composer David Hill, Conductor Stephen Farr, Organ Winchester Cathedral Choir

Author:

This last of the series includes some of Stanford’s best work, starting with the Evening Service in C. At Winchester they take a broad view of this, bringing out a meditative grandeur rather than the more pressing enthusiasm in favour at Durham for instance. Allegro moderato is Stanford’s direction, in the face of which Winchester achieve a kind of paradox by exaggerating the moderato. In the Nunc dimittis, poco accel. and poco piu mosso are similarly instructions in which the moderating word is taken none too seriously; and it must be said that effectiveness is increased.
Generally Winchester prefer a brisk tempo, and as a rule they match this with verbal and rhythmic life in abundance. For lo, I raise up is particularly exciting. Written in 1914, this marvellous setting of Habakkuk’s vision of a war-torn world that is eventually to “be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord” needs a choir that can forget it is ‘in church’. The narrative must be eager-eyed, crisp on the words, intense in drive and attack like Toscanini conducting The Ride of the Valkyries; and that is just about how it is here. King’s and New College sound laid-back by comparison. In the eight-part Magnificat the speed is risky, and may indeed be a little too headlong at the expense of clarity; but again it is rhythmically exhilarating and makes King’s seem merely safe, Trinity merely mild.
The anthem Lighten our darkness is recorded here for the first time, its interesting history outlined by Dr Dibble who has also prepared the edition (Stanford wrote it in 1918 for St George’s, Windsor, but the manuscript got lost, and having been found in 1935 was neglected till the present day). The prayer is lovingly treated, and the performance worthy of the honour bestowed. Throughout the recital I have the feeling, experienced often enough before, that I want to move several rows forward from my seat. All the recordings sampled for comparison are closer, and King’s particularly has a full-bodied sound that makes one doubly curse the seating arrangements here. For compensation, light and air are gained, and a sense of space. Anyway the record brings a valuable series to a fine conclusion.'