(A) Vaughan Williams Hymnal
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Anonymous, Louis Bourgeois, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Philippe Dubois, Thomas Ravenscroft, Johannes Crüger
Label: Classics
Magazine Review Date: 1/1997
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 76
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 75605 51249-2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Ye watchers and ye holy ones |
Anonymous, Composer
Andrew Lamb, Organ Anonymous, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| Mon Dieu, prête-moi |
Louis Bourgeois, Composer
Andrew Lamb, Organ Louis Bourgeois, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| Old Hundredth and Fourth |
Thomas Ravenscroft, Composer
Andrew Lamb, Organ Richard Marlow, Conductor Thomas Ravenscroft, Composer Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| (The) English Hymnal, Movement: Father hear the prayer we offer (Sussex: 385) |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Andrew Lamb, Organ Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| (The) English Hymnal, Movement: Hail thee, Festival day (Salve festa dies: 624) |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Andrew Lamb, Organ Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| (The) English Hymnal, Movement: It is a thing most wonderful (Herongate: 597) |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Andrew Lamb, Organ Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| (The) English Hymnal, Movement: From the eastern mountains (King's Weston) |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Andrew Lamb, Organ Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| (The) English Hymnal, Movement: Come down, O Love Divine (Down Ampney: 152) |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Christopher Allsop, Organ Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| (The) English Hymnal, Movement: For all the Saints (Sine Nomine: 641) |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Christopher Allsop, Organ Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| (The) English Hymnal, Movement: He who would valiant be (Monk's Gate: 402) |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Christopher Allsop, Organ Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| (The) English Hymnal, Movement: O God of earth and altar (King's Lynn: 562) |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Christopher Allsop, Organ Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| (The) English Hymnal, Movement: Firmly I believe and truly (Shipston) |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Christopher Allsop, Organ Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| (The) English Hymnal, Movement: I heard the voice of Jesus say (Kingsfold) |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Christopher Allsop, Organ Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| Schmücke dich |
Johannes Crüger, Composer
Johannes Crüger, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| Rendez à Dieu |
Louis Bourgeois, Composer
Louis Bourgeois, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| O Mensch bewein |
Louis Bourgeois, Composer
Christopher Allsop, Organ Louis Bourgeois, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| Christ the Lord is risen again |
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer Christopher Allsop, Organ Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| (The) English Hymnal, Movement: God that madest earth and heaven (Ar hyd y nos (Althe night)) |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| Saviour, again to Thy dear name |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Christopher Allsop, Organ Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| Christe fons jugis |
Philippe Dubois, Composer
Philippe Dubois, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| (The) Old Hundredth Psalm Tune - 'All People that on Earth do Dwell' |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Andrew Lamb, Organ Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer Richard Marlow, Conductor Trinity College Choir, Cambridge |
| (3) Preludes on Welsh Hymn-Tunes, Movement: No. 1, Bryn Calfaria (melody by W. Owen: 1814-1893) |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Christopher Allsop, Organ Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer |
| (3) Preludes on Welsh Hymn-Tunes, Movement: No. 3, Hyfrydol (melody by R. H. Prichard: 1811-1887) |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Christopher Allsop, Organ Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer |
| (3) Preludes on Welsh Hymn-Tunes, Movement: No. 2, Rhosymedre (melody by J. D. Edwards: 1805-1885) |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Andrew Lamb, Organ Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer |
Author:
I enjoyed the record very much but was mightily frustrated by the documentation. If you want to find out about what you are listening to, you have to have a finger in three places: the listing (which gives the name of the tune and the first line of the hymn), the essay (by James Day, dealing with the general subject of Vaughan Williams’s hymnody and not following the order of hymns on the record), and the text. That is mildly annoying, and even while hunting in between these you realize that questions which have occurred in the course of listening are not always answered. What, for instance, is the date of composition? Which, exactly, are original compositions and which are arrangements (there is a certain amount on this in the essay, but it is not systematic or complete – where, for example, can we find out about Magda, “Saviour, again to thy dear name”?). And are the words, in every case, those for which VW wrote the music? That last query arises out of the tune King’s Weston, which is generally known to the words of “At the name of Jesus”. Consulting Michael Kennedy’s The Works of Vaughan Williams (Oxford: 1964) I find the tune duly listed in association with those words, and no mention anywhere of the words to which it is sung here (those of an Epiphany hymn, From the eastern mountains). Once started, queries have a way of generating more. For instance, King’s Weston and Magda having been traced in Kennedy, we learn that they were both written not for The English Hymnal, about which the notes have something to say, but for Songs for Praise, in which Vaughan Williams played an equally important part and about which the notes say nothing.
Performances and recording are fine, with admirable clarity and a satisfying balance between choir and organ. The arrangement of verses (unison with organ, four-part harmony unaccompanied, women only, men only, and so forth) is sensibly ordered. The interpolation of the three organ preludes on Welsh hymn-tunes is a good idea, and the pieces are well played. In their punctuation of the hymns, I think the choir’s style is fussy (do we really want to be shown the comma between “Hail thee” and “festival day” and to be reminded of it every time?) but never mind, it is probably a fault in the right direction. Vaughan Williams’s work, of course, is a joy, always revealing a strength both in the tunes he selects for arrangement and in himself. There can, for instance, hardly be a more ordinary looking tune in the book than Down Ampney, nor one that stays and grows in the mind with more affection.'
Performances and recording are fine, with admirable clarity and a satisfying balance between choir and organ. The arrangement of verses (unison with organ, four-part harmony unaccompanied, women only, men only, and so forth) is sensibly ordered. The interpolation of the three organ preludes on Welsh hymn-tunes is a good idea, and the pieces are well played. In their punctuation of the hymns, I think the choir’s style is fussy (do we really want to be shown the comma between “Hail thee” and “festival day” and to be reminded of it every time?) but never mind, it is probably a fault in the right direction. Vaughan Williams’s work, of course, is a joy, always revealing a strength both in the tunes he selects for arrangement and in himself. There can, for instance, hardly be a more ordinary looking tune in the book than Down Ampney, nor one that stays and grows in the mind with more affection.'
(A) Vaughan Williams Hymnal
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