Charpentier from King's with Felicity Lott

This post is a tribute to the fine soprano Felicity Lott, who has died at age 79. It continues a series of choral recordings from the King's College Choir and Philip Ledger. These artists are heard in a 1977 recording of baroque music by Marc-Antoine Charpentier.

Dame Felicity Lott

The program is, in fact, somewhat unusual for Dame Felicity, who made her name via opera performances and song recitals. It does show her broad repertoire and artistic sympathies. You can read much more about her in a New York Times obituary (gift link).

In that article, critic Tim Page wrote of her:

Tall and self-possessed, with an air of wit and sophistication, Ms. Lott was ideal for parts like the introspective Marschallin in Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier, the Countess in his Capriccio and yet another wistful Countess, in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro.

While Ms. Lott’s voice was lucid and sensitive, what set her apart were her dramatic gifts and her refined yet warm bearing.

Today's program includes two Charpentier works: his Te Deum in D major, H.146, and Magnificat in D minor, H.74. They were composed while he was music director at the Church of Saint-Louis in Paris in the late 17th century.

An 18th century portrait of Marc-Antoine Charpentier,
which may or may not be accurate

"It is ceremonial music, for thanksgiving to God and perhaps almost equally to Louis XIV - after French victories, with the triumphal tones of trumpets and drums prominent," wrote Stanley Sadie in The Gramophone. "Not unlike Purcell's big court pieces, it mixes vigorous choruses with solo numbers and concertante movements (not unlike verse anthem style) for groups of soloists with the chorus."

Dame Felicity is heard in solo passages as well as ensembles with baritone Stephen Roberts, alto Charles Brett, tenor Ian Partridge and soprano Eiddwen Harry. The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields provides the instrumental backing, Thomas Trotter the organ continuo. The orchestra is heard most prominently in the two preludes. The prelude to the Te Deum is widely known in Europe for its use by Eurovision, principally for its Song Contest.

Recording Charpentier in the King's College Chapel

Several recent posts have addressed the coming of the period performance practice movement in the 1970s and 80s. This LP represents the middle ground of using modern instruments and small forces, in contrast to symphonic performances of Baroque music or the newly ascendant historically informed performances. Julian Rushton, who prepared the parts for this recording, explained his methods in the sleeve note:

This recording is made with modern instruments, and at modern pitch. Pitch in 17th-century France was about one tone below ours, but transposition raises more problems than it solves. Charpentier would probably have had a bass viol continuo rather than cello, and recorders rather than flutes; high tenors (haute-contres) were used rather than altos, and the soloists, presumably all male, would have formed part of the choir.

To demonstrate the difference in sound between this recording and period performances, here is what the Te Deum's prelude sounds like as performed by William Christie's Les Arts Florissants.

Philip Ledger

Putting the matter of "authenticity" aside, the King's performance is a good one. Stanley Sadie's verdict was as follows: "The performances here, cleverly recorded in King's College Chapel in such a way as to sound both clear in detail and spaciously reverberant, are altogether superior to those on the Pye Vanguard disc cited above [referring to a performance by the Pailliard Orchestra directed by Louis Martini]: in the solo singing (better in tone and much more sensitive to line), in the choral singing (clearer in articulation, brighter in tone and in every way more alive), in the instrumental playing (neater and more expressive) and in the general direction (Philip Ledger conducts rhythmically and with a keen feeling for the character of each number)."

Dame Felicity shines throughout, demonstrating the versatility that was just one of her artistic talents.

LINK

Evensong for Ascension Day from King's

This is a follow-up to a recent post containing music for Holy Week from King's College, Cambridge. That LP was from 1977; today we have a 1978 recording of Choral Evensong for Ascension Day. Again, the King's Choir is conducted by Philip Ledger, who directed the ensemble from 1974-82.

Philip Ledger

As its name implies, "evensong" is a sung service taking place near evening. It is an Anglican tradition; one of its most famous exponents is the King's Choir.

The service is centered on peace and personal reflection. Having attended a King's Choral Evensong, I can attest that it is a moving experience.

In his notes to this LP, the then Dean of King's, the Rev. Michael Till, writes that "The service is essentially different from a missionary service, which is designed to create belief. Instead, it represents the response of the believer to a God who has already made Himself known." This is particularly meaningful on Ascension Day, which signifies Christ's ascension into heaven, forty days after his Easter resurrection. Ascension Day this year is Thursday, May 15 (the following Sunday in some parishes).

Rev. Till: "The festivals of the Christian year follow the pattern of the life of Christ, and make up a year-long reflection on the different aspects of that interchange between the human and the divine which ... forms the centre of the service itself."

The King's Choir with director Stephen Cleobury, who succeeded Ledger

As with the music for Holy Week, the selections range from the Renaissance and Baroque (William Byrd, William Smith of Durham, J.S. Bach, Jeremiah Clarke) to the 19th century (Eugène Gigout, Henry George Ley, Joseph Barnby) to the 20th century (Edmund Rubbra).

Gordon Reynolds wrote in The Gramophone, "Philip Ledger's approach to the famous acoustic is not to beguile it with soft-centred tone, melting at the edges, but to calculate the duration of notes so that the building has its part to play in rounding them off. This produces thrilling sound, wonderfully clear, in the unaccompanied counterpoint. In the Rubbra Magnificat and Nunc dimittis, with the added challenge of the organ, the effect is rich and noble.

"Musically a joy, and historically important as a sample of the current modus operandi at King's."

Reynolds did complain - rightfully so - that the spoken portions of the service were nearly inaudible. I have raised the level somewhat while keeping it relatively subdued, which would be the case if you were present in the huge "chapel" of King's.

Thomas Trotter

As with the Holy Week program, the excellent organist is Thomas Trotter.

LINK

Music for Holy Week from King's College

I'm happy to welcome back the Choir of King's College, Cambridge in this selection of music for Holy Week, which begins Sunday.

The choir has often appeared here, although more frequently under an earlier director, David Willcocks, than under Philip Ledger  (1937-2012), the choir's leader from 1974-82.

Philip Ledger

The King's/Ledger combination was previously featured here in music by Henry Purcell, a recording I strongly recommend.

Today's program is composed of music from the Renaissance and Baroque, leavened with four English hymns, and capped by a setting of George Herbert's Let all the world in every corner sing by the 20th century composer Kenneth Leighton.

The documentation on the LP is not overly user-friendly, so let me list the contents of the program, along with the composers (or sources), their dates and nationalities as relevant:

• Antonio Lotti (1667–1740) [Italian] - Crucifixus (Crucified)

• William Horsley (1774-1858) [English] - There is a green hill far away

• Tomás Luis de Victoria (c. 1548–1611) [Spanish] - O vos omnes qui transitis per viam (All of you who pass by)

• Thomas Morley (1557-1602) [English] - Nolo mortem peccatoris (I desire not the death of a sinner)

Orlando Gibbons, Thomas Morley, Orlando di Lasso

• Orlando di Lasso (c. 1532-94) [Netherlands-Germany] - Tristis est anima mea (My soul is sorrowful)

• King John (João) IV (1604–56) [Portuguese] - Crux fidelis (Faithful cross)

• Tomás Luis de Victoria (c. 1548–1611) [Spanish] - Videte omnes populi (Let all peoples see)

• Orlando Gibbons (c. 1583–1625) [English] - Drop, drop slow tears

• Edward Miller (1731 or 1735–1807), Samuel Webbe (1740-1816) [English] - When I survey the wondrous cross

• John Taverner (c. 1490–1545) [English] - Dum transisset Sabbatum (When the Sabbath was over)

• Traditional - Jesus Christ is risen today

• Traditional [arr. George R. Woodward (1848-1934)] - This joyful Eastertide

• John Sheppard (c. 1515–58) [English] - Haec dies (This day)

• Kenneth Leighton (1929-88) [English] - Let all the world in every corner sing

The performances were hailed by reviewer Stanley Webb in The Gramophone - at least the early music component: "All lovely things to sing and to hear and nowhere is such music better sung than by the choir of King's College Chapel, under Philip Ledger."

He, however, was not taken with the 19th century music: "After such august company the listener comes down to earth with a bump to Victorian sentimentality with the texts of Mrs Alexander's hymn There is a green hill and my namesake's (S. Webbe, 1820) When I survey. The Anglican tradition produced better things than this, however, in Orlando Gibbons's Drop, drop slow tears and Jesus Christ is risen today. Easter Day is indeed reached at last with a vigorous performance of Kenneth Leighton's Let all the world, with its taxing accompaniment brilliantly played by the new [King's] organ scholar, Thomas Trotter."

Thomas Trotter

The cover note by Cambridge musicologist Iain Fenlon similarly is dismissive of the hymn tunes, which undoubtedly were included to provide some variety in texture: "Three of the hymns are taken from The English Hymnal, that erratic though panoramic account of English hymn tunes produced under the musical editorship of Vaughan Williams."

Kenneth Leighton

The mention of Vaughan Williams reminds me that he too produced a setting of Let all the world in every corner sing which is far more jubilant than the angular music by Kenneth Leighton (a composer I admire). You can hear Vaughan Williams' setting here, as part of his Five Mystical Songs.

The sound on this 1977 analogue recording is quite good; the choir's voices and the resonant King's College Chapel are captured perfectly.

LINK

An Easter Service from King's College

Looking through some of my choral LPs yesterday, I came across this recording of the Easter morning service made in 1957 by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge. I decided to make a quick transfer for this post.

Similar to the Christmas recordings from King's, this includes both the spoken lessons and prayers and the appropriate music from the service.

The musical selections are largely from 16th and 17th century composers (Thomas Tomkins, Robert Stone and William Byrd) and from the 20th century composer Herbert Howells. The latter are from his Collegium Regale service, written for King's.

Boris Ord

Leading the choir was Dr. Boris Ord, who was the King's College Chapel organist from 1929 to 1957. This must have been one of his last recordings with the choir. Their 1956 disc of the Christmas Eve service and 1954 disc of Evensong can be found here. Ord died in 1961.

The "chapel" of course is a vast edifice, and a difficult place for recording. The music on this current disc was well handled by the Argo engineers, and even the spoken passages sound atmospheric yet also clear. This recording is in mono; I don't believe it ever was issued in stereo.

A.R. Vidler

Among those reading the lessons and prayers is the Rev. Dr. A.R. Vidler, Dean of King's College. He was a notable personality who was editor of the journal Theology and author of several books. As you will note above, he also advocated wearing a black shirt and white tie in preference to a clerical collar, which may bring to mind the men's garb in Guys and Dolls.

The download includes Jeremy Noble's review from The Gramophone. Very informative, but I must disagree with his characterization of Herbert Howells' music as "a little insipid." The Collegium Regale is a favorite of mine; you can hear another recording of the Te Deum in this post from Westminster Abbey.

If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, I hope spring has arrived in your vicinity. Please have a happy holiday!

The King's College Chapel in a later photograph. Stephen Cleobury (left center) leads the choir.

Music of Purcell from King's College

This transfer of music by the 17th century English composer Henry Purcell comes as the result of a request, and it is a pleasure to post it.

Purcell was a great composer, perhaps insufficiently recognized. This recording provides ample evidence of his genius.

Henry Purcell

The performers are some of the finest that Britain had to offer in 1975, the time of the recording: the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Conducting was Philip Ledger (1937-2012), the choir's director from 1974-82, who was knighted in 1999.

The program is divided into two parts: first the Funeral Music for Queen Mary II, dating from 1695, It comprises a funeral march and canzona; and three funeral sentences, of which only "Thou knowest, Lord" is certain to have been used in the ceremony. "Thou knowest, Lord" was performed at Purcell's own funeral services. He died later in 1685, at age 35 or 36.

The Philip Jones Brass Ensemble

The march and canzona are performed by the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, a well regarded group of the day. The ensemble also appears in the one of the two settings of "Thou knowest, Lord." Otherwise, organist Francis Grier accompanies.

[A brief interlude of royal exposition here: Queen Mary and her spouse King William were installed as joint monarchs in 1689 after James II was deposed. James ruled in succession to his elder brother, Charles II, who died in 1685. The Restoration of the Stuart monarchy had taken place in 1660 when Charles had returned from exile.]

Purcell had become the organist of Westminster Abbey in 1679, and in addition the Chapel Royal organist in about 1682. The composer then devoted his energies to church music for several years, rather than the theater works that had been his main occupation.

Philip Ledger and the choir in the King's College Chapel

Following the funeral music, the balance of the LP is devoted to five church anthems. "Hear my prayer, O Lord" and "Remember not, Lord, our offenses" are performed by the choir, unaccompanied. In "Rejoice in the Lord alway," "My beloved spake" and "Blessed are they that fear the Lord," the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields and the organist provide accompaniment.

The performances, while glorious in their understated way, might be characterized as middle of the road - neither the inflated approach to baroque music that might have been heard earlier in the 20th century, nor the historically informed performances that are common today. I've owned the LP since it came out 45 years ago, and its style seem just right to me, old fashioned though I may be.

The reviews were generally positive at the time, although one complained that the performance of "My beloved spake" is not sensuous enough for the Song of Solomon. (One wonders how sensuous Charles II would have wanted things to be in the Chapel Royal. This is a church anthem, after all.)

The recording quality is excellent, although the late-analogue effort is not as transparent as the finest digital recordings of today. The EMI team was experienced with the highly resonant acoustic of the vast King's College Chapel, so presumably achieved the best results possible at the time. You can hear the echo go on (and on and on) at the end of the choir's phrases. That extended reverberation does not appear on the contributions from the vocal soloists, presumably because of the spot microphones used for them. But overall, the effect is pleasing.

I enjoyed this recording; I'll have to see what other Purcell recordings I have in the vaults.

From Vaughan Williams: Mass in G minor, Five Mystical Songs

Here is the latest in a series of Vaughan Williams choral works recorded by David Willcocks for HMV in the 1960s. These transfers are all from vintage EMI vinyl sources.

The previous posts in the series were Hodie, Sancta Civitas and Benedicite.

David Willcocks

Of the Mass in G minor, Vaughan Williams authority Michael Kennedy has written, "The temptation is strong to describe the Mass in G minor as the greatest choral music Vaughan Williams wrote. It was one of three outstanding works which he composed shortly after the end of the First World War, the others being A Pastoral Symphony and the one-act "pastoral episode," The Shepherds of the Delectable Mountains. All three are similar in mood, their outward tranquility masking a profound inner intensity."

Opinions are split on the performance here: some critics thought it was fine, others took issue with the choir's white tone and slack intonation (which really isn't as bad as all that). Despite the Turner painting of the King's College Chapel on the cover above, the choir actually decamped for the Chapel of Trinity College for this recording.

John Shirley-Quirk

For the Five Mystical Songs and accompanying Motet, O Clap Your Hands, the choir was back at home base and joined by the English Chamber Orchestra and baritone John Shirley-Quirk. The songs are setting of texts by the metaphysical poet George Herbert, and both the poetry and music are inspired. Vaughan Williams' varied settings are by turns rapt and joyful, and brought to life in these exceptional performances, particularly by Shirley-Quirk. As Alec Robertson wrote in his Gramophone review, "John Shirley-Quirk's singing of these songs is worthy of the highest praise in point of fervour, interior feeling and clarity of enunciation."

The songs are complemented well by the celebratory motet, O Clap Your Hands, with words from Psalm 47, which concludes the album. As Robertson wrote, it is "a triumphant sound to fill a great church with." The songs date from 1906-11, the motet from 1920.

King's College Chapel

There is some dispute about the dates of the recording. It's possible that some of it was recorded in 1966 and some in 1968. It wasn't published until 1969. The sound is excellent, showing that producer Christopher Bishop and balance engineer Neville Boyling had mastered the art of recording in these vast spaces. The download includes several reviews and the texts, among other items.

The recording of the Five Mystical Songs has long been a favorite of mine; I enjoyed transferring it and its discmates for this post. As with other entries in this series, the transfer is from an HMV vinyl source, in this case a boxed set of Vaughan Williams' choral music, which will also be the source of future entries in this series.

From The Gramophone, May 1969

More Vaughan Williams First Recordings: 'Sancta Civitas' and 'Benedicite'

Let's continue our series of Vaughan Williams recordings from early UK vinyl incarnations. Following the Hodie post of a month ago, today we have more choral/orchestral works - Sancta Civitas and Benedicite. 

As with Hodie, David Willcocks conducts the London Symphony and the Bach Choir, adding the King's College Choir for Sancta Civitas. The soloists are again among the best that the UK had to offer - baritone John Shirley-Quirk returns for Sancta Civitas, with soprano Heather Harper the soloist in Benedicite. Tenor Ian Partridge makes a brief but effective appearance in the first work.

The recordings derive from January 18-20, 1968 sessions in London's Kingsway Hall. Leading the recording team were producer Christopher Bishop and engineer Christopher Parker.

Ralph Vaughan Williams and David Willcocks, circa the 1940s

Sancta Civitas

In his Gramophone review, Roger Fiske remarked that neither Sancta Civitas nor Benedicite are heard in the concert hall - they require elaborate forces and are too short to command a program by themselves.

The longer work, Sancta Civitas, calls for orchestra, three choirs (one off-stage) and two soloists, one of whom (the tenor) has only one line. It lasts barely more than a half-hour. Still and all, Fiske called it "a masterpiece and among Vaughan Williams' greatest achievements."

While the composer termed Sancta Civitas an oratorio, it will not remind you of The Messiah, or closer to Vaughan Williams' time, The Dream of Gerontius. As with the latter work, however, Vaughan Williams' intent was spiritual. In his notes, Michael Kennedy quotes the composer as writing, "The object of all art is to achieve a partial revelation of that which is beyond human senses and human faculties, of that in fact which is spiritual." The work is from 1923-25, and sets texts from the Book of Revelation and other sources.

As Fiske wrote, the performance is superb, and the recording is all one could wish. (Perhaps a bit more than one would wish; it is quite bright sounding.) Shirley-Quirk and Partridge are excellent.

John Shirley-Quirk and Ian Partridge

Benedicite

In his High Fidelity review, Alfred Frankenstein noted that Benedicite "is quite different from Sancta Civitas. It is rugged, vigorous, effervescent with reminiscence of English folk song in tune and text."

The text leaflet optimistically calls the work a setting "of the familiar canticle." A canticle is a liturgical setting, in this case "Benedicite, omnia opera Domini, Domino" in the Latin Rite, or "O all ye Works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord" in the Book of Common Prayer. Vaughan Williams set the latter version, interpolating a 17th century poem by John Austin.

Heather Harper

The work, which dates from 1930, is half as long as Sancta Civitas, but no less worthy. Frankenstein considered it "one of the most important of Vaughan Williams' numerous brief choral works." Here, the soloist is Heather Harper, who distinguishes herself, as do the choral and orchestral forces under Willcocks.

The download includes reviews, texts, and front and back cover scans. Although I possess both the original HMV and Angel pressings of this coupling, I made use of a lossless transfer of the HMV from Internet Archive, which seemed marginally cleaner than my LPs.

In later posts, I will have more of Willcocks' Vaughan Williams choral recordings from the 1960s. 

Evensong at King's College, Cambridge, 1956

The tradition of choral Evensong in Anglican churches reaches back to 1549 and the first Book of Common Prayer, by which time the Choir of King's College, Cambridge had been in existence for more than a century.

Fan vaulting in the chapel

This present recording of Evensong is of course much closer to our own day, having been taped in 1956, but it nonetheless is fully in line with traditions that date back centuries.

Both the choir and the vast King's College Chapel were initiated by King Henry VI. The Chapel is an astonishing edifice, topped by the world's largest fan vault. The effect of choral Evensong in this space is magnificent.

At the time of the recording, the choir was directed by Boris Ord, who had held the position since 1929, with time out for war service. There have been only three choir directors since him: Sir David Willcocks (1957-74), Sir Philip Ledger (1974-82) and Sir Stephen Cleobury (1982-present). Daniel Hyde will succeed to the post this fall.

Click to enlarge

I am virtually certain that this, the choir's second recording on Argo, is the first LP of Evensong from King's College. The first was a 1954 recording of the Christmas Eve program of lessons and carols, which appeared on this blog 10 years ago, and which I remastered and reuploaded a few days ago. Argo advertised both records in the December 1956 issue of Gramophone (at right).

Services of Evensong include readings from the Bible and the singing of psalms and the canticles Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis. This LP draws upon the music of English composers ranging back to the 16th century (responses by William Smith) and the early 17th century (an introit by Adrian Batten). The Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis are by Sir Charles Stanford and date from the late 19th or early 20th century. The anthem "My Beloved Spake" is by the 20th century composer Patrick Hadley, and a concluding voluntary was written by Francis Jackson, organist at York Minster at the time of the recording.

The choir consisted then and now of both boy choristers and young men, called choral scholars. At the time of the recording, the latter included the bass Christopher Keyte, later to become a well-known singer. He does not have a solo on the record, but does present one of the readings.

The LP sonics are true to the resonant sound of the vast chapel.

Boris Ord and choristers in King's College Chapel, 1956

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A Festival of Lessons and Carols, 1954

King's College Chapel in Cambridge is one of the most beautiful places on earth and has one of the best known Christmas ceremonies, the festival of lessons and carols on Christmas Eve, which is broadcast all over the world. The Choir of King's College has made several commercial recordings of the ceremony; one of the first is this 1954 recording, conducted by its then-director, Boris Ord.

The Choir, composed of boys and choral scholars from the college, is justly as famous as its Chapel, which, despite its name, is a vast edifice.

Perhaps because I have been privileged to have attended choral evensong in the chapel, I find this record to be both treasurable and memorable. When the Choir and organist Hugh McLean launch into the hymn While Shepherds Watch, the effect is truly magnificent.

This transfer is from the US Westminster pressing of the Argo original. The sound reflects the beautiful King's College Chapel ambiance - except for several of the lessons, which sound more like they were recorded in the King's College Closet. Odd, but not enough to spoil the overall effect.

Happy holidays to all our friends!