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

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.