Notes and Editorial Reviews
Although subtitled “Hymns for Children”, this Volume 4 in Hyperion’s English Hymn series includes some of the genre’s most enduring, universally revered, all-age constituents--the kind that you may first hear and sing as a child but carry with you the rest of your life. Those who know this repertoire will be pleased to find such standards as All things bright and beautiful (W.H. Monk’s tune) and There is a green hill far away (Horsley)--two of the classics with words by Mrs. (Cecil Frances) Alexander, who in the 19th century wrote many hymns ostensibly as a means of teaching her godchildren the Creed. (Once in royal David’s city, not included here, is another of her more famous “instructional” efforts.) Other of the more sophisticated,
Read more
adult-favorite selections are the great processional All glory, laud, and honor (St. Theodulph), Percy Dearmer’s He who would valiant be (set to Vaughan Williams’ arrangement of the tune Monk’s Gate), and Dear Lord and Father of mankind (words by Whittier), set to Hubert Parry’s very beautiful and moving tune Repton.
Among the more specifically child-oriented hymns are William Parker’s Tell me the stories of Jesus, There’s a Friend for little children (to John Stainer’s tune In Memoriam), Away in a Manger (the William Kirkpatrick melody), Little Jesus, sweetly sleep (Rocking), Morning has broken, and What a friend we have in Jesus, a perennial favorite of traditional and fundamentalist Protestant congregations in the U.S.--as is Onward Christian soldiers, sung here with a decidedly tamer militant tone than is often heard in renditions by choirs on this side of the Atlantic.
The informative, often humorous notes prove a significant asset to this collection. Not only do they succinctly describe each hymn’s provenance, with a few tidbits about the authors and composers, but they also aren’t afraid to cite weaknesses, either in the poetry or theology of several entries. There are few weaknesses in the singing, however: this is a choir, as with any English cathedral choir, that knows, lives, and breathes this music, and only occasionally does a particular section (basses and tenors, mostly) get a little overzealous in its delivery. Because of the bigness of the space, some hymns--the ones requiring a lighter feel and faster tempo, such as Lord of the dance--come off a bit cumbersome, the choir and organ’s effort at clean articulation somewhat swallowed in the acoustic. But this is the sound of cathedral hymn-singing--and thankfully without the inevitable, often overwhelming tempo-smudging, pitch-fudging presence of congregation and clergy! If you love English hymns, this will be another essential addition to the library--and you likely will discover a few new tunes and texts, as I did, to remind you of the infinite variety and profound capacity for inspiration embodied in this very special music.
--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
All things bright and beautiful by William Henry Monk
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Period: Romantic
Written: by 1887; England
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 3 Minutes 26 Secs.
Language: English
2.
Little Jesus sweetly sleep by Traditional
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 2 Minutes 2 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: David Willcocks
3.
Morning has broken by Traditional
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 1 Minutes 40 Secs.
Language: English
4.
When a knight by Traditional
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ),
Kierun White (Voice)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 1 Minutes 51 Secs.
Language: English
5.
There is a green hill far away by William Horsley
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Period: Romantic
Written: England
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 2 Minutes 17 Secs.
Language: English
6.
English Hymnal: no 9, He who would valiant be by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Period: 20th Century
Written: England
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 2 Minutes 21 Secs.
Language: English
7.
What a Friend We Have in Jesus by Charles Crozat Converse
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Period: Romantic
Written: 1876; USA
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 2 Minutes 39 Secs.
Language: English
8.
Lord of the Dance by Traditional
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 3 Minutes 31 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: Sydney Carter
9.
From out of a wood by Traditional
Performer:
Ruth Arnold (Voice),
Stephen Burrows (Voice),
Iain Macleod-Jones (Voice),
Laurence Whitehead (Bass)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Written: England
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 0 Minutes 52 Secs.
Language: English
10.
All glory, laud and honor by Melchoir Teschner
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Period: Baroque
Written: 1615; Germany
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 4 Minutes 20 Secs.
Language: English
11.
Away in a manger by William J. Kirkpatrick
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Period: 20th Century
Written: USA
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 2 Minutes 48 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: Malcolm Archer
12.
Onward! Christian Soldiers by Arthur Sullivan
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Period: Romantic
Written: 1871; England
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 3 Minutes 21 Secs.
Language: English
13.
Stories of Jesus by Frederick A. Challinor
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Period: Romantic
Written: 1885; England
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 2 Minutes 56 Secs.
Language: English
14.
Glenfinlas by Kenneth G. Finlay
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ),
Emilia Hughes (Voice),
Naomi Marshall (Voice),
Rosemary Henderson (Voice)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1931; Scotland
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 1 Minutes 52 Secs.
Language: English
15.
Vienna by Justin Heinrich Knecht
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Period: Classical
Written: by 1799; Germany
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 1 Minutes 59 Secs.
Language: English
16.
In memoriam by John Stainer
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Period: Romantic
Written: 1875; England
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 2 Minutes 54 Secs.
Language: English
17.
Buckland by Leighton George Hayne
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Period: Romantic
Written: England
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 2 Minutes 20 Secs.
Language: English
18.
Innocents by Anonymous
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Period: Romantic
Written: by 1850
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 2 Minutes 12 Secs.
Language: English
19.
Geistreiches Gesangbuch: Gott sei Dank in aller Welt by Anonymous
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Written: by 1704; Germany
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 1 Minutes 46 Secs.
Language: English
20.
Quem pastores laudavere by Traditional
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Period: Medieval
Written: 14th Century
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 2 Minutes 35 Secs.
Language: English
21.
Jackson by Thomas Jackson
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Period: Classical
Written: by 1780; England
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 2 Minutes 37 Secs.
Language: English
22.
Westridge by Martin Shaw
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1930; England
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 1 Minutes 15 Secs.
Language: English
23.
Shipston by Traditional
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Written: England
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 1 Minutes 6 Secs.
Language: English
24.
Judith: Repton by Charles Hubert Parry
Performer:
Rupert Gough (Organ)
Conductor:
Malcolm Archer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wells Cathedral Choir
Period: Romantic
Written: 1888; England
Date of Recording: 06/2002
Venue: Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Length: 4 Minutes 6 Secs.
Language: English
Customer Reviews
Be the first to review this title
Review This Title
