A Christmas Fantasia. William Vann; Ashley Riches; Chapel Choir of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Vaughan Williams; Clarke; Finzi; Gibbs; Holst; Howells; Ireland; Maconchy; Vann. © 2024 Albion Records

Spotlight

Emotional Joy and Gladness

GERALD FENECH warmly recommends Christmas music from the Chapel Choir of the Royal Hospital Chelsea

'An enthralling compilation, flawlessly performed, that should prepare the listener for the celebrations of Christmastide, even at this early stage.'

 

Although the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord is still some weeks away, we are already being given the chance to taste afresh the sounds of, maybe, the most popular time of the year. A Christmas Fantasia is a collection of carols and fantasias written mainly by Ralph Vaughan Williams and his friends and former students. The exception is a new carol composed by the album's director, William Vann, setting a poem by Ivor Gurney.

Listen — William Vann: Carol
(ALBCD063 track 8, 0:00-0:55) ℗ 2024 Albion Records :

The two most substantial works are Vaughan Williams' own Fantasia on Christmas Carols which never lost its popularity since it was first produced in 1912, and Gustav Holst's Christmas Day, a fantasy on old carols dating from 1910.

Listen — Gustav Holst: Christmas Day
(ALBCD063 track 13, 2:50-3:48) ℗ 2024 Albion Records :

Despite these well-loved pieces, the programme is consistently on track with the subject with shorter works by Holst himself and by Herbert Howells, John Ireland, Rebecca Clarke, Cecil Armstrong-Gibbs, Gerald Finzi and Elizabeth Maconchy.

Listen — Elizabeth Maconchy: Nowell, Nowell, Nowell
(ALBCD063 track 15, 0:00-0:36) ℗ 2024 Albion Records :

The bass-baritone Ashley Riches contributes solos for the Fantasia on Christmas Carols and two other works, while other solo voices are drawn from the choir. Organ accompaniment is superbly provided as required by the versatile Jamie Andrews.

Listen — Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Christmas Carols
(ALBCD063 track 17, 3:18-4:10) ℗ 2024 Albion Records :

The songs in this collection present a picture of carols for choirs from the early twentieth century up to 1961, when a book of that name began another revolution and several of these carols were incorporated within it.

Listen — Vaughan Williams: Wassail Song
(ALBCD063 track 10, 0:00-0:47) ℗ 2024 Albion Records :

The conductor and pianist William Vann is recognized in particular for his acclaimed revivals of neglected works of British choral music and song. At present he is Director of Music at the Royal Hospital Chelsea and, among his many critically acclaimed recordings, one finds Parry's Judith and Prometheus Unbound which have been showered with a host of accolades.

What about the choir that has contributed immensely to this issue? The Royal Hospital Chelsea has been since 1692 the home of the Famous Chelsea Pensioners who are retired soldiers of the British Army. Today the choir enjoys an enviable reputation of being one of the best in Britain and, very often, is invited to sing at the Sunday morning Matins Service in the Wren Chapel.

If you are expecting those traditional Christmas tunes that we hear year after year, forget about this disc altogether. Indeed, the music throbs with emotional joy and gladness throughout, and Vann's fastidious attention to detail further enhances the beauty of these pieces without losing the spiritual connotations of the texts.

Listen — Rebecca Clarke: Ave Maria
(ALBCD063 track 6, 0:38-1:30) ℗ 2024 Albion Records :

An enthralling compilation, flawlessly performed, that should prepare the listener for the celebrations of Christmastide, even at this early stage. What about the annotations? A veritable goldmine of richly researched information that is so important when the programme is dedicated to works off the beaten track. Sound and presentation are first-rate. Warmly recommended.

Copyright © 29 October 2024 Gerald Fenech,
Gzira, Malta

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