Most Welcome
GEOFF PEARCE listens to William Walton's complete songs
'... I am thrilled that these songs have been presented.'
William Walton has always impressed me as a composer since I first heard Façade and also Belshazzar's Feast in my youth. I did not know any of his songs so was quite keen to listen to this disc which contains his complete song selection.
A Song for the Lord Mayor's Table was composed in 1962 and premiered by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Gerald Moore. I would have loved to be present at that premiere. These six songs are of contrasting character, are quite delightful and reveal a side of Walton that I was unfamiliar with.
Listen — William Walton: The Contrast (A Song for the Lord Mayor's Table)
(DCD34328 track 5, 0:00-0:56) ℗ 2024 Delphian Records Ltd :
Anon in Love, from 1960, was premiered that year at the Aldeburgh Festival by Peter Pears and Julian Bream. I had heard of these songs, but had never previously listened to them. Walton wrote well for the guitar (as was later evidenced by his Five Bagatelles). These six pieces were set to texts by Christopher Hassall. Some are humorous, whilst others more gently reflect on the subject of love.
Listen — William Walton: O stay, sweet love (Anon in Love)
(DCD34328 track 8, 0:00-0:24) ℗ 2024 Delphian Records Ltd :
Three of the Four Early Songs (1918-1920), composed when Walton was between sixteen and eighteen, to text by Algernon Charles Swinburne, only turned up at auction some years after Walton's death, were not published until 2022 and are premiered here.
Listen — William Walton: Child's Song (Four Early Songs)
(DCD34328 track 13, 1:03-1:38) ℗ 2024 Delphian Records Ltd :
The last song, The Winds, was published in 1921 and, as such, has the distinction of being his first published work. The first three are somewhat intimate and calm in nature, whereas the short last one is a bit more tempestuous, as befits the subject.
Listen — William Walton: The Winds (Four Early Songs)
(DCD34328 track 16, 0:00-0:33) ℗ 2024 Delphian Records Ltd :
The short song Tritons is unusual: the melodic line is angular and the piano part is somewhat reminiscent of Debussy and Ravel. This was composed in 1921 on text drawn from an obscure 'Madrigal' by William Drummond from the seventeenth century.
Walton composed Under the greenwood tree for Paul Czinner's 1936 film of As You Like It in a style reflecting an Elizabethan song as if accompanied by a lute. I love this little work for its sincere simplicity.
Listen — William Walton: Under the greenwood tree
(DCD34328 track 18, 1:12-1:54) ℗ 2024 Delphian Records Ltd :
Beatriz's Song is a little piece written for the 1942 radio play Christopher Columbus by Walton's friend Louis MacNeice. Walton was reluctant to publish this song, but it was arranged by Christopher Palmer for voice and piano and published by Walton in 1974. It is slow, reflective and rather sorrowful with a distinct Spanish flavour.
The final Three Façade Settings are some of the fruits of Walton's collaboration with the Sitwells who were so supportive and helpful to the young composer. Whilst all of the songs are drawn from the original material that was played by six instrumentalists, the first one is somewhat different from the original. These were arranged in 1931-32 - a decade after the original songs were written. I love all of these songs, but I am particularly fond of the second one, with its lilting Spanish dance-like flavour and the final 'Old Sir Falk'.
Listen — William Walton: Through gilded trellises (Three Façade Settings)
(DCD34328 track 21, 2:03-2:50) ℗ 2024 Delphian Records Ltd :
Like all of the Delphian recordings I have reviewed or listened to, the sound here is very good indeed, the supplied booklet and additional information is informative and most welcome and the performances are very fine. I thought the pianist, Krystal Tunnicliffe, was a marvellous and responsive supporting artist as was the guitarist Saki Kato. I was less fond of soprano Siân Dicker: I found her vibrato sometimes too wide for my taste, and her habit of swooping in intervals in the melodic line was somewhat tiring. I was pleased that the booklet also contained the lyrics, as otherwise I may have struggled somewhat. This is my personal feeling and I still feel that this is a fine disc and worthy of your attention, and I am thrilled that these songs have been presented.
Copyright © 5 November 2024
Geoff Pearce,
Sydney, Australia
