Orchestral Anthems. Bairstow, Elgar, Ireland, Stanford, Walton, Wesley. Choir of Merton College, Oxford, Britten Sinfonia / Benjamin Nicholas. © 2025 Delphian Records

Spotlight

Mercurial Precision and Gracefulness

GERALD FENECH strongly recommends anthems by British composers, sung by the Choir of Merton College, Oxford

'This imaginative compilation is certain to enhance the choir's reputation no end ...'

 

This moving disc has as much to do with the interpreters as with the composers themselves. The collaboration between Delphian Records Ltd and the Choir of Merton College, Oxford has enriched the sacred choral catalogue with many a fine issue, and this latest helping is no exception. Indeed, Gramophone described this choir as one of the UK's finest and most exciting university ensembles that are presently much in demand.

Listen — Elgar: Light out of darkness (The Light of Life Op 29)
(DCD34351 track 1, 0:02-0:53) ℗ 2025 Delphian Records :

In addition to singing in the thirteenth century chapel during term-time, an extensive touring schedule has seen the choir perform in the USA, Hong Kong, Singapore, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark and Sweden, and in 2016 the choir sang the first Anglican Service in St Peter's Basilica in Rome, which was broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Merton College Choir has also performed with a number of major ensembles, including recent concerts with The King's Singers, Britten Sinfonia and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

As cited above, this choir has recorded extensively with Delphian Records. In 2020 its recording of Gabriel Jackson's The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ (DCD 34222) won the BBC Music Magazine 2020 Choral Award. In 2023 the choir made its debut at London's Barbican on Good Friday with a performance of J S Bach's St John Passion.

This imaginative compilation is certain to enhance the choir's reputation no end, as the items on the programme are so exciting in terms of both lyrics and music. Edward Elgar's 'Light out of Darkness' from the oratorio The Light of Life sets things going followed by Charles Villiers Stanford's Evening Service in A.

Listen — Stanford: Nunc Dimittis (Evening Service in A)
(DCD34351 track 3, 0:27-1:24) ℗ 2025 Delphian Records :

Edward Bairstow and Ralph Vaughan Williams complete the middle section of this programme with Lord, thou hast been our refuge and Prelude on Rhosymedre respectively.

Listen — Bairstow: Lord, thou hast been our refuge
(DCD34351 track 4, 0:39-1:33) ℗ 2025 Delphian Records :

The tail end belongs to Samuel Sebastian Wesley's Ascribe unto the Lord, John Ireland's Greater love hath no man and William Walton's The Twelve.

Listen — Walton: The Twelve
(DCD34351 track 12, 9:55-10:51) ℗ 2025 Delphian Records :

What a tour de force of absolute beauty awaits the listener. Music that is inspiring, glorious, invigorating and most of all entrancing, to remind us that another life awaits us all when eyes are closed. Benjamin Nicholas keeps things flowing with mercurial precision and gracefulness, and the Britten Sinfonia's response is consistently intense and uplifting.

This is an exceptional recording of some superb compositions that are crying out to be heard more frequently - exhilarating stuff in pristine sound quality, eyecatching presentation and profusely detailed annotations. Strongly recommended.

Copyright © 27 February 2025 Gerald Fenech,
Gzira, Malta

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