Anthemsvol2 DCD34351

Orchestral Anthems
Choir of Merton College, Oxford
Britten Sinfonia/Benjamin Nicholas
rec. 2024, St Barnabas, Ealing, London.
Texts included
Delphian DCD34351 [61]

One of my favourite recordings of 2023, although not one I reviewed for this site, was the first volume of English Orchestral Anthems recorded by Benjamin Nicholas and his Choir of Merton College Oxford accompanied by the Britten Sinfonia. Delphian have reassembled the same performers to try and repeat that successful formula – and it has to be said they have achieved that goal. For any aficionados of this repertoire this is a truly excellent survey of music both familiar and less so.

The singers are a ‘working’ chapel choir and they sound exactly as you would expect; youthful and fresh voiced and exceptionally well-trained. The liner lists 45 singers which allows for great clarity and precision if not the actual weight of tone a large choral society might possess. Where the works in question are of sacred origin – albeit in their orchestral guise – the result is magnificent. Possibly, where the works have a choral or festival origin there is a passing sense of missing massed singing. Obviously this is unique compilation of works and of the six choral works two are receiving their first recordings. Of the other four pieces these new performances are musically the equal of the earlier ones at least. 

I do prefer the sense of extra scale the full LSO Chorus for Hickox on Chandos or the RLPO choir for Groves on EMI bring to the Light out of darkness excerpt from Elgar’s early The Light of Life. Likewise, the former performers and label teamed again with Hickox for Ireland’s compact and powerful Greater Love hath no man to imposing effect. Chandos also had the luxury casting of a young Bryn Terfel in the brief baritone solo. The hardworking Hickox also conducted what I think is the only other orchestral version of Walton’s The Twelve as part of Chandos’ Walton Edition. Nicholas’ brighter tempi give an extra bite and spark to the typically Waltonian rhythms and harmonies. Indeed, perhaps dictated by the scale of the choir, these new Merton versions are all quicker than the alternatives mentioned here. Stanford’s Evening Service in A Op.12 appeared as part of a mixed recital from Robert King and his King’s Consort and Choir. The scale of that performance is similar to Merton with the added twist of historically informed performance practice.  I do find that style just a little precious so in that direct like-for-like instance I prefer the directness of Nicholas and his unmannered Merton Singers.  Indeed, in its orchestral garb this well-known evening service sounds glorious.

Throughout the choir are very well accompanied by the Britten Sinfonia who seem to have taken on the mantle of Hickox’s City of London Sinfonia or previously the English Chamber Orchestra as a highly skilled freelance orchestra able to turn their collective hands to just about any musical style. As a rather effective meditative interlude they play an orchestration by Arnold Foster of Vaughan Williams’ organ Prelude on ‘Rhosymedre’. This is a simple but wholly effective transcription played with understated sophistication where Vaughan Williams pays respectful homage to Bach. It has to be said the Delphian technical team have produced a demonstration worthy recording to boot. The integration of choir, orchestra and organ has been ideally achieved with weight and clarity afforded each element of the performing group.

Both of the ‘new’ recordings are genuine discoveries with their orchestral accompaniments. Edward Bairstow’s Lord, thou hast been our refuge which was originally conceived with an orchestral accompaniment. Written during the latter part of World War I, it is easy to hear this rather sombre and powerful work as reflecting the spirit of a nation at war. Wesley’s Ascribe unto the Lord is fluent and attractive but perhaps the work that seems least elevated/transformed in this orchestral version. This is in no way a comment on the quality of the performance but rather that Wesley’s own orchestration feels relatively formulaic. Likewise the anthem itself goes through all the dutiful passages of fugal writing or recitative that lack that spark of inspiration that inhabits most of the other scores offered here. That said I am glad to have heard this version and cannot imagine it being easily surpassed.

With full texts and a good selection of session photographs alongside Jeremy Dibble’s helpful liner note this is another high quality release.  The hope must be that further volumes will follow.

Nick Barnard

Previous review: John Quinn (May 2025)

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Contents
Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
‘Light out of Darkness’ (from The Light of Life, Op 29)
Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)
Evening Service in A, Op 12
Sir Edward Bairstow (1874-1946)
Lord, thou hast been our refuge
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) orch. Arnold Foster (c.1898-1963)
Prelude on ‘Rhosymedre’
Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810-1876)
Ascribe unto the Lord
John Ireland (1879-1962)
Greater love hath no man
Sir William Walton (1902-1983)
The Twelve