Ralph Vaughan Williams - The Sons of Light • Gustav Holst - The Mystic Trumpeter • Hubert Parry - Ode on the Nativity

Teresa Cahill, soprano
The Bach Choir / Royal College of Music Chorus
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir David Willcocks, conductor
Sheila Armstrong, soprano
London Symphony Orchestra
David Atherton, conductor

Label: Lyrita
Copyright: 2007 Lyrita Recorded Edition, England
Catalogue number: SRCD.270
UPC/EAN: 5020926027023
Format: CD
Analogue / Digital recording: ADD
Number of discs: 1
Total playing time: 64.13
Price: £ 14.99 (+ postage & packing)

Tracks 1, 2, 3, 5: Recorded at Kingsway Hall, 5, 6 March 1980, Producer: Andrew Cornall, Engineers: Kenneth Wilkinson, John Pellowe
Track 4: Recorded at Walthamstow, 29 May 1980, Producer: Andrew Cornall, Engineer: Kenneth Wilkinson

The Sons of Light was commissioned for The Schools Music Association. Bernard Shore, the great viola player who had become one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools, approached RVW early in 1950, asking him to write a choral work for young singers who would have, at the first performance, the excitement and pleasure of being accompanied by the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult.

"The words are reproduced in full in the booklet. The notes are by Ursula Vaughan Williams who wrote the poems for The Sons of Light, Imogen Holst and Bernard Benoliel – I hope we will hear some of his music as well before too long. Lyrita here put on the map three neglected scores from the British choral tradition and they do so in magnificent style ..." Rob Barnett, www.musicweb-international.com Click here to read the full review

"This CD represents the only opportunity at present to get to know Parry’s magnificent Ode on the Nativity and that’s the really urgent reason for acquiring this disc. It’s been a great thrill to return to this recording but with the additional benefit now of knowing the piece from the inside as a result of performing it several times. It’s a wonderful work, right in the heart of the English choral tradition and I urge all lovers of English music of this period to seize this opportunity to get to know it. You won’t regret it. With excellent sound, splendid performances, authoritative notes and fine music this CD is truly a complete package. The reappearance on CD of these performances is a cause for great celebration ..." John Quinn, www.musicweb-international.com Click here to read the full review

"If Parry is at his best, so is Willcocks. It’s a thrilling performance from a great choral conductor. This is the only recording of the piece so far, but now it’s available again we hardly need another. Maybe in 1912 the Parry seemed old-fashioned. In 2007 it just seems timeless. Outstanding recordings, as always with Lyrita ..." Christopher Howell, www.musicweb-international.com Click here to read the full review

"Yet another British classic from the wonderful Lyrita label finally makes it to CD ... Remastering brings out the soaring choral textures much more clearly, and the exnthusiastic energy behind them ... this collection remains well worth having, especially for the Parry ..." Michael Scott Rohan, BBC Music Magazine, September 2007