Stanford:Choral Music

This disc had hardly been out of my player since I got it. A superb work, with power, drama and pathos, and in the final part, music of aching beauty. The performance and recording are very fine.

For far too long, more than a century, Stanford has been overshadowed by his great English contemporary Elgar, to say nothing of pupils such as Vaughan Williams. The injustice of this is surely revealed in these extraordinary and masterly works, to say nothing of his wonderful Requiem and the many liturgical works which are still sung with considerable frequency in the great English cathedrals.His setting of the Stabat Mater might almost be described as symphonic with its two purely orchestral movements and in how he develops his material, but it is also operatic in its rapturous and dramatic expression and in the music he gives to his four soloists. If Elgar's name had been attached to this score then I feel sure that it would have been acclaimed as a masterpiece long ago.Song to the Soul is also a revelation, profound and exhilarating by turn. The much earlier The Resurrection (1875) is a setting of Klopstock's poem which Mahler was to use in his second symphony. This piece contains some quite wonderful music, solemn, prayerful, lively and rapturous in its response to the text.David Hill and The Bach Choir have made some fine recordings for Naxos but none better than this. Truly a revelation.

I ordered this CD having heard the Resurrection piece that is included with the Stabat Mater. All excellently performed by the Bach Choir, Bournemouth SO under David Hill's direction. Highly recommended.

Stanford wrote a lot of excellent music including his concertante works for violin and orchestra, Irish rhapsodies and symphonies. However, this setting of the Stabat Mater is wonderful. The rather unremitting lament of the words has resulted in few composers setting the piece. However, Stanford adds two orchestral movements which add needed variety to the experience.The performance is excellent but in service of a true masterpiece which deserves to be performed regularly.

The Stabat Mater is a revelation - possibly the best Stanford I have ever heard. Both powerful and moving in turns.And the other items are well worth hearing, too.And with the Bach Choir under David Hill - not often to find such high profile artists on cheap label. Well done, Naxos.

This is a wonderful CD beautifully executed by David Hill and the Bach choir.