£10.00 £8.33 Ex vat
Blow out, ye bugles
Music from the time of the First World War
Truro Cathedral Choir Directed by Christopher Gray
Luke Bond Organ, Claude Lamon Trumpet*
Out of stock
Description
A collection of intense and powerful English choral works all written during, or shortly after the end of, the First World War. Each work reflects its composer’s response to the conflict, from the turbulent start of Stanford’s For lo, I raise up, written shortly after the start of the war, to Vaughan Williams’ paean of thanksgiving, Lord, thou hast been our refuge – written for a service at St Paul’s Cathedral in 1921.
This recording, beautifully sung by the choir of boys and men of Truro Cathedral, includes the first complete recording of Alan Gray’s three-part cycle 1914 – written in memory of the two sons he lost in the war – together with the rarely-recorded A Short Requiem by Walford Davies of 1915, written ‘in sacred memory of all those who have fallen in the war’. Also included are Parry’s magnificent six Songs of Farewell, largely written during 1914 and 15, but not performed in their entirety until 1919, a year after Parry’s death.
Track List
For lo, I raise up — Charles Villiers Stanford
8:101914 — Alan Gray
12:21Peace
3:13 The Dead
4:50 The Soldier
4:17A short Requiem — Henry Walford Davies
17:36I Salvator mundi
1:54 II De profundis clamavi
2:06 III Requiem aeternam (1)
1:26 IV Levavi oculos
1:59 V Requiem aeternam (2)
2:04VI Audi vocem
1:31 VII Hymn: Mors ultra non erit
3:03 VIII Gloria Patri
1:09 IX Vox ultima crucis
2:22 Songs of Farewell — Charles Hubert Hastings Parry
30:38My soul, there is a country
3:45 I know my soul hath power to know all things
2:11Never weather-beaten sail
3:07 There is an old belief
4:25 At the round earth’s imagined corners
7:07 Lord, let me know mine end
10:03Lord, thou hast been our refuge* — Ralph Vaughan Williams
8:24Total playing time 77:11
Production credits
Recorded in Truro Cathedral 12–15 May 2014
Recording producer and engineer Gary Cole
Edited by Steve Swinden and Gary Cole
Sample audio extracts
Reviews
2015 CRITIC’S CHOICE AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE
‘.. the Truro Cathedral Choir does it exceedingly well with this thoughtful program. Truro has one of England’s finest cathedral choirs, and this recording reveals that once again. Because the cathedral is not as vast a building as many in the land the recorded sound has enough resonance to be spacious without sounding fuzzy. Good pacing allows the music to breathe comfortably and expressively. Solo voices are very good, including the five solo trebles.’ American Record Guide March 2015
‘These [performances] from Truro are extremely fine …. Christopher Gray paces all six works with great skill, and deals discreetly with Parry’s (forgivable drooping suspensions and crashing gear-change modulations.’ International Record Review january 2015
‘The performances by the Truro Cathedral Choir are excellent. Well-balanced, their attack and ensemble are impeccable and Luke Bond provides supportive accompaniments. The recording quality of both choir and organ does justice to the instrument and the building.’ Organists’ Review March 2015
‘Many discs have been issued already, and no doubt there will be many more, commemorating the First World War. I suspect that few will be as cunningly devised, well performed and presented and well filled as this. ‘ MusicWeb January 2015
‘Many discs have been issued already, and no doubt there will be many more, commemorating the First World War. I suspect that few will be as cunningly devised, well performed and presented and well filled as this. ‘ MusicWeb January 2015
