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During the 1960s, Louis Halsey, together with the Elizabethan Singers and The Louis Halsey Singers made a number of recordings of British choral music for Decca. Three LPs devoted to the music of Parry, Elgar, Stanford and Delius and of folk song settings by a range of British composers, are here collected on this 2CD set, all of this material released on CD for the first time. Though his magnificent choral piece Jerusalem eclipses much of his other work, the beautiful Songs of Farewell, written during the last three years of his life must be counted among the masterpieces of English choral music. Diana McVeagh describes the Elgar choral songs as ‘elaborate, expansive, and gorgeous as sheer sound’ and so they are in these wonderful performances. All but one of Delius’s partsongs were recorded for the original LP and the disc of folk songs arranged by Tippett, Williamson, Grainger, Vaughan Williams, Holst and other front-rank British composers is charming and amusing. Original LP notes (including a very persuasive one by Louis Halsey himself) are reprinted in the booklet.
Sir Hubert Parry: Songs of Farewell (1916-18)
1. My Soul, There Is A Country
2. I Know My Soul Hath Power
3. Never Weatherbeaten Sail
4. There Is An Old Belief
5. At The Round Earth's Imagined Corners
6. Lord, Let Me Know Mine End
Charles Villiers Stanford: Heraclitus
Heraclitus
Charles Villiers Stanford: Sweet Love For Me
Sweet Love For Me
Charles Villiers Stanford: My Love's An Arbutus
My Love's An Arbutus
Charles Villiers Stanford: Veneta
Veneta
Charles Villiers Stanford: Chillingham
Chillingham
Charles Villiers Stanford: Shall We Go Dance
Shall We Go Dance
Sir Edward Elgar: As Torrents in Summer
As Torrents in Summer
Sir Edward Elgar: My Love Dwelt In A Northern Land
My Love Dwelt In A Northern Land
Sir Edward Elgar: Go Song Of Mine, Op.57
Go Song Of Mine, Op.57
Sir Edward Elgar: O Wild West Wind
O Wild West Wind
Sir Edward Elgar: The Shower, Op.71, No.1
The Shower, Op.71, No.1
Sir Edward Elgar: Love's Tempest, Op.73, No.1
Love's Tempest, Op.73, No.1
Sir Edward Elgar: Owls, Op.53, No.4
Owls, Op.53, No.4
Sir Edward Elgar: The Fountain, Op.71, No.2
The Fountain, Op.71, No.2
Sir Edward Elgar: There Is Sweet Music, Op.53, No.1
There Is Sweet Music, Op.53, No.1
Sir Edward Elgar: Deep In My Soul, Op.53, No.2
Deep In My Soul, Op.53, No.2
Frederick Delius: Midsummer Song
Midsummer Song
Frederick Delius: On Craig Dhu
On Craig Dhu
Frederick Delius: To Be Sung Of A Summer Night On The Water
To Be Sung Of A Summer Night On The Water
Frederick Delius: The Splendour Falls On Castle Walls
The Splendour Falls On Castle Walls
Traditional: Captain Bover
Captain Bover
Traditional: A Fair Maid
A Fair Maid
Traditional: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
Traditional: I Sowed The Seeds Of Love
I Sowed The Seeds Of Love
Traditional: Wassail Song
Wassail Song
Traditional: Bushes and Briars
Bushes and Briars
Anonymous: O Waly, Waly
O Waly, Waly
Traditional: Dance To Your Daddy
Dance To Your Daddy
Traditional: Bobby Shaftoe
Bobby Shaftoe
Traditional: Adam Buckham O!
Adam Buckham O!
Traditional: I Love My Love
I Love My Love
Traditional: The Sailor And Young Nancy
The Sailor And Young Nancy
Traditional: Our Captain Calls All Hands
Our Captain Calls All Hands
Traditional: Bonny At Morn
Bonny At Morn
Traditional: Soul Cake
Soul Cake
Traditional: Down Among The Dead Men
Down Among The Dead Men
Traditional: Brigg Fair
Brigg Fair
Traditional: Early One Morning
Early One Morning
Traditional: Derwentwater's Farewell
Derwentwater's Farewell
(Parry, Stanford)
“admirable performances and recording. Louis Halsey's choir, with its almost boy-like sopranos, is just right for these motets, while the recording sets them resonantly, as if in a cathedral. The choir sings its magnificently singable lines with evident appreciation of their moving beauty, obviously inspired by Halsey, whose heart is in the music”
(Elgar, Delius)
“Louis Halsey is obviously much in sympathy with both composers and gets most responsive singing from his choir, with excellent diction”
(Folk songs)
“Halsey has helped to set a new standard in such choral singing, one of the splendid bonuses of the King's tradition, from which Halsey stems. Recording first-rate as one would expect from Argo”
Click on any of the works listed above for alternative recordings.
1. My Soul, There Is A Country