Walton: King Herod and the Cock

“This disc has important bonuses that all Walton devotees will value. The inclusion of The Wallace Collection brings an immediate advantage in the first choral item, the Coronation Te Deum, when the extra bite of brass adds greatly to the impact of a piece originally designed for very large forces in Westminster Abbey. Brass also adds to the impact of the final item, Antiphon, one of Walton's very last works, setting George Herbert's hymn Let all the world in every cornersing. The new disc also includes Walton's four carols, which makes this as comprehensive a collection of Walton's shorter choral pieces as could be imagined. As for the performances and recording, the professional group, Polyphony, with sopranos very boyish, have many of the advantages that the St John's Choir offer on Naxos in bright choral sound set in an ecclesiastical atmosphere. The acoustic of Hereford Cathedral is a little washy in places, and the balance of some of the solo voices is odd at times, yet the merits of these performances far outweigh any slight reservations, with the professional singers a degree more warmly expressive than the all-male St John's Choir.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“'Musts' for Yuletide music in the air …” San Francisco Chronicle

“the Christ Church Choir sing with devotion and exquisite tonal blending. Ensuring careful regard for the sacred texts the reverential singing of the trebles radiates considerable vocal character. The singers seem buoyed by Walton’s music some of which was written specifically for the choir.” MusicWeb International, August 2012