Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

In the centenary year of the Armistice of 1918 it is only to be expected that our thoughts will turn to the great human cost of the First World War and indeed subsequent armed conflicts. This thought-provoking CD has been released in support of the charity Combat Stress, an organization that was founded shortly after the end of the war as an early pioneer in helping those that bear the mental scars of warfare. The programme brings together texts and music pointing to the frailty that leads to the violence of war, but also to triumphs of the human spirit that so often arise from situations of the deepest desolation. The Choir of Chichester Cathedral is a traditional Anglican ensemble with the treble and alto lines being sung by boys. The conductor is Charles Harrison who also plays the organ solos: Herbert Howells' "Rhapsody No. 3 in C sharp minor" and "Verdun, from Sonata No. 2 'Eroica'" by Charles Villiers Stanford. Elsewhere the organ accompaniment comes from Timothy Ravalde, the Assistant Organist at Chichester. Both singing and playing are first class within the clear acoustic of Chichester Cathedral. All but two of the featured composers lived through the traumatic years of 1914-18, the exceptions being Clement C Scholefield (1839-1904) who gave us the popular setting for John Ellerton's "The Day Thou Gave Us, Lord, Is Ended" and Peter Aston (1938-2013) with "So They Gave Their Bodies" that echoes the moving tune of "The Last Post" and takes its text from a funeral oration by Pericles of Athens from 431 BC, thus proving that indeed "there is nothing new under the sun". Of special interest are the contributions from Gustav Holst (1874-1934) whose ashes are interred in Chichester Cathedral, close to those of one of his favourite Elizabethan composers, Thomas Weelkes. Holst supplies an arrangement of an old hymn tune for a poem by Clifford Bax, "Turn Back O Man" and what is probably his best known vocal work, "I Vow To Thee, My Country" with words by Cecil Spring Rice. Taken as a whole the programme gives much to think about. Yes, it is reflective and indeed sombre but the singing is very good and the content while of its time all worth hearing.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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