Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

This is the second release on Regent Records by the Worcester Cathedral Chamber Choir and the first thing that catches our eye is just how nicely presented it is with some evocative watercolour portraits of the featured composers and the cathedral itself. The release was timed to coincide with the centenary of the first performance of Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Five Mystical Songs" in the 1911 Three Choirs Festival at Worcester. The disc frames that popular work with others by Edward Elgar, Hubert Parry and C V Stanford along with some rarities including Elgar's charming setting of Poet Laureate John Masefield's "Memorial Ode For Queen Alexandria" and three versions of "O Salutaris Hostia". This release will clearly appeal to collectors of Elgar and his contemporaries and may also be of interest to choir leaders looking to extend their repertoire. Director Stephen Shellard leads a near flawless performance from his choir and we applaud Baritone Ben Cooper and Organist George Castle for their contributions. Thus there is much to appreciate here but the downside is that some of it is, like so much Victoriana, worthy but dull. I doubt if I would want to play this all the way through again but I am confident that I will refer to it , both to further my understanding of Elgar and if ever I am asked to suggest suitable repertoire for one of our local choirs.

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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