Classical Music: Stanford Requiem

We have a lot to thank the Birmingham Triennial Festival for: Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius, and Stanford’s glorious Requiem.

In his autobiography, Notes from an Unwritten Diary, Stanford writes of Hans Richter’s appointment as the principal conductor for the Birmingham Festival: 'It was important in its own way as the Festival of the Lower Rhine, and as such, it affected our musical position amongst other nations.' Richter’s move to Birmingham had caused consternation in English musician circles, but it was rather a great help to English music and English artists alike, according to Stanford.

Stanford was an Irish-born composer whose liturgical choral works are still lovingly performed in cathedrals, chapels, and churches today, but this is the setting of a ceremony that’s so central to the Catholic faith. He was prompted to compose the Requiem by the death of the Catholic, neo-classicist Lord Frederic Leighton; as David Kettle points out in his incisive notes, it perhaps provides a touchingly simple answer to why Stanford turned to the Catholic liturgy.

"It is a deeply personal, tender, and intimate setting of the Catholic Mass text, as befits a work written in memory of a friend, and also one that focuses—like Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem, which Stanford had brought to Cambridge two decades earlier—on themes of consolation and renewal, never on the terrors of judgement and damnation."

So what to make of this fine choral work?

It is surprising in that the overall feel is not one characteristically observed, perhaps, by more dramatic settings of the text. The tenderness that Kettle comments on is immediately conveyed in the beautiful opening of the introit. The orchestra and chorus set a lovely pace that defines the following 74 minutes. In addition Brabbins’ well-judged tempi, sensitive and sympathetic accompaniments, wonderful dynamics, and voices that shine through perfectly balanced and with outstanding intonation and lucidity, as demonstrated in so many moments throughout the recording, not least the exciting 'quam olim Abrahae promisiti' with terrific contrapuntal singing, makes this a recording to savour. Everything seems effortless.

 In addition, the soloists bring the work to life with magnificent contributions from soprano Carolyn Sampson, mezzo-soprano Marta Fontanais-Simmons, tenor James Way, and baritone Ross Ramgobin. They blend perfectly in their wonderful quartet singing.

David Kettle comments that Stanford places his four soloists in the spotlight in the soft Gradual—notably the solo soprano, accompanied by solo flute and violin atop shimmering strings, which Carolyn Sampson delivers with radiance. Overall, Stanford’s orchestration is tremendous and marvellously constructed, with thoughtful consideration for all parts.

The CBSO strings contribute moments of loveliness, the attractive woodwind are first-class, as is the stupendous and magnificent brass; and to boot, Stanford also includes harp and organ. Often, when choral works are performed in some concert venues, the acoustics conspire against the singers and orchestra resulting in the accompaniment being overly dominant; that is not the case here, the recording engineers have made considered judgements and Brabbins’ knowledge and appreciation of the score ensure a vicarious and resonant performance.

The Requiem ends as it started, quietly with a lyrical 'Lux aeterna'. Lovers of choral music will, I am sure, enjoy this rarely heard work of Stanford, which is given a stirring and moving performance.

Congratulations to everyone involved with the project, including chorusmasters Simon Halsey CBE and Julian Wilkins, for producing an exceptional, all-round excellent disc.