This recording came
out originally as the first disc of
the RPO’s own label back in 1987. It
was recorded in the final months of
Aled Jones’ career as a treble – he
officially ‘retired’ after his voice
broke, five months after the sessions,
in December 1986. It was also among
the first issues to bring Richard Hickox’s
talents as a choral conductor before
a wider audience.
Remastered for Griffin
by Paul Arden-Taylor, it still sounds
pretty good. The singing of the LSC
has a freshness not always heard from
large choral societies – though I suspect
their numbers were somewhat reduced,
at least for the Fauré. Stephen
Roberts makes an ideal baritone soloist,
not heavy, but with sufficient darkness
in his tone for the solemn Libera
me.
At bargain price, this
is a desirable issue, especially as
the coupling is an unusual one. But
don’t expect performances that come
up to the very highest standards of
what’s currently available. Aled Jones
isn’t really the right choice for the
Pie Jesu of the Fauré,
well though he sings it. And the sopranos
of the LSC can’t match the angelic purity
of John Rutter’s Cambridge Singers,
or for that matter David Hill’s very
good Winchester choristers on the recent
Virgin Classics issue.
Much the same can be
applied to the Bernstein; this is an
idiomatic, colourful performance, and
Aled Jones is far more at home here,
singing with great expressive beauty.
But the bargain version of this piece
to go for is the outstanding one on
Naxos
under Marin Alsop, which also boast
much better solo singing from the adult
soloists in the sublime closing pages
of the work.
To sum up, a great
bargain issue for anyone looking for
this coupling; Hickox draws disciplined,
stylish performances from his forces,
and the re-mastered recording does them
full justice.
Gwyn Parry-Jones
London Symphony Chorus 