Love came down at Christmas GCCD 4051 [JQ]: Classical CD Reviews- November 2005 MusicWeb-International

I’m not sure but this may be Malcolm Archer’s first recording since he moved from Wells Cathedral in 2004 to become Director of Music at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

This is a pleasant programme, consisting almost entirely of familiar and much-loved carols and mainly in well-known arrangements. And it is the very familiarity, which may influence some prospective purchasers.

Without exception the music is well performed. The choir sings extremely well. The organ accompaniments are so played - and recorded - as not to overwhelm the singers. Instead, Huw Williams gives just the right degree of support. The engineers have managed the cavernous acoustic of St Paul’s well; there’s a nice halo around the choir, which is yet recorded clearly and at just a pleasing distance from the microphones. I find that the choir is nicely focused within the acoustic.

Among many points to enjoy there’s a good bass soloist in The Three Kings – and solo work throughout the disc is consistently well executed. John Gardner’s catchy carol may seem just a bit steady in tempo at first hearing. However, this marginal steadiness serves the music well - and may have been dictated by the acoustics - for the choir achieves excellent clarity both in respect of the words and the part writing. I’ve always thought The Shepherd’s Cradle-song a fine setting. Here it flows beautifully at a nicely-chosen tempo and it’s very well sung.

The arrangements by Sir David Willcocks are too familiar to call for comment other than to say that they’re nicely complementd here. Malcolm Archer’s arrangement of Silent Night is pleasing without being anything special. However, his last verse descant to Once in Royal David’s city is effective. It was no doubt a nice idea to include See amid the winter’s snow since the tune is by one of Archer’s predecessors at St. Paul’s, John Goss, and the arrangement used is by another former incumbent of the St. Paul’s organ loft, Barry Rose. I’m afraid this is one of those seemingly interminable carols – The First Nowell is another – that just goes on and on but is so structured that one can’t omit any verses. It’s definitely not one of my favourites. However, if I had to listen to it then it would definitely be in this excellent arrangement. Barry Rose varies the verses and refrains most effectively and, in so doing, makes a dull carol much more interesting.

There are two unfamiliar carols here. Archer himself contributes Love came down at Christmas. This short a capella setting is a real charmer. It may not break any new ground but it makes an impression through the simplicity and evident sincerity of the music. Jan Sandström’s version of Es ist ein Ros is described as an arrangement of the original Praetorius setting. However, to me it goes some way beyond being an arrangement. Like the Archer it’s another a capella setting. The Praetorius melody, sung very slowly, is very definitely the foundation for the piece but Sandström surrounds the tune with a halo of intriguing choral harmonies. In his good liner note Malcolm Archer describes the piece as "hauntingly beautiful and [it] suits the famous acoustics of St. Paul’s." I’m not sure when the piece was written but it’s evidently contemporary, both on account of the musical language and because the composer was born in 1954.

This, then, is a most enjoyable disc on one level. The singing is excellent and will give much pleasure. Having said that I was very disappointed by the safe choice of music. Out of nineteen tracks only two, the Archer and the Sandström are remotely novel. For the rest I’m afraid it’s the tried and trusted carols, mostly in tried and trusted arrangements that one has heard (and sung) so often before. If you are content with just a staple diet of Christmas fayre then you won’t go far wrong with this recital. However, given the high artistic standards it’s hard not to think that if more imagination and enterprise had gone into the planning of the programme the disc could have been a winner. As it is I can only recommend it with modified rapture.

John Quinn


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