Search - Bruce Russell, Paul Rickard, Hubert Parry :: I Was Glad: Cathedral Music By Parry

God must be an Englishman!

01/26/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Parry was very similar to Elgar in style--although he was of an earlier generation. One cannot get more English in style than Parry: solid, majestic, and noble, at times a little pompous, but that's part of the music's charm. There is however nothing particularly original about his music though despite its overall attractiveness. I have two personal favorites from this CD: the "Great Service in D" has music that drifts along in an elegant and restrained way, and it is easy to picture oneself in a candlelit St. George's Chapel, Windsor surrounded by stained glass darkened by the night, gothic vaulting above, and carved oak choir stalls. When my choir sang "My soul, there is a country," I was very impressed by the way Parry shifts suavely between slow, contemplative duple meter and comforting and lilting triple meter. The harmonies are extremely rich in this piece. However, the other Songs of Farewell in my opinion seem a lot flatter in texture and less much interesting overall. Of course, all Anglophiles know "Jerusalem." However, because of the choir's high skill and relatively small size, the rendition seems somewhat "too polite" for a patriotic piece designed for a large, bombastic chorus and often orchestrated with brass and drums! However, kudos to St. George's Chapel Choir and its director."