Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on the Old 104th Psalm Tune; Piano Quintet; The Lark Ascending; Romance for Viola and Piano

Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on the Old 104th Psalm Tune; Piano Quintet; The Lark Ascending; Romance for Viola and Piano

£12.99
Total playing time [64:56]

Mark Bebbington (piano)
Duncan Riddell (violin)
Abigail Fenna (viola)
City of London Choir
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Hilary Davan Wetton (conductor)

To mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Ralph Vaughan Williams, pianist Mark Bebbington, members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Hilary Davan Wetton, present a recording of the composer’s almost totally neglected orchestral work, Fantasia on the ‘Old 104th’ Psalm Tune, for solo piano, choir and orchestra premiered at the Three Choirs Festival in 1950.

The album also features the Romance for viola and piano; the ever popular The Lark Ascending in the original 1914 version for solo violin and piano; and the early but ambitious Piano Quintet of 1903, which was embargoed until as late as the 1990s and scored for the same combination of instruments as Schubert’s ‘Trout’ Quintet.

Album Booklet (PDF)

About the Artists: Mark Bebbington; City of London Choir; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracklist

Piano Quintet in C minor
1. Allegro con fuoco
2. Andante
3. Fantasia (quasi variazioni)

4. The Lark Ascending

5. Romance for viola and piano

6. Fantasia (quasi variazione) on the ‘Old 104th’ Psalm Tune

“

'Thomas Ravenscroft’s 17th-century psalm tune are stirringly captured on this new recording, where Mark Bebbington is the fiery soloist. Conductor Hilary Davan Wetton builds the piece effectively to a full-bore peroration, catching its occasionally unsettling mix of time-honoured sureties with a modern sense of dislocation.'

- BBC Music Magazine

'Thomas Ravenscroft’s 17th-century psalm tune are stirringly captured on this new recording, where Mark Bebbington is the fiery soloist. Conductor Hilary Davan Wetton builds the piece effectively to a full-bore peroration, catching its occasionally unsettling mix of time-honoured sureties with a modern sense of dislocation.'
BBC Music Magazine

'This magnificent CD [...] is one of the last and finest tributes of RVW150, the year-long series of commemorations organised by the Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Foundation. [...] The Fantasia on the old 104th Psalm Tune presents us with a virtuoso performance from Bebbington, in the bosom of a jubilant City of London Choir, heartened by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in full flow under the baton of Hilary Davon Wetton.'
Yorkshire Post

'...the Romance has moments of high passion to set alongside passages of eloquent introspection, perfectly complemented here by a wide dynamic and tonal range, and unfailingly sensitive musicianship. Those looking for a recording of this particular work could hardly do better. [...] a spellbinding disc, and the perfect way to round off this year’s centenary for the many lovers of RVW’s music.'
Europadisc

'The performance and recording of all four works are superb in every respect. Resonus have produced this disc to the highest standards.'
MusicWeb International

Credits
© 2022 Resonus Limited
Ⓟ 2022 Resonus Limited
Catalogue No. RES10311
Producer: Adam Binks
Engineers: Dave Rowell (Quintet & Fantasia) & Adam Binks
EAN: 5060262793435
Cover image by Marina99 – Dreamstime.com
Release date: 2 December 2022