This album is included in the following sets:
This set contains the following albums:
- Producer's Note
- Full Track Listing
- Cover Art
These transfers came from the generous collection of Edward Johnson, to whom I am once more grateful. The discs were both issued in the USA in 1961 but we do not believe elsewhere, nor have they been reissued before. XR remastering has done much to clarify diction and relieve a somewhat "plummy" tonal quality, and I've attempted to ameliorate the rather unpleasant and obvious reverberation used on Belshazzar's Feast with careful use of a modern convlution reverb. The average pitch of the recordings was around A=443Hz - given that altering this to 440Hz would have lengthened the overall duration to beyond that of a CD I elected to keep it. I've also dealt with quite a lot of pre- and post-echo, particularly in the Walton recording.
Andrew Rose
ROGER WAGNER CHORALE Walton, Bach, Vaughan Williams (1960)
WALTON Belshazzar's Feast
1. 1. Thus spake Isaiah (5:42)
2. 2. If I forget thee, O Jerusalem (5:53)
3. 3. Babylon was a great city (4:20)
4. 4. Praise ye the god of gold (5:06)
5. 5. Thus in Babylon (3:20)
6. 6. And in that same hour (1:48)
7. 7. Then sing aloud to God (4:32)
8. 8. The trumpeters and pipers are silent (1:23)
9. 9. Then sing aloud to God (3:54)
John Cameron baritone
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Roger Wagner Chorale
Roger Wagner conductor
Recorded at Abbey Road Studio 1, London, 19-22 September 1960.
Transfer from Angel S-36015.
First issued in 1961 (USA only) on Capitol SP 8577
J. S. BACH Cantata No. 4: Christ lag in Todes Banden, BWV4
10. 1. Sinfonia (1:26)
11. Bach: Cantata 4 — 2. Christ lag in Todes Banden (4:40)
12. 3. Den Tod niemand zwingen kunnt (3:29)
13. 4. Jesus Christus, Gottes Sohn (2:25)
14. 5. Es war ein wunderlicher Krieg (2:32)
15. 6. Hier ist das rechte Osterlamm (3:23)
16. 7. So feiern wir das hohe Fest (2:07)
17. 8. Wir essen und leben wohl (1:50)
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Mass in G minor
18. 1. Kyrie (3:29)
19. 2. Gloria (3:52)
20. 3. Credo (5:55)
21. 4. Sanctus — Osanna 1 — Benedictus — Osanna 2 (4:46)
22. 5. Agnus Dei (4:00)
Tracks 10–22:
Doralene McNelly soprano
Alice Ann Yates alto
Michael Carolan tenor
Charles Scharbach bass
Paul Salamunivich cantor
Concert Arts Orchestra(Bach)
The Roger Wagner Chorale
Roger Wagner conductor
Recorded in Hollywood in 1960.
Transfer from Angel S-36014.
First issued in January 1961 (USA only) on Capitol SP 8535
Front cover artwork based on a photograph of Roger Wagner
XR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, March 2012
Recorded in stereo in London and Hollywood, 1960
MusicWeb International Review
This is a really good Belshazzar's Feast and it took me quite by surprise
These are all stereo recordings sourced from the collection of Edward
Johnson. Pristine are pretty sure that these recordings, taken down from
American LPs, have not been reissued before. They have been treated, so
we are assured, to a great deal of technical tender love and care. The
results sound good - probably as good as they have ever sounded.
This is a really good Belshazzar's Feast and it took me quite by
surprise. This 50+ year old recording opens the door on a reputation
that has slipped silently into the mist. This Wagner deserves better. I
wonder what else he recorded. All Waltonians should get this and compare
it with the other greats: Previn's for EMI and my other outsider - also
American - Ormandy on Sony. The oak-sturdy ‘bassy’ baritone is John
Cameron: his projection is all lofty oratory, condemnation and
exultation. The choir has been drilled to precision and combines the
power of a massive engine with the precision of a scalpel. If Wagner has
injected the faintest trace element of Hollywood glow it certainly
suits the music. The instrumental detail is magnificently well rendered
in stereo. One small detail: this recording sports the work's best anvil
sound ever. It rings true and loud.
While the Bach is old-fashioned big-band stuff you might enjoy its
caramelised and super-smooth remission from HIP rigour. Certainly it
swims against the torrent of the times. True-blue adherents of
authenticity might like to try it when they need something to rail
against. The RVW Mass is right at the opposite pole to the EMI Classics
one of yore. This is more broodingly passionate Rachmaninov Vespers
than Byrd. I liked it, having found myself only fleetingly engaged by
the Willcocks EMI version. Whether this is authentic RVW I doubt. It may
even enrage some but in it we hear the composer as urgent pilgrim. It’s
more a matter of ardour than ascetic devotion and as such is more in
touch with the RVW presented in the television documentary: The Passions of Vaughan Williams.
Some intriguing material here and a totally enjoyable Belshazzar that should shake some dust out of the rafters.
Rob Barnett
MusicWeb International, March 2014
