Dear Stanford Society Friends,
On Easter Sunday I attended in person services at my local Episcopal Church in Chicago for only the second time since February of 2020. We wore masks, were socially distanced and were not allowed to sing. But our virtual choir did sing Stanford’s “Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem”. It was wonderful to hear this and to look forward to a full return to services where the choir is singing in person and the congregation is allowed to join them.
Many of Stanford’s canticles, anthems and hymn settings are staples of music programs throughout the Anglican Communion and for several other Christian denominations. Each of us will have our favourites among this music. I have always liked the Service in C, Oh for a Closer Walk with God and When in Music God is Glorified. Hopefully, we will hear music more of this music sung by full choirs in our cathedrals and churches soon.
As I write, we are waiting for the full programme for this year’s Three Choirs Festival in Worcester to be released. In 2020 the Festival in Worcester had to be cancelled because of Covid and the decision was made to hold the 2021 Festival in Worcester. It will be interesting to see what music will be on offer this year and if there is anything from Stanford? If they stick to the normal rotation we will back in Worcester for the Three Choirs Festival which marks the one hundredth anniversary of Stanford’s death in 2024. The Society is suggesting several pieces of Stanford’s music to be included in the programme for 2024, including major choral works.
We are planning to hold the postponed 2020 Stanford Weekend in Gloucester later this year during the weekend of October 1st to October 3rd. Fuller details will be released early in May.
Plans are also in hand for various future recordings of Stanford’s music. The next CD in Somm Recording’s survey of Stanford’s Songs will be a recording of several cycles of Stanford’s songs for children together with a number of the individual children’s songs. The artists involved will be Kitty Whately, soprano, Gareth Brynmor John, Baritone, and Susie Allan, piano.
Finally, I have just listened to a new CD on the Naxos Label which includes an arrangement of Stanford’s Songs of the Sea (Op.91 for) trombone in place of the solo singer. (Naxos 8.579080). Matthew Gee arranged this and he is the solo trombonist with Christopher Glynne on the piano with the Trombones of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. This is well done and interesting to listen to, but as a singer, I miss the vocal line. At the Stanford Weekend in Canterbury in 2017 the Dean of the Cathedral curated a concert where several of Stanford’s works were played in arrangements for brass. It would be good to see these recorded.
