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Vaughan Williams: Fantasia On Christmas Carols, Hodie

Label: British Composers
Released: 02 Oct 2000
RRP: £6.99
Average Rating:

Customer Reviews

A Christmas Cracker - By: G. Riley, 11 Mar 2007
I bought this a couple of years ago & return to it regularly - a sure sign of a good recording. I like the music of Vaughan Williams & this is a good example of his music. The Fantasia was a big surprise - its a lovely setting of some well known carols. John Barrow has a superb baritone voice. The Hodie takes a little more getting into but it is worth the effort. Both choirs & orchestra have good sounds. At this price you can't go wrong!
A most incredible, beautiful, and moving recording - By: , 03 Mar 2002
I first became aware of Hodie when I performed the work in high school. While it is true that Vaughn-Williams does use a variety of styles, this is much more than a compendium of musical approaches. Each style is well chosen to provide an appropriate context for the words in a way matched by few composers - intimate in "The Oxen", hushed & reverential in "No sad thought his soul affright", & imposing & even majesterial in "The March of the Three Kings". I can't imagine how anyone could listen to the Epilogue (especiallly as performed here) with it's quoting of the beginning of St. John's gospel without being utterly moved.

Because of the beauty of the work (only a critic would give it "bad press") & the quality of the performance, it quickly became one of my most beloved recordings, defining for me how this work should be performed just as Karl Richter's Mass in b Minor & Colin Davis's Mozart Requiem have. The singers alll have incredibly beautiful voices & each use their voice very sensitively. Just listen to John Shirley-Quirk's simple yet eloquent singing in "The Oxen", describing the animals in the manger on their knees or Janet Baker's "Lullaby" with a beauty that can bring tears to your eyes. Richard Lewis likewise provides a good range from the heroic to the sensitive - one of the best performances of his I have heard. The choral work is likewise fantastic. I have been searching for this work on CD for years to replace my well-loved but somewhat worn-out LP copy & am delighted that it is finallly available. If you love choral music, Vaughn-Williams's work, or just appreciate beautiful singing, I would strongly urge you to purchase this recording while it is still available.