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The Daily Telegraph
****

While it might be an odd time of year to bring out a recording of Stainer’ s The Crucifixion , this stalwart of the sacred repertoire receives a stirring performance from the Huddersfield Choral Society, with two idiomatic soloists in Andrew Kennedy and Neal Davies. Victorian in conception and scale (it was first performed in 188 7), The Crucifixion nevertheless looks back to Bach’s Passions for its dramatic structure, with hymn tunes – well-known to any churchgoer and chorister – interspersed among the Easter narrative, in the manner of Bach’s chorales.

Various portions of The Crucifixion , not least the chorus “God so Loved the World”, are often extracted as Eucharistic or Evensong anthems, and such solos as “King ever Glorious” have found a place as independent items. But The Crucifixion operates movingly as an entity. The instrumental accompaniment is carried by the organ, here played with an apt range of colour by Darius Battiwalla, and the conductor Joseph Cullen keeps things on the move, investing with sincerity and sensibility those passages that detractors might dub cloying. The Crucifixion is a work of its time, but a performance as good as this one shows that its expressive quality is timeless.

Geoffrey Norris

The Gramophone, February 2010

A passionate recording of Stainer’s Crucifixion from Huddersfield

Among the many reforms and amelioration of standards Stainer brought to cathedral music was a recommendation of bigger choirs to suit larger ecclesiastical spaces. This style of performance by the Huddersfield Choral Society under Joseph Cullen’s highly sensitive direction provides a vital instance of how The Crucifixion was conceived – that is, to be sung with romantic, emotional conviction, by a choir that revels in the sound of rich, chromatic harmony. Much of the mystical spirit of The Crucifixion is derived from its Tractarian heritage and, more to the point, from the treasure-trove of the mid-Victorian hymn repertoire, so characteristic for its colourful, devotional harmonic language. Stainer’s hymns – all winners – are full of such vibrant artistry. Indeed, it is abundantly clear that, sung with such sincerity, The Crucifixion has none of that saccharine sentimentality for which it is still often accused.

Executed as it is here with fervour, in the passionate solos by Andrew Kennedy and Neal Davies (the best I’ve ever heard them), the bold organ accompaniments (often underplayed) provided by Darius Battiwalla, and expressive choruses such as “O come unto me”, the work has considerable expressive power. This comes through vividly in the “Processional to Calvary” where, besides the clarity of the text, the dynamic shades give the interpretation life and vivacity. Similarly, the a cappella gem of the work, “God so loved the world”, has a moving poignancy. Just occasionally there is a slightly flat edge to the soprano and tenor lines but this by no means detracts from the impassioned romanticism of this performance which other “cathedral type” recordings, beautiful as they are, sometimes lack.

Jeremy Dibble

Presenters Choice Disc – John Brunning, Classic FM Magazine, February 2010

This gem of the Victorian era is movingly performed by one of Britain’s foremost amateur choral societies. With fine soloists, this is an excellent recording wholeheartedly recommended.

Musicweb International, March 2010

Sir John Stainer’s compositions have rather fallen out of fashion nowadays though The Crucifixion retains a place in the English choral repertoire and some of his church music is still sung by cathedral and parish church choirs. However, as the good booklet essay that accompanies this CD reminds us, he was a very significant and influential figure in Victorian musical circles. I was aware of some of his accomplishments but I’d not realised that he was sufficiently talented to secure an appointment as the organist of a London parish church at the age of just fourteen. A series of further appointments followed until in 1872 he reached what was then the pinnacle of his profession, securing the post of organist at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. Obliged by failing eyesight to relinquish that post in 1888 after a very successful tenure, he then became Professor of Music at Oxford University in 1889, occupying that position until 1899.

The Crucifixion. A Meditation on the Sacred Passion of the Holy Redeemer, to give the work its full title, was composed in 1886-7 at the prompting of a friend who was organist of St. Marylebone Parish Church in London. The Crucifixion was first sung in that church on Good Friday 1887 and I understand it is still performed there on Good Friday every year. It’s worth bearing in mind the full title of the piece and the circumstances in which it was composed for Stainer never intended The Crucifixion to be a concert work. Rather it was designed for liturgical use to aid congregational recollection of the Passion and Death of Christ. As such it fulfils a similar function to the Passion settings of Bach. In particular, the interpolation of several hymns, intended for congregational participation, fulfils a similar function to the chorales used by Bach. To listeners today the work may sound a little old-fashioned - not least the very Victorian words - but we should pay Stainer the compliment of taking the work on its own terms; if we do it’s actually a rather successful achievement.

Stainer deliberately designed the chorus parts to be within the compass of a decent parish church choir. The Huddersfield Choral Society is much more than that. It is, perhaps, a rather larger body than one might expect to hear singing the work but the choir never sounds unwieldy. On the contrary, they sing very well indeed and their rendition of ‘God so loved the world’ is exceptionally fine. They do the two other set-piece choruses well too. However, as a matter of personal taste I find that these passages - the Processional to Calvary, ‘Fling wide the gates’, and The Appeal of the Crucified - are much the weakest in the whole work. Both have seemed absolutely interminable to me whenever I’ve sung or heard them, with Stainer making thin musical material - and poor words - go a very long way indeed. Even the excellent singing on offer here fails to persuade me to change my mind.

The hymns fulfil an important function, as I’ve said. They’re prime examples of Victorian hymnody, which may be an obstacle for some, but Joseph Cullen very sensibly ensures that the music keeps moving forward and he varies the textures, for example by giving one verse to unison male voices and another to the ladies of the chorus.

The two main soloists have important roles. Andrew Kennedy sings the tenor solos very well and in particular he discharges the big aria, ‘King ever glorious’ with fine feeling, building it to a ringing conclusion. Kennedy presents his solos with taste and conviction and is careful not to step over the line into sentimentality. About the contribution of Neal Davies I’m not quite so sure. He has a fine, sonorous voice and good vocal presence. However, to my ears he sometimes strives too much for expressive effect and, as a result, sounds slightly portentous. His singing of the short passage beginning ‘And one of the malefactors’ offer such an example and another occurs with his very first entry - ‘Couldst ye not watch with me’. I prefer a more straightforward, less overtly expressive approach and therefore find Kennedy the more convincing soloist.

The score includes a few small male voice solos, which are to be taken from the chorus. The chosen singers are recognisably amateurs - as Stainer would have expected - but they deliver these passages adequately.

Joseph Cullen has clearly prepared his choir very well indeed and he directs the whole performance very well. His tempi are well chosen and he conveys the sentiments of The Crucifixion convincingly while avoiding and suspicion of sentimentality.

I remember from my schooldays in Huddersfield that the organ in the Town Hall was an imposing instrument and it’s good to be reminded after all these years what a fine sound it can produce. Under the expert hands - and feet - of Darius Battiwalla the organ makes a telling contribution to the performance. He uses appropriate and imaginative registrations for the quiet passages while the full organ is deployed to telling effect elsewhere. I was particularly impressed by the thrilling pedal sounds at times in ‘Fling wide the gates’ and at very end of ‘King ever Glorious’. Happily, the organ and the singers are presented in an excellent and clear sound.

One or two slight reservations apart - and others may not share them - this is a fine and convincing account of Stainer’s sincere and durable Passion piece.

John Quinn

Choir and Organ Magazine, March 2010
*****

A beautiful and dramatic performance of a work much criticised, but with an ever- enduring popularity, written by one of the most prolific and successful composers, music educators and church musicians of Victorian times. Here, what may look pedestrian on the page leaps into life, with colourful singing from soloists and choir, and expressively detailed organ playing: a fine demonstration of Stainer’s skill in writing accessible music with universal appeal.

Alan Bullard

International Record Review, February 2010

I approached this disc with a certain amount of curiosity. Would Stainer’s Crucifixion still give me those feelings of awe that I felt so many years ago when I sang it as a young chorister? Would the Huddersfield Choral Society sound rejuvenated and resurgent now that is has forged a link with the University of Huddersfield? After all, when I worked with it on a fairly regular basis in the 1980s, the story was still told of Arthur Bliss, then in his seventies, going to take a piano rehearsal, looking round his fellow septuagenarians and saying : ‘I first came to conduct you over forty years ago and I’m delighted to see you’re all still here!’ Well, that canard can be laid to rest: the choral sound is superb, with a bright soprano line and well-focused male singing; and there is a well-trained Youth Choir ready to move up when needed. Nowadays, the singing has a quality that can send a tingle down the spine.

Above all, Stainer’s music still has the power to enthrall. He was a brilliant melodist and a master of the chromatic harmony of his time. Although The Crucifixion was composed to be within the capacity of the average then contemporary church choir (and there are at least three currently available recordings by church choirs), this is the only one to be recorded by a large choral society and how the music gains in power and intensity. In its design, the work follows the pattern of Bach’s St Matthew Passion - as a chorister, Stainer had sung in the first English performance - in narrating the Passion-tide story through accompanied recitative, with the words of Christ sung at first by a bass. The chorus comments on the action and contributes five stirring hymns in which the congregation was expected to take part. The organ part is demanding and is here played with taste - and no little power - by Darius Battiwalla. At one point during the choral march, ‘Fling wide the gates’, the full might of the pedals of the Town Hall organ enters to thrilling effect, marvelously captured without distortion by the engineers.

Much of the emotional weight of the work falls upon the two soloists. Andrew Kennedy sings the narrative with the simplicity that the text demands. Yet, at the end of ‘King ever glorious’, he summons up the heroic quality that the music demands. Neal Davies, too, sings the words of Christ with the dignity that they merit. There is just a hint of woofiness in the voice when he sings the heavier and louder music. The small solos are taken by members of the chorus. Sadly they don’t have the same presence as the principal soloists. Were they singing from their chorus positions?

The Choral Society’s contribution under Joseph Cullen s very fine and is the chief reason for buying this CD. The five hymns have melodies that are memorable: Victorian hymnody at its best. I repeatedly find myself singing the refrain to ‘Holy Jesu, by Thy Passion’, in which the choir finds a beautiful sotto voce colour. Its unaccompanied anthem ‘God so loved the world’ is equally effective. This recording gains, above all, in the sheer weight of numbers for the big moments such as the chorus ‘From the Throne of His Cross’. At all times, the diction is superb and there is a rhythmic tautness about the singing. Perhaps Stainer’s master-stroke is to give Christ’s final words from the Cross t the male voices of the choir. It is a sublimely beautiful moment. Finally, I should rebut the age-old criticism of William Sparrow-Simpon’s text. Yes, it has the odd cringe-making rhyme, but it is of its time and was born out of sincerity. Most importantly, it inspired one of the most beautiful works composed by an English composer in the nineteenth century. This performance does it ample justice.

Peter Marchbank