Welcome to Hyperion Records, an independent British classical label devoted to presenting high-quality recordings of music of all styles and from all periods from the twelfth century to the twenty-first.

Hyperion offers both CDs, and downloads in a number of formats. The site is also available in several languages.

Please use the dropdown buttons to set your preferred options, or use the checkbox to accept the defaults.

Click cover art to view larger version
Track(s) taken from CDA67330

A Litany '3rd version'

First line:
Drop, drop, slow tears
composer
1930
author of text

Polyphony, Stephen Layton (conductor)
Recording details: January 2002
St Jude-on-the-Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Mark Brown
Engineered by Julian Millard
Release date: June 2002
Total duration: 3 minutes 3 seconds
 

Other recordings available for download

King's College Choir Cambridge, Sir Stephen Cleobury (conductor)

Reviews

‘An outstanding collection’ (Gramophone)

‘What a splendid work it is, especially when sung with the verve brought to it by Stephen Layton’s choir Polyphony’ (The Sunday Telegraph)

‘Performances are vibrant and energetic, and attack the scrunchy harmonies with complete accuracy’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘A wonderfully refreshing interpretation’ (The Observer)

‘This sterling collection should win Walton’s choral music many new fans’ (American Record Guide)

‘Every generation delivers an outstanding talent with the vision and commitment necessary to produce refreshingly individual, totally convincing interpretations. Stephen Layton's readings of Walton's choral music on this tremendous disc are without equal, supported by the high-octane, stylish singing of Polyphony and one of the finest recorded sounds I've heard for years. Layton sets a stately speed for the Coronation Te Deum, although the crisp brass fanfares of the Wallace Collection and articulate work from the choir convey a rare energy and exuberance. Buy it!’ (Classic FM Magazine)

‘From fanfare to finale this is a very fine and fitting centenary compilation indeed’ (Organists' Review)

‘For Waltonians, this is a compulsory purchase’ (HMV Choice)

‘A great collection and an absolute winner’ (Cathedral Music)

«On trouve chez Layton, avec des chœurs d’une beauté et d’une précision étonnantes, un surcroît de chaleur et d’investissement, ce qui place ce disque en tête de la discographie» (Répertoire, France)
Phineas Fletcher, whose poem ‘Drop, drop slow tears’ has been set to music by many composers from Orlando Gibbons to Kenneth Leighton, entered King’s College, Cambridge in 1600. He graduated BA in 1604 and MA in 1608, and was ordained at some point before 1611, when he became a fellow of the College. His pastoral drama, Sicelides, was written to be performed before James I when the king visited Cambridge in 1615. In the event, the royal party left Cambridge before its premiere at King’s.

William Walton, originally from Oldham, arrived in Oxford at the age of nine to take up a choristership at Christ Church. There he was trained by the Organist, Henry Ley. To avoid having to return to Oldham when his voice broke, Walton decided to ‘make himself interesting’ by writing music. Parry, whilst in Oxford examining, saw some of the boy’s compositions; he told the Dean ‘There’s a lot in this chap. You must keep your eye on him’. Walton’s setting of Fletcher’s ‘Drop, drop slow tears’ may well have been among these manuscripts, since he was 15 when he wrote it. The piece shows a precocious assurance in the part writing and there are harmonic touches that are later echoed in Psalm 137 from Belshazzar’s Feast. This is not surprising, because the version that is performed today is actually Walton’s revision dating from 1930, when he was engaged on his large-scale masterpiece.

from notes by Emma Cleobury © 2019

Other albums featuring this work

Evensong Live 2019
Studio Master: KGS0038-DDownload onlyStudio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available
Waiting for content to load...
Waiting for content to load...