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Track(s) taken from CDP12101

I vow to thee, my country – Thaxted

First line:
I vow to thee, my country
composer
Songs of Praise; tune take from Jupiter, The Planets
author of text

Wells Cathedral Choir, Malcolm Archer (conductor), Rupert Gough (organ)
Recording details: June 1999
Wells Cathedral, United Kingdom
Produced by Mark Brown
Engineered by Antony Howell & Julian Millard
Release date: November 1999
Total duration: 2 minutes 31 seconds
 

Other recordings available for download

Chichester Cathedral Choir, Charles Harrison (conductor), Timothy Ravalde (organ)

Reviews

‘The time spent listening to it has been delightful. Tone, enunciation, resourcefulness of arrangement and accompaniment, all are exemplary’ (Gramophone)
Thaxted is an ancient and beautiful market town in Essex where Gustav Holst lived for many years. When this tune was taken from his suite The Planets, only one note needed to be changed to turn it into a melody that people love to sing. In the suite it grows into being from the hurly-burly of the opening section that portrays Jupiter, ‘the Bringer of Jollity’. The rapid swirl of notes with which the movement begins has the opening notes of this tune. Its nobility is perhaps a portrait of the king of the gods. Separated from its source it shows a regal poise that can yet express devotion and humility. It has been felt to have a ‘Britishness’ that makes it suitable for national occasions.

The opening words of the hymn, by Cecil Spring-Rice, lead us in that direction, but in fact the second verse take us on a different journey, to ‘another country’. The hymn is therefore one to be used with care.

from notes by Alan Luff © 1999

Other albums featuring this work

Lest we forget
Studio Master: SIGCD562Download onlyStudio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available
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