Edward Elgar: The Binyon Settings

The Spirit of England Op. 80 for Soprano Chorus & Orchestra

With Proud Thanksgiving for Chorus & Orchestra

 JUDITH HOWARTH, Soprano

LONDON SYMPHONY CHORUS, Simon Halsey, Director

PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA, John Wilson, Conductor

Carillon Op. 75 for Speaker & Orchestra

 BBC Concert Orchestra, Simon Callow

John Wilson, Conductor

plus

Premiere Recording of the complete Incidental music for Arthur  — A Tragedy

ORCHESTRA OF ST. PAUL’S, Ben Palmer, Conductor

This unique new release not only commemorates the outbreak of WW1 through the music of Sir Edward Elgar but celebrates the poetry of Laurence Binyon (1869-1943), a writer whose work should be more widely known. It is possible that Binyon wrote the best known verse of poetry during World War 1 and even the best known verse of the war. In For the Fallen, a poem written at the end of August 1914 during the retreat from Mons by the British Army, Binyon recognizes the challenges, hardship and struggle the ordinary British soldier will face in the years to come. Within For the Fallen is the verse recited throughout the country on Remembrance Sunday before war memorials, services and other ceremonies such as The Festival of Remembrance.

They shall grow not old, as they that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

In other verses and poems Binyon, despite his Victorian upbringing, understood that Britain was facing a long struggle that would not ‘be over by Christmas’ as many presumed in the Autumn of 1914.

Between 1915 and 1917 Elgar set three of Binyon’s poems to music for soloist (usually soprano), chorus and orchestra all of which were drawn from his anthology of poems The Winnowing Fan, published in December 1914. The three poems set by Elgar were For the Fallen, To Women and The Fourth of August grouped under the title The Spirit of England from the opening line from The Fourth of August. In composing these three settings Elgar offered a work of solace, hope and support during the dark days that were to come.

In this disc we have also included Elgar’s re-working of For the Fallen for the unveiling of the cenotaph in London in 1920. Sadly, this was never played at the time. Originally arranged for Chorus and Military Band by Frank Winterbottom, With Proud Thanksgiving is recorded here in Elgar’s version for Chorus and Orchestra.

Elgar collaborated with Binyon once again in 1923 when he composed incidental music for Binyon’s play, Arthur. Elgar composed this for the pit band of the Old Vic theatre that amounted to no more than fourteen players. The short run of the play about the last days of King Arthur was produced by Lilian Baylis. This is the premiere recording of the complete music for “Arthur”, expertly edited by conductor Ben Palmer and recorded here with his Orchestra of St. Paul’s.

In 1942, during World War II, Binyon looked back on his relationship with Elgar and forward to the time when the bells would ring in England again signifying peace. Carillon, his poem for reciter and orchestra, is recorded here by the renowned actor Simon Callow in Elgar’s original setting from 1914.

Listen here: https://soundcloud.com/siva-oke/the-spirit-of-england

Tracklisting

The Spirit of England Op. 80

[1]  The Fourth of August

[2]  To Women

[3]  For the Fallen

[4]  With Proud Thanksgiving

[5]  Carillon Op. 75

[6]  Incidental Music to “Arthur”