United Kingdom Three Choirs Pageant [4] – Coleridge-Taylor: Rebecca Hardwick (soprano), Aoife Miskelly (soprano), Amy Holyland (mezzo-soprano), Martha McLorinan (mezzo-soprano). Mark LeBrocq (tenor), David Stout (baritone), Three Choirs Pageant Refrain, Philharmonia Orchestra / Samuel Hudson (conductor). Hereford Cathedral, 31.7.2025. (JQ)
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor – The Atonement, Op.53 (1903, rev.1905)
In recent times, Geraint Bowen has made one thing of a behavior – a welcome one – of together with in his Hereford Three Choirs programmes large-scale British choral/orchestral works that are sometimes heard in our live performance halls. It was due to him that I skilled for the primary – and thus far solely – time in stay efficiency main works by Dyson, Bliss and Dame Ethel Smyth. Now Bowen gave us one other revival however, as far as I used to be involved, there was an essential distinction: I had already heard all these different works a number of occasions, both on CD or although broadcasts, however Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s The Atonement is a piece which I’ve not beforehand recognized of or heard. By programming it, Bowen was in a position to mark the a hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the composer’s delivery.
The Atonement was premiered on the 1903 Hereford Three Choirs Pageant, so my first step was to go looking in The Three Choirs Pageant. A Historical past by Anthony Boden and Paul Hedley, a e-book which is as complete as it’s indispensable (overview right here). There was a quick reference to the truth that Coleridge-Taylor carried out the premiere, however the one touch upon the rating itself was that The Atonement was ‘a piece that suffered badly from the libretto of Mrs Alice Parsons’. That meagre description scarcely crammed me with confidence, however I reasoned that perhaps the neglect of the work meant that the authors of the e-book had by no means had the chance to listen to a efficiency. So, I made up my mind to method its efficiency with an open thoughts.
After an extended interval of neglect, the music of Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) has loved one thing of a minor renaissance lately, particularly on CD. I’ve heard various his chamber and orchestral works, not least his engaging Violin Concerto. The music that I’ve heard has, with out exception, been interesting and really effectively crafted however aside from the Violin Concerto and one different work, all of the compositions by this composer which have come my approach have been pretty brief in period. The opposite substantial work, apart from the concerto, is the one on which the composer’s fame rested for therefore a few years: the tripartite choral/orchestral work The Music of Hiawatha (1898-1900) which was offered in full on the 2013 Gloucester Three Choirs Pageant. In my overview I stated that Coleridge-Taylor’s rating ‘is constantly accessible, pleasurable and tuneful, even when his use of leitmotifs implies that his tunes have a tendency typically to get stretched quite a great distance’. I added that ‘I discovered it an entertaining work’ however I instructed that it ‘is a piece that has most likely had its day and it could hope for not more than the occasional revival’.
Coleridge-Taylor was for some years an admired determine in Three Choirs circles. On the advice of Elgar, he was invited to put in writing an orchestral work for the 1898 Gloucester Three Choirs. The success of that piece, the Ballade in A Minor, led to an invite to compose for the 1899 Worcester Pageant: Solemn Melody was the end result. Sadly for the composer, plainly this work was by no means carried out once more till tonight’s conductor, Samuel Hudson included it in his programme for the 2021 Worcester Pageant, the place it proved worthy of revival (overview right here). A tune cycle, The Soul’s Expression was premiered on the 1900 Hereford Pageant and the next 12 months one other orchestral composition, Idyll was premiered on the Gloucester Pageant, carried out by the composer; the work, it appears, was not too effectively acquired by the critics. Then got here the invitation to put in writing what turned The Atonement for the 1903 Hereford Pageant. The premiere of that work, which the composer carried out, proved to be his final Three Choirs look
I used to be in a position to do some homework; specifically, given the remark about her libretto within the Boden/Hedley historical past, I used to be eager to be taught a bit extra about Alice Parsons (1871-1934). I’m grateful to Simon Carpenter, the Pageant Archivist and creator of a current, useful historical past of the Three Choirs Pageant (overview right here) who kindly supplied me with some materials he had assembled from his personal researches. Alice was born in Cheltenham right into a Unitarian household. Her origins have been pretty humble however in 1894 she married Francis Parsons, a journalist who was the joint proprietor of two native newspapers, the Gloucestershire Echo and the Cheltenham Chronicle. After her marriage, Alice actively supported her husband in his work on the papers and plainly that is when her writing started. She was regionally lively each within the motion for girls’s suffrage and within the Liberal celebration. Most relevantly within the context of The Atonement, we should always keep in mind that her spiritual affiliation was to the Unitarians. Apparently, she was approached by Coleridge-Taylor in 1902 to put in writing the libretto for The Atonement, however fairly how this took place is unclear. The oratorio units to music the story of Christ’s Ardour and Crucifixion, although there’s little or no direct citation from Scripture. As Paul Ellison noticed in his programme be aware for this live performance, Parsons ‘made the choice to assemble her personal textual content, paraphrasing the all-too-familiar phrases. In doing so, she was reflecting the want of the composer for one thing completely different’. I feel it is usually price referencing an extract, equipped to me by Simon Carpenter, from a letter which Coleridge-Taylor wrote to 1 Reginald Buckley, who was getting ready a programme be aware for the primary efficiency: ‘I’ve written the music on no accepted spiritual traces, and have merely tried to place musical life to my libretto. I’m instructed my remedy of Christ’s half is completely different to the often undramatic setting. That is after all intentional, for I, personally, can’t think about Christ, when on earth, to have been minus dramatic life. Personally talking I’ve used “motif’, although not rigidly; in actual fact, I’ve tried to painting the scenes as naturally as I presumably may, with out regard for any preconceived notion as to how such a piece ought to be set. If I’ve failed, it isn’t by means of need of excellent and reverent intention.’
Coleridge-Taylor produced a full-length oratorio: I timed this efficiency at 85 minutes. To be sincere, I feel The Atonement is far too lengthy: had Coleridge-Taylor produced a extra compact rating, lasting say an hour, it might need been beneficially tauter. Actually, the work was initially even longer. In the course of the efficiency I observed what seemed to be two fairly substantial cuts in Elements IV and V of the work. After the efficiency I used to be in a position to make clear with Bryan Anthony James, who had edited the rating for the efficiency, that in 1905 Coleridge-Taylor made a revision of the work, omitting the 2 passages in query; confusingly the Three Choirs Pageant had printed the 1903 libretto within the programme. The work is split into 5 elements, as follows: I Prelude (for orchestra); II Gethsemane; III Prayer of the Holy Ladies and Apostles (a brief choral motion); IV Pontius Pilate; V Calvary. This efficiency had an interval after Half III. The scoring is for SATB refrain, orchestra and no fewer than six soloists. Frankly, Coleridge-Taylor’s use of soloists is extravagant – and will partially clarify why the work is so uncared for these days. The baritone (Christ) is the one soloist required earlier than Half IV; his is a considerable position. Half IV makes use of a soprano as Pilate’s spouse and a tenor as Pilate – the tenor makes a quick reappearance within the work’s closing ensemble. In Half V the opposite three feminine soloists participate. To be sincere, I don’t see why the identical soprano couldn’t sing in Elements IV and V; that might be a bit extra economical, however, rightly, for this revival the Three Choirs revered the composer’s needs.
What of the work itself? Primarily based on this listening to and on studying the textual content beforehand, I can solely concur with the decision on the phrases which Boden and Hedley reached. Alice Parsons’s libretto appears ‘of its time’ with the phrases a chief instance of Victorian piety. One regrettable pattern I observed through the efficiency is the variety of occasions that Coleridge-Taylor repeats phrases; it’s a gadget taken to extra. In some methods, Coleridge-Taylor’s music is, just like the libretto, of its time in that it struck me as being fairly conservative in tone and really a lot late-nineteenth century. But, greater than as soon as through the efficiency I mirrored that simply two years earlier than Coleridge-Taylor started work on The Atonement Elgar had composed The Dream of Gerontius (and in 1903 he gave us The Apostles). There’s nothing in Coleridge-Taylor’s rating which comes anyplace near the blazing originality of Elgar’s music in these works. I assumed the Prelude to The Atonement was fairly promising; the composer laid out a number of themes which have been to recur within the oratorio and the orchestral scoring was wealthy and noble. Nonetheless, that promise was not likely sustained.
The portrayal of Christ was attention-grabbing. Taking into consideration the composer’s remark to Reginald Buckley, I presume that David Stout was following the directions within the rating. Consequently, Christ emerged as quite a forceful character. That’s advantageous up to some extent; in spite of everything, the Ardour of Christ is a narrative of bodily and emotional anguish. Nonetheless, I might need anticipated extra tenderness on events akin to (in Half I) Christ’s phrases to his disciples, ‘Oh, little flock, whom I’ve liked so effectively’. Once more, close to the tip of the work when Christ sings ‘Father, into Thy palms’, there was some musical softening however not fairly sufficient, I felt. The image of Christ that emerged appeared to me to be quite too one-dimensional and missing in compassion, although that’s by no means a criticism of Stout, who sang very effectively and with no little conviction. Within the Passions of Bach, Pilate is portrayed by a baritone or bass however Coleridge-Taylor allotted the position to a tenor. That is one other strongly projected portrayal of a personality and in Mark LeBrocq we had simply the proper singer with all the mandatory heft for the a part of Pilate. This was an occasion the place I felt Coleridge-Taylor and Parsons had the characterisation proper; Pilate shows not simply steely authority but additionally contempt for the Jews and what their leaders are as much as. This was a ringing efficiency which commanded consideration. As Pilate’s spouse, Rebecca Hardwick had only one solo to sing, although it was a giant, dramatic aria. There was loads of energy and dramatic depth to her singing. Nonetheless, I had heard her the earlier night in Howells’s Hymnus Paradisi and I commented then that I regretted an absence of heat to her tone (overview right here). Tonight, that lack of heat was much more pronounced; certainly, there was an excessive amount of edge to her tone. While that aided her dramatic projection, I didn’t tremendously benefit from the singing. In Half V there are elements for 3 extra feminine soloists, every allotted a separate position: Aoife Miskelly as Mary, the mom of Jesus; Amy Holyland as Mary Magdalene; and Martha McLorinan as Mary, the spouse of Cleophas. Every had a small solo earlier than they mixed as a trio. All three of them sang admirably and so they blended effectively as a trio.
The Pageant Refrain sang with dedication. I think about the music is just not as difficult as among the different items which they’ll have carried out by the tip of the week. That stated, they entered into the spirit of the piece with enthusiasm. They’re required to fulfil various features: as narrators; as commentators on the story because it unfolds; and, inevitably, because the Crowd. They have been notably profitable in that latter guise; their singing within the scene with Pilate was positively vituperative. I’m simply considerate about one level: there gave the impression to be an terrible lot of loud singing with not as a lot dynamic distinction as I might need anticipated. Nonetheless, provided that in different performances this week the Pageant Refrain has proved attentive on this matter I’ll pay them the praise of assuming that they have been following the dynamic markings within the rating.
Samuel Hudson led the efficiency with palpable enthusiasm for the duty in hand. It’s essential, I feel, to galvanise the performers when an unfamiliar piece is being carried out, notably whether it is an uneven rating. I assumed Hudson achieved that.
The closing pages of The Atonement encompass a giant ensemble for refrain and soloists (‘Christ hath triumphed’) The phrases and music specific a fact for any Christian believer however, even so, I assumed it was all too full-on and, frankly, a bit apparent; I used to be unmoved. That stated, this ‘large end’ enabled Hudson and his forces to conclude this revival of a long-neglected work on a excessive and it resulted in a really enthusiastic response from the substantial viewers.
As can be apparent, I’ve vital reservations about The Atonement. I’ve heard that it has not been carried out for some 90 years, although I can’t confirm that. To be sincere, I assumed this revival confirmed why such neglect has occurred, although I have to stress that the misgivings I’ve are by no means a mirrored image on the admirable efficiency it bought. I’ve already referenced Elgar. I worry that The Atonement doesn’t start to match the standard and originality of the music that Elgar was writing at across the identical time. We have been reminded within the programme e-book that when Elgar advisable Coleridge-Taylor as a potential composer for the 1898 Three Choirs Pageant he described him as ‘by far and away the cleverest fellow going amongst the youthful males’. Maybe, then, the shortcomings that I detect in The Atonement are merely the results of inexperience. Had he lived longer, Coleridge-Taylor might need revised the work or, extra probably, have produced significantly better choral/orchestral compositions. In that connection, it’s related, I feel, to make one other comparability with Elgar. Had Elgar died early, as did Coleridge-Taylor, after composing his early oratorio The Mild of Life (1896) and earlier than The Dream of Gerontius I doubt his fame as a composer of choral/orchestral works could be as excessive as is the case.
The Three Choirs Pageant honoured Coleridge-Taylor’s reminiscence with this revival however I discover it laborious to envisage The Atonement turning into established within the repertoire.
John Quinn
