01. - 05. Songs of the Sea, op.91 [18'24]
06. - 10. Songs of the Fleet, op.117 [24'34]
Benjamin Luxon- baritone; Bournemouth Symphony Chorus, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Norman Del Mar
Frederick Delius:
11. - 18. Sea Drift* [25'02]
John Noble- baritone, Liverpool Philharmonic Chorus, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Charles Groves
EMI CDM 5651132 (recorded July 1982 and *June 1973; this CD released in 1994)
(flacs, booklet and inlay scans)
Recording venues: Guildhall, Southampton amd *Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
Recording Engineers: Brian Culverhouse and *Stuart Eltham
Producers: Brian Culverhouse and *Christopher Bishop
The Irish composer Stanford's song cycle Songs of the Sea was a huge hit in Britain when first performed in 1904 at the Leeds Festival. For some reason, the follow up Songs of the Fleet have never been so popular even though they are arguably superior settings of Henry Newbolt's verse. It seems unlikely that the latter having a mixed choir rather than the former's male-voice choir would have been the reason that Songs of the Sea have received many more recordings than Songs of the Fleet.
Probably the best known recent recording of the two song cycles is Chandos' with Gerald Finley (in fine voice) but let down by the stodgy and polite conducting of Richard Hickox (http://meetinginmusic.blogspot.com/2014/05/stanford-songs-of-sea-gerald-finley.html). This earlier recording by Ben Luxon and Norman Del Mar is a much more dynamic affair. However, anybody who has heard the Australian bass-baritone Peter Dawson's 1930s recordings of Songs of the Sea and the Little Admiral from Songs of the Fleet may well consider those to be superior to Luxon and Del Mar - more idiomatic and colourful still. His anonymous chorus (and orchestra) sound just like a group of sailors enjoying a sing on deck. But, unfortunately, Dawson did not record the rest of Songs of the Fleet.
A word of caution: Anybody who has not heard these songs should be aware that they are chock full of memorable and hummable tunes. Their hooks will stay with you for weeks. (Much more so than many of Stanford's more 'serious' works.)
Apart from the 'sea' connection, EMI's choice of coupling, Delius' setting of Walt Whitman's Sea Drift couldn't be more inappropriate. Often considered a masterpiece, I have never warmed to the work and this 1972 Charles Groves performance seems very laid back. Those looking for a more dynamic approach may well prefer Bo Holten, Mark Elder, or (from an earlier era) Beecham's recordings, but this one also has its adherents.