William Walton - "Belshazzar's Feast"

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I'm singing this piece next weekend and it's ridiculously cool. Does anyone happen to know anything about Walton as a composer? Has anyone else heard this (orchestral piece for double chorus and baritone soloist)?

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 14:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I've got this as part of the Decca/London "british series" on CD (set of about 25 cds of old recordings bt c20 brit composers) yeah, it is a really nice piece, one of his best I think - I wish I could see/hear you doing it! Elgar's "dream of gerontius" next, perhaps? I'll check out my classical CDs tonight, and see what else I have by Walton, I have a few, but I can't remember exactly what.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 14:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah i like it. I've got a performance by Andrew Davies.
The only other Walton i really go for is the first symphony.

― pete s, Tuesday, 23 March 2004 15:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm super into checking out more of his stuff! The euphoric "Praise ye" section sends me into heaven.

(The performance I'm singing in might be webcast; I'll have to check.)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 16:09 (twenty-two years ago)

That's a great title at the least, given the Biblical story it illustrates. I'm intrigued!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 16:38 (twenty-two years ago)

I have sung in a performance of this when little. The recording I have (on vinyl) is from the 70s - Andre Previn conducting, I think.

Are there going to be 2 brass bands in your performance, Dan?

― Jeff W (zebedee), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 16:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I think so; usually when we do stuff like this we go all out (it's a Boston Symphony performance).

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 16:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Apart from Symphony #1 and Belshazzar, Walton is best known for 'Facade' for reciter(s) and chamber ensemble, which is very arch and very English. Any recording with Edith Sitwell herself reciting is entertaining, but probably best avoid this if not predisposed to the Sitwells.

― Jeff W (zebedee), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 16:58 (twenty-two years ago)

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