Complex Bax

Huddersfield Choral Society and the BBC Philharmonic perform Bax in his grand manner, with talented soloist Christine Bunning

Composer: Bax
Repertoire: Works for Chorus and Orchestra
Artists: Christine Bunning (soprano); Huddersfield Choral Society, the BBC Philharmonic/Martyn Brabbins
Rating: 3/5 
Genre: Choral/Orchestral
Label: Chandos CHAN 10164

With huge choral statements, full brass choirs, and all the paraphernalia - you might call it the ‘Three Choirs Style.’ Indeed, To the Name Above Every Name was written for the Three Choirs Festival in 1923. Sometimes his choral demands get the better of the singers: the climax of St Patrick’s Breastplate goes out of tune and the acoustic is mushy. But soprano Christine Bunning does a fine job in the Straussian Nocturnes.