Repertoire: The BEST and WORST Walton Belshazzar's Feast

[@brihath0805]

I sing with the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay and we start rehearsing Belshazzar's Feast next week for a performance with The Florida Orchestra in February. I was fascinated by your insights regarding the recordings of this amazing work. The last time the MCTB and TFO performed this was 20 years ago, before I joined the Master Chorale. Anyhow, your insights are very helpful. Thank you!

[@annielorys8829]

Thank you Dave - that was a great summary and really helpful. I have just ordered the second Previn/Benjamin Luxon recording on Carlton Classics mostly because it was recorded with the choir that I now sing with - Brighton Festival Chorus - and we are performing this work next February in Brighton - so curious to hear how we sounded back then! I know this performance wasn't in your top 7 but you were still very positive about it which I was glad to hear!

[@Plantagenet1956]

Oh how I love this work. Thank you for doing this, as its given me other alternatives.

[@paulb356]

Colin Davis's is the only recording of Belshazzar I've heard thus far, chosen more or less at random. Totally satisfying, with a thrilling conclusion. And that finger-writing-on-the-wall moment is suitably creepy as well. Having listened to this a number of times now, I must try some of the others recommended -- for which, many thanks!

[@steveevans6241]

I was at the live concert & I can confirm that Sir Colin Davis' performance was/is a real humdinger, he was about 80 at the time. He's the conductor I miss the most in London. Luckily, we still have the other Davis, Sir Andrew, who pops up every now & again.

[@grantparsons6205]

Late Davis live was so good so often. Many great nights at Barbican! Jurowski is the great recent loss to London in my view.

[@HassoBenSoba]

I sang this work in the same berserk performance (Solti, Chicago Sym) as "Pax Paxart" (below), in November, 1976. The program opened with the Mozart Adagio & Fugue in C minor, followed by the Verdi 4 Sacred Pieces. Two days later, we performed the concert in Carnegie Hall where Sir Georg, during the morning rehearsal onstage, made an outrageous statement to the women in the chorus, the memory of which (unfortunately) still lives on. ANYWAY....the Orchestral Hall performance of Solti's Belshazzar" was released on the CSO's in-house label, Vol 22, a tribute to the CSO Chorus. Previn's first (EMI) recording was released with a couple of different covers, one of which may have caused a real stir. I've always liked that performance (NOT just the cover), but agree that it's rather slack. I heard Slatkin do BF with the Grant Park Symphony and chorus in the early 80's, in a typically brisk and tidy reading. I have just ordered the Paul Daniel version, per your recommendation. The problem with a work of this type is the lamentable decline in choral singing during the last 50 years, especially the "kinder, gentler" (read: wimped out) sound of the male voices. "Belshazzar"..with its combination of massive passages AND the swift, dashing, dance-y final section...alternating antiphonally between its TWO full choruses (which both need to be equally strong), is simply BEYOND the capabilities of most musical organizations these days. If they actually can muster the forces (huge double chorus, organ, extra brass), they'll probably just increase the vocal soloists' budget and do the Mahler 8th. LR

[@johnrichmond1946]

Circa 1990, when I was singing in the IL State U. Community/Student Civic Chorus, the conductor hit us with Walton. Brahms and Mendelssohn were more the routine (but the chorus and its conductor were very fine). We were told that we were going to be singing something a bit *different*, and to prepare ourselves. I wasn't sure what to think of Walton, in the beginning, but it was fun. Crazy. "SLAIN!!!" Etc. Right here, in the cornfields of central Illinois....

[@philipadams5386]

I seem to remember a sensational performance under Slatkin at the BBC Proms posted on KZbin, but all traces of it have sadly disappeared.

[@joetucker2274]

The Colin Davis LSO Live recording of Belshazzar's Feast is also available in the "Sir Colin Davis Anthology" set, which is still available at reasonable prices. Thanks for the illuminating survey Mr. Dave!

[@johnwright7557]

A really fun piece! Thanks for doing this one. My introduction on LP was the Ormandy and I soon discarded it once I got Solti’s. Then with all the hype about Previn’s EMI I had to have it on CD, but then replaced it (it’s still in my overflow cabinet for the other works on the disc) with the BBC Music cover disc with Andrew Davis that Nigel Simeone mentioned in his comment. I still really like it, but my “however” version is that very Colin Davis you chose.

[@richardallen3810]

I never heard this piece played but am anxious now to hear it.

[@philipadams5386]

It's got to be one of the funnest pieces ever written.

[@richardallen3810]

@@philipadams5386 I’m listening to it now. It’s wild for 1931. Definitely going to require repeated listening.

[@marzzt]

Hi David. The Solti/London recording is still available in a 2-CD set from the fine people at Australian Eloquence (4804972). Issued about 10 years ago but still around. Thanks for the video!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Good to know.

[@jgesselberty]

Attended Belshazzar's Feast when Previn conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony with the young voices of the Penn State University Chorus. John Shirley-Quirk was the baritone. The night was electric. Am very surprised to hear your assessment of the First Symphony. I cannot think of another symphony from that time period that had more impact.

[@Wolfcrag85]

My version of choice is still Davis/Warner, coupled with Vaughan Williams' Job. It blows me away everytime.

[@swimmad456]

As usual a great summary Dave. However, if you are in the market for a fast taut version of Belly’s Bash with really characterful baritone try Sir Adrian Boult’s early 1950s recording with the LPO chorus and orchestra and John Noble. The Pristine Classical transfer is the one to get here. It’s a bit rough and ready but great fun.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

No. Sorry, the sonics just don't cut it and in this work, that's fatal.

[@danieldekok6949]

LOL @ "Belly's Bash"

[@jeffboggs6274]

Having grown up in Atlanta (and still live here) and going to ASO and Shaw concerts for many years, I went to one of the concerts of Belshazzar's (and the Bernstein) before they officially recorded them for Telarc, and the concerts were just fantastic. But for some reason, when they went to record it, it seemed to lose some of that excitement-don't know if it was because the audience wasn't there or what, and Shaw did seem to slow down the overall performance from the concerts, especially the last section. Plus, the infamous adding of the that choral 'chord' at the last measure 'to make the ending louder', which I never understood since the ASO was perfectly capable of playing very loudly and wasn't done in the concerts! I remember reading that Walton's wife, who was still alive then, hated that addition at the end, which she should have. Too bad Telarc didn't record the live concerts- I think it would have come out better. Will always like it regardless.

[@jacobbump1282]

That’s so true! I heard a live Mahler 8th concert of Shaw’s and it was just amazing!!!! Same with a War Requiem. His live concerts with many of these works were always extraordinary....though the recordings sometimes do lose the “oomph” that the live concerts had.

[@ritawing1064]

Did this include the famous excerpt from Belshazzar's Feast in the Gerard Hoffnung concert? PS, I love Cardillac, wish it got more of a spin. 4:14

[@BariTone7-v5r]

Litton hurt our feelings going back to Bournemouth to record his Belshazzar. He had just conducted us in Dallas that same season.

[@halfmanhalftenor]

The Andrew Davis Last Night of the Proms performance is on youtube if you want to experience the full Last Night excitement.

[@tonysanderson4031]

I heard Previn conduct Belshazzar's Feast with the LSO at the BBC Proms with Walton present. It was electrifying. So it was a surprise that this release on LP then, was disappointing.

[@allthisuselessbeauty-kr7]

Rather like Richard Hickox's version on EMI with the LSO - a choral conductor (originally of the LSO Chorus) who delivered the goods! It has an interesting coupling too, In Honour of the City of London

[@iczerman]

Unfortunately.. the Leonard Slatkin version is no longer on youtube...my person al favorite!

[@richardwilliams473]

I remember playing the timpani part of this piece of music with the ending going frantically to a dramatic climax !!

[@Spc1904]

With regard to the cricket equivalent of 'hitting it out the park' we would say that the LSO had 'hit it for 6'

[@Tesbert]

Hi David. You mentioned Paul Daniel. He did a great job for the Vaughan Williams 4th on Naxos as well. What do you think of that? I think it's great.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

www.classicstoday.com/review/review-11269/?search=1

[@john1951w]

Walton and Lady Walton came backstage after attending a performance of the piece at the Bath Festival in 1972 (the Leicestershire Schools S O) and he said: That was far superior to that dreadful Sargent recording.

[@frgraybean]

IMO the Abravanel/Utah SO BF on Vox is great fun and still available dirt cheap.

[@cerchiamusic]

You didn't mention Roger Wagner's recording of it. It's how was was introduced to the work back in the 1960s. (Our Grand Rapids Mi Symphony and chorus performed it. It was a thrill to sing this fantastic piece!) I like the Wagner performance and the Royal Philharmonic played well, although the sonics of the recording are a bit weird to me now. It sounds like the Roger Wagner Chorale was smallish and superimposed upon the orchestral recording. The chorus is recorded HOT but sound as if they were in a different acoustic, the mix taking care of the balance of the 2. So it sounds weird and forced rather than an open hall.

[@steveschwartz8944]

Love Colin Davis's Stravinsky, especially his Oedipus Rex. Doesn't surprise me that his BF is good.

[@johnstoddart3962]

Caught a performance of Belshazzar's Feast on a trip back to the UK in 1976 when it was performed by the LSO and Previn (Shirley-Quirk soloist) during a concert for the US Bi-Centennial, along with Rhapsody in Blue and the Harris Third Symphony (when are you going to do him, David? - now one of my favourites). Can't remember a ton about the concert except for a glimpse of Sir William and the fact that the lady who was to become my wife thoroughly enjoyed it, one of her earliest experiences of classical music. Glad you mentioned Daniel, an excellent Walton conductor. Except for rather crude sound, his recording of Symphony 1 comes closest to the famous Previn in my opinion. Also Litton. His performances of Walton and Rachmaninov never quite got the recognition of the musical press they deserved and aside from your support of them in these videos seem to have sunk without trace.

[@scagooch]

I bought the rattle at my community orchestra's fundraising sale. Haven't a clue where it is. No hurry to find it. The 1st symphony was lame.

[@colinwrubleski7627]

A trivia tidbit: the Walton Belshezzar's Feast, conducted by Andrew Davis, the Toronto S.O.'s music director at the time, was the main work for the opening concert of "Roy Rogers" (sic-- Roy Thomson) Hall in 1982. Your humble correspondent was certainly not present at that performance, which took place in 1982, compared with my own arrival in T.O. to study in 1990. However, the fascinating things to learn from the most sensible review William Littler wrote for the Toronto Star (yours truly loathed the Toronto Scar, with the Stun [Sun] and the Grope + Flail [Globe and Mail], and most of Littler's reviews did not impress whatsoever. Credit given where credit is due, however: in a perceptive article about Roy Thomson Hall having to be thoroughly renovated in 2002, Littler cleverly weaved together both his own initial over-reaction in enthusiasm for the new hall (an enthusiasm which almost universally quickly soured) with the harsh comments many critics of the day directed at Boston's Symphony Hall. Of course, in hindsight it is easy to note the BSO'S symphony hall is one of the great accoustical spaces around, whereas after the inaugral performance of the Walton --- at first probably very few in the audience at Roy Rogers (Toronto) knew what the Walton was supposed to sound like.... Of course, it did not take long for the complaints about RTH to make themselves manifest. One juicy bit of gossip is that the overly-powerful air and ventilation system nearly blew the sheet music off of Jimmy "Sir James" Galway's music stand, leading Galway to angrily declare that he would never perform there agaiĺłn unti that was fixrd...

[@barryguerrero7652]

What, no alternative Super Bowl music for today? . . . Actually, maybe a truncated "Belshazzar's Feast" would be perfect for half-time.

[@grantparsons6205]

Beecham on Karajan: like Malcolm Sargent only musical...

[@RModillo]

I think it was that HvK was “a sort of musical Malcolm Sargent.”

[@TheVaughan5]

Though English himself, Colin Davis was more noted for his performances of non English music, especially Berlioz, Sibelius and Mozart. However at least 2 of his English music performances I consider top of the range, The Walton as discussed here and his Elgar 1st symphony with the Dresden Staatskapelle (not the best sound quality). Very much missed and certainly IMO, overall superior to the current LSO chief, Simon Rattle.

[@robhaynes4410]

Just wanted to shout out a pretty obscure one: Alexander Gibson with the SNO and the great Sherrill Milnes. Still available on a Chandos 2-for-1 with Gibson's much-underrated Symphony No. 1. I prefer Daniel, Slatkin, and Litton, but I think the Gibson is worth an occasional hearing.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Not that obscure, but I agree. Some scruffy playing the definitely the right spirit. The First Symphony was the first one available on CD, I believe, and it features some killer bass trombone playing. As was often the case at this time, the strings are a bt problematic, but it's not for lack of effort.

[@robhaynes4410]

@@DavesClassicalGuide I'm listening to the Gibson Belshazzar right now. As usual from this source, outstanding brass work. Which in this piece is as important as the choral singing. You're right: The strings leave something to be desired.