Walton "Belshazzar's Feast" - Andrew Davis conducts

This splendid performance of Sir William Walton's most celebrated cantata was given in the spectacular surroundings of Leeds Town Hall in 1999. The BBC Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, and the Leeds Festival Chorus with Willard White, baritone, were conducted by Sir Andrew Davis. It was the Leeds Festival Chorus who, with the London Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Sir Malcolm Sargent, had premiered the work in 1931, and here they are again, a few generations later!

[@DeltaRana4]

I was fortunate to be at the recording of this event in 1999. It was played through fully twice!

[@AdamMusicWorld]

Shoutout to that tambourine player. Whoever he is, he rocks!

[@mozartmahler61]

Il capolavoro di un grandissimo compositore. Per me questa è la migliore esecuzione. Grandi Williard White e Andrew Davis. E un 'bravissimo" ai cori ed ai loro Maestri preparatori... È un pezzo corale difficilissimo!!

[@danieldekok6949]

Wow. Just Wow. Bravo. I've been on the verge of tears/sobbing like a baby for the last ten minutes. Live would have been a foretaste of heaven.

[@marcallen4532]

I didn't sob, but I'm wiping the tears from my eyes! Just a brilliant performance.

[@mrscoles100]

What a pleasure to play

[@danieldekok6949]

I can't get over the crispness and precision of this chorus--and they have the right sound for this piece. Bravo to all involved!

[@michaelm2441]

Wonderful, riveting performance ! I wish I could have been there to hear it live.

[@DeltaRana4]

I was there on the balcony with my mum and dad - it was a free performance for those who held season tickets for concerts in Leeds Town Hall that year. They played it once through then we had an intermission for refreshments, then they had another full performance followed by a few short retakes for alternative camera angles etc. Leeds Town Hall never looked as lovely - the BBC lit it beautifully. Fond memories.

[@AdamMusicWorld]

That’s amazing!

[@benmatson9901]

1. Thus Spake Isaiah 0:14 2. By the waters of Babylon 1:20 [7 before 1] - piu mosso [2nd of 11] 8:33 3. Babylon was a great city (solo) 10:31 [solo before 15] 4. In Babylon, Belshazzar the King made a great feast 11:31 [15] 5. Praise ye 14:20 [25] -[4th of 26] 15:00 6. Thus in Babylon, the mighty city 19:15 [41] 7. And in that same hour (solo) 22:20 [solo before 52] 8. Then sing aloud to God our strength 23:59 [54] 9. The trumpeters and pipers were silent 28:10 [65, choir solo] 10. Then sing aloud to God our strength 29:25 [67]

[@dr.kenmahood4917]

FINALLY !!!! someone conducted this correct.....Great performance Mr. Davis.

[@huddan6137]

Wow! What a fiery performance at such an exhilarating tempo!

[@zelda7239]

The music and setting is incredible. Thank you

[@berlinzerberus]

An exquisite performance!

[@marywhite4249]

brilliant specially reading the book of daniel fromt eh bible at the same time..

[@operaFan-tn8ng]

Well they certainly did a great job of that performance. It was brilliant!

[@andreapandypetrapan]

Much of the sensuous "creepiness" and exotic orchestral timbres of the "In that same hour" (starting 22:18) are borrowed directly from passages in the Rite of Spring. However, there's nothing wrong with a little judicious stealing, as, for instance, Picasso repeatedly exemplified. Love, andrea

[@steveegallo3384]

@andypandypeterpan4062 -- Yes! BRAVI from Acapulco!

[@wynpencarreg7535]

This is a great interpretation

[@xoio]

Marvellous! Pity this isn't in HD.

[@mtom77]

Veramente bello

[@peterwimsey1]

in the original broadcast did they really ruin it with that musical box at the end ?

[@adam28xx]

Yes, that's exactly how it ended, with the musical box playing "Popular Song" from Walton's "Facade" Suite.

[@NothingFunnyAboutTheseCarpets]

It was part of a bigger programme with some info about the piece and Walton. In that context, the music box outro makes more sense. Wouldn’t say it ruined anything though

[@elliotkey7961]

3@@@❤❤❤❤

[@JohanHerrenberg]

Stirring!

[@cynthiafittro3198]

This is absolutely fantastic in every aspect - love it!!!!

[@rad-guidance7]

16'44" always makes me wonder : yet another soupçon of plagiarism by our dear JW in a galaxy far far away...?

[@adam28xx]

For those viewers who don't know who JW is, you might like to explain this statement!