Since 1989, the Society has made regular commercial recordings with major British Orchestras, mostly for Hyperion Records. The ones that remain in the catalogues are available worldwide from all good music stores.
Vaughan Williams: HODIE; FANTASIA ON CHRISTMAS CAROLS
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Our latest recording on the Naxos label released in October 2007 Vaughan Williams's works have a special resonance for Surrey music lovers as he lived at Leith Hill and the Surrey Hills were a source of inspiration for him. In Hodie, he creates two wonderful new carols as the Christmas story unfolds, while the Fantasia uses traditional carols. Both works stress the concept of peace among men - which never ceases to be a highly relevant, if elusive, aspiration. more details order form [pdf - new window] |
Vaughan Williams: FIVE TUDOR PORTRAITS; FIVE MYSTICAL SONGS
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Hyperion records: CDA 55004 [in catalogue]
Five mystical songs, commissioned for the Worcester festival, are to words by George Herbert. With echoes of Ravel and Elgar, these are fine pieces. Five Tudor Portraits, first performed at the Norwich Festival, have not enjoyed the frequency of performance that their musical merits deserve. Here is a CD that couples these appealing works in a confident rendering by Guildford Choral Society. ...These are generally lively and imaginative performances; Sarah Walker exploits magnificently her penchant for witty characterisation, most notably as drunken Alice in The Tunning of Ellinor Rumming |
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Holst: CHORAL SYMPHONY; CHORAL FANTASIA
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Hyperion records: CDA 55104 [reissued] ... the Guildford Choir rising magnificently to the stiff challenge of the tongue-tripping texts and the shifting harmonies ...
...the diction, tone and dynamic flexibility of the choir is outstanding |
Holst: THE MORNING OF THE YEAR; THE GOLDEN GOOSE; KING ESTMERE
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[deleted] This is a very welcome revealing CD. No one interested in Holst should be without it. Difficult to imagine the performance being bettered. The Guildford Choral Society sing as if the music of all three rare works is in their bones. Performances are lively and capable. Presentation is absolutely first class and the recording is ripe and realistic to match. In sum, a very useful release. |
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George Lloyd: A LITANY
In March 1996, the choir commissioned and promoted the world première of A Litany in the Royal Festival Hall. This major new work was conducted in both concert and recording by the composer.
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Albanyrecords: Troy 200 This is a premier recording and it earns a welcome ... much to enjoy ... The orchestral score, rich in colour and varied in resources, is regally served by the Philharmonia. The Guildford Choral Society sing with confidence and apparent zest. |
Parry: JOB - an Oratorio
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[deleted] Little of Parry's choral music has been recorded in recent years; his star was somewhat eclipsed by that of Elgar, but there's no doubt that the latter was strongly influenced by Parry. Job pre-dates all of Elgar's oratorios and it is easy to detect its influence in, for instance, The Dream of Gerontius, written ten years later. This fine work has never been recorded before. Recorded in autumn 1998 |
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