Album

George Dyson's Nebuchadnezzar is no Belshazzar's Feast, nor does it really try to be. Though also an English oratorio based on and named after the same Babylonian king as Walton's work (Nebuchadnezzar, it turns out, is another name for Belshazzar), Dyson's work is less confrontational and aggressive than Walton's. Or, to put it another way, Dyson's Nebuchadnezzar, composed in 1934 and premiered in 1935, is much more of an old-fashioned English Romantic oratorio along the lines of Elgar's The Apostles than it is a new-fangled English modernist oratorio along the lines of Bliss' Morning Heroes. Big, strong-willed, and deeply devotional, Dyson's oratorio is tonal with traces of chromaticism, dramatic with moments of lyrical reflection, brilliantly colorful but by no means garish, and very formal but not slavishly so. In this excellent 2007 world-premiere recording performed with passionate professionalism by Richard Hickox leading the BBC Symphony Orchestra & Chorus with tenor Mark Padmore and bass-baritone Neal Davies, Nebuchadnezzar is given the opportunity to return to the repertoire; only time will tell if it actually happens. Also included here are world-premiere recordings of two more Dyson works—the charmingly pastoral Woodland Suite for strings and solo winds and the massively monumental Three Songs of Praise for chorus plus strings, two trumpets, three trombones, and two timpani—as well as two works for chorus and orchestra already known to devoted Dyson aficionados from previous recordings—O Praise God in His Holiness (Psalm 150) and Confortare (Be strong and of a good courage).

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1
George Dyson Composer Nebuchadnezzar, for chorus & ensemble Work 47:48 Mark Padmore Tenor, Neal Davies Baritone, Stephen Jackson Chorus/Choir Director, BBC Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, BBC Symphony Chorus Chorus/Choir, Richard Hickox Conductor
1	1.Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold ... Therefore at that time	12:28			$1.99
2	2.Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near ... O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answ	10:58			$1.99
3	3.Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury ... Therefore I make a decree	17:38			$2.99
4	4.O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord ... O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord	6:44			$0.99
George Dyson Composer Woodland Suite, for strings & winds Work 7:21 BBC Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Richard Hickox Conductor
5	1.At Evening Bell. Tranquillo	2:23			$0.99
6	2.Silken Sails. Allegretto	1:19			$0.99
7	3.Moon-Fairy. Andante	2:08			$0.99
8	4.Elfin Market. Allegro	1:31			$0.99
George Dyson Composer O Praise God in His Holiness Work Stephen Jackson Chorus/Choir Director, BBC Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, BBC Symphony Chorus Chorus/Choir, Richard Hickox Conductor
9	O Praise God in His Holiness	2:12			$0.99
George Dyson Composer Songs (3) of Praise Work 9:53 Stephen Jackson Chorus/Choir Director, BBC Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, BBC Symphony Chorus Chorus/Choir, Richard Hickox Conductor
10	Praise. Vigorous	2:00			$0.99
11	Lauds. Calm and sustained	4:27			$0.99
12	A Poet's Hymn. Broadly	3:26			$0.99
George Dyson Composer Be Strong & of Good Courage (Confortare) Work Stephen Jackson Chorus/Choir Director, BBC Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, BBC Symphony Chorus Chorus/Choir, Richard Hickox Conductor
13	Be Strong & of Good Courage (Confortare)	1:37			$0.99