The phrase ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’, coined some 3000 years ago by the Psalmist for his 139th Psalm, perfectly describes these final releases in Hyperion’s series, Psalms from St Paul’s. Over the course of 12 discs all 150 Psalms have been presented in the traditional Anglican grouping covering Matins and Evensong for every day of a 30-day month. After weeks in which we have been subjected to wounds which ‘stink and are corrupt through my foolishness’ (8th morning), heathen who ‘grin like a dog and run about through the city’ (11th evening), ‘all manner of flies and lice’ (21st morning), not to mention the shedding of innocent blood, ‘even the blood of their sons and of their daughters’ (21st evening), the unrestrained joy of the 30th evening, especially Psalm 150, comes as a welcome relief. And to mark the end of the monthly cycle Psalm 150 is sung to an appropriately celebratory chant (unique in having its own built-in descant) by Stanford which also provides a fitting conclusion to an exceptionally inspiring and captivating – not to say enchanting – series.
The intense pleasure and satisfaction to be gleaned from these discs is hard to explain to the uninitiated, who will seek in vain for any intrinsically musical interest. But while the 20 simple chords of a typical Anglican chant might appear a preposterously miniscule structure to those weaned on Bach cantatas or Mahler symphonies, for the true aficionado the framework of a chant offers infinite scope for expressive creativity. James Turle (1802-82) conjured up real pathos in his lovely chant for Psalm 109 while the Revd Sir Frederick Arthur Ouseley (1825-89) achieved an air of total contentment for Psalm 105. In more recent times Barry Rose shamelessly milks the St Paul’s acoustic with his delicious chant to Psalm 121 (included as an appendix to the final disc), John Bertalot gives us a tantalisingly bittersweet chant for Psalm 141 while Sir David Willcocks depicts true majesty for Psalm 148.
Huw Williams’ accompaniments are models of sensitivity and discretion, although not without occasional touches of humour (‘ye dragons and all deeps’ seems to shake the very foundations in Psalm 148 while his ‘right hand’ certainly provides generous support for Psalm 139) and John Scott’s relaxed direction, lovingly caressing these timeless words and phrases, ensures that the leisurely pace, which might from less inspired choral directors induce its hearers to a state of suspended animation, here creates an aura of mystery and sanctity; an aura fully enhanced by this spacious and warmly atmospheric recording. Here, surely, is the very apogee of English Psalm singing.'