CD Cover Art of Vital Spark of Heav’nly Flame

Hyperion CDA67020
Released 2 March 1998

Vital Spark of Heav’nly Flame
Music of death and resurrection, 1760–1840
Philippa Hyde Soprano
Claire Tomlin Soprano
Timothy Kenworthy-Brown Counter-tenor (former surname of Travers-Brown)
Patrick McCarthy Tenor
Adrian Peacock Bass
Psalmody, The Parley of Instruments
Peter Holman director
This disc is taken from the pioneering series entitled 'The English Orpheus', directed by the scholar Peter Holman, which covers items from the rich repertory of 17th and 18th Century English music ranging from opera and suite to concerto and song. On it, Tim is under his former professional surname of 'Kenworthy-Brown', and presents performances of music written for the psalmody and gallery choirs in Britain between 1760 and 1840, by amateur composers who were profoundly influenced by their eloquent contemporaries, including Handel, Haydn, Arne and Geminiani. The music ranges from simple metrical psalm or hymn tunes that include a series of fugal entries to sophisticated and elaborate orchestral verse anthems, which imitate the idiom of cathedral music.
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Track list

  1. This is the day the Lord hath made
    Thomas Greatorex of Birmingham (1758-1831)
    Choir and Orchestra
  2. Vital spark of Heav'nly Flame
    Edward Harwood of Darwen, Lancashire (1707-1787)
    CT, JC, AP, choir and organ
  3. When rising from the bed of death
    John Pixell of Edgbaston (1725-1784)
    TK-B, strings and organ
  4. The Lord is risen
    Robert Wainwright of Manchester (1748-1782)
    PH, CT PMc, AP, choir and orchestra
  5. Alas! and did my Saviour bleed?
    Richard Taylor of Chester (1758-1827)
    Choir
  6. ‘Yes! The Redeemer Rose’ [4’13]
    Richard Taylor
    Choir, orchestra
  7. ‘Angels, roll the rock away’ [4’19]
    Richard Taylor
    SATB solo, orchestra
  8. ‘I heard a voice from heaven’ [2’24]
    Henry Harington of Bath (1727-1816)
    Choir
  9. ‘Unveil thy bosom, faithful tomb’ [5’41]
    G.F.Handel arr. Edward Miller of Doncaster (1735-1807)
    Choir, orchestra
  10. ‘Christ being raised from the dead’ [3’19]
    Stephen Jarvis of Dartmouth
    SATB solo, choir, orchestra
  11. ‘Might I in thy sight appear’ [3’11]
    Samuel Wesley (1766-1837)
    Tenor, organ
  12. ‘O Lord, what is man!’ [1’50]
    J.Haydn (1732-1809) arr. William Gardiner of Leicester (1770-1853)
    Bass, strings, organ
  13. ‘Spirit, leave thine house of clay!’ [2’45]
    John Fawcett of Bolton (1789-1867)
    SAB solo, choir, orchestra
  14. ‘Rejoice the Lord is King’ [7’17]
    G.F.Handel, arr. S.Wesley
    Choir, organ
  15. ‘Now is Christ risen from the dead’ [6’52]
    John Fawcett
    SAATB solos, choir, orchestra