Discography
On Christmas DayFolk-carols and folk-songs
arranged by
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Comprising: Eight Traditional English Carols
Twelve Traditional Carols from Herefordshire
Six English Folk Songs
Derek Welton, baritone
Iain Burnside, piano
Albion Records ALBCD013
Released 26 September 2011
CDs and MP3s available from:
Albion Records website
amazon.co.uk
amazon.com
amazon.de
iTunes
Reviews
‘This excellent CD assembles 20 of Vaughan Williams’s own carol arrangements, with six folk songs thrown in for good measure. The soloist is the young Australian Derek Welton, whose manly, oaken baritone is sensitively offset by Iain Burnside’s superbly supportive accompaniments. The twelve apostles and The truth sent from above are particular highlights of this disc, but every track has something to offer. Highly recommended’
Performance ★★★★★
Recording ★★★★★
(Terry Blain, BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2011)
‘Welton is an excellent singer, his vibrant baritone perfect for the swaggering nature of some of the songs, while he can scale down tenderly for others’
(International Record Review, December 2011)
‘First up a new disc from the young Australian baritone Derek Welton of Vaughan Williams carol settings. The composer had a lifelong fascination with carols and spent much of his life transcribing and preserving them in the same way he did with folk songs in order to stop the oral traditions from becoming extinct. This disc contains twenty of Vaughan Williams’ own carol arrangements, with six folk songs also included. Derek Welton has a rich yet flexible voice. It sounds effortless and I could listen to him all day. He is sensitively accompanied by Iain Burnside, and the recording is vibrant and well balanced.’
(Presto Classical, 5 December 2011)
‘Welton’s diction is so clear that I found it unnecessary to refer to the words. This disc is worth buying if just to hear Welton and Burnside’s rendition of One Man, Two Men and Rolling in the Dew from the Six English Folk-Songs. It is refreshing to hear a singer who does not strain and these songs are a showcase for the enormous range of vocal colour and the faultless sense of rhythm at his disposal. He is not afraid to act with his voice and his ability to express humour, intimacy and nobility with feeling that is genuine, marks him in my mind, as an interpreter of art song who deserves encouragement and further opportunities to perform and record in this genre.’
(Wendy Hiscocks, British Music Society News, December 2011. Reprinted with permission.)
‘Attractively performed by the Australian baritone Derek Welton and the pianist Iain Burnside, the programme makes for an evocative vista of bygone Christmas times.’
(Geoffrey Norris, The Daily Telegraph, 9 December 2011)
‘Welton’s crisp, masculine baritone and crystal clear diction give us a beatiful set of songs full of ancient poetry and elegance’ (Translated from Danish: ‘Weltons sprøde macho-baryton og krystalklare diktion giver os en skøn stak sange fulde af ældgammel poesi og elegance.’)
(Jyllands-Posten, 19 December 2011)
Franz Josef Haydn (1732-1809)L’anima del filosofo, ossia Orfeo ed Euridice Hob 28/13
Andrew Goodwin, Orfeo
Elena Xanthoudakis, Euridice/Genio
Derek Welton, Creonte
Pinchgut Opera
Cantillation
Orchestra of the Antipodes
Erin Helyard, fortepiano
Antony Walker, conductor
Pinchgut LIVE PG001
Recorded December 2010, City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney, Australia
Released 24 August 2011
CD available from:
Pinchgut Opera website
Thomas’ Music, Melbourne
Fish Fine Music, Sydney
JB Hi-Fi
MP3s available from:
amazon.co.uk
amazon.com
amazon.de
iTunes Store
Reviews
‘Vocally the prime attractions are Greek-Australian soprano Elena Xanthoudakis … and baritone Derek Welton … With his mellow baritone and graceful phrasing, Welton makes Creonte more sympathetic than the dark-toned Ildebrando d’Arcangelo for Hogwood, though he musters a fine, ringing sonority for his ‘vengeance’ aria that closes Act 2.’
(Richard Wigmore, Gramophone, February 2012)
‘Antony Walker and the excellent Orchestra of the Antipodes give the best reading of the score since Doráti … Derek Welton offers fine support as her father, Creonte; his vengeance aria is particularly effective.’
(Clive Paget, Limelight Magazine, December 2011)