Every Living Creature "a triumph for all involved" - Fanfare

“Kenneth Leighton was one of the many composers from the central part of the 20th century whose music was deemed by a self-appointed academic “elite” as unworthy, on account of the fact that Leighton rejected atonality and the various mathematically-derived compositional methods that were at the time considered the only way to write if you wanted to be considered a “serious” composer. Thankfully, times have changed, and a whole world of repertoire from this period is now finally being rediscovered. More than half of the music on this new recording by Londinium has never been recorded (or performed?) before, and that is a shame, because this is fine music indeed.

Londinium is an amateur choir, but that in and of itself is not necessarily a negative thing, as the members of this fine ensemble unequivocally prove by their exceptionally fine singing on this new album. The group proves to be very “professional” in its ensemble, purity of tone, and unanimity of diction, as well as general blend and security with the music. It is assisted mightily on this recording by an exceptionally fine group of solo singers, and the end result is a truly impressive new recording of music of great quality, none of which I had ever heard before (I am almost ashamed to admit!).

The first piece on this new album is a multi-movement work in praise of animals, completed in 1971: Laudes Animantium. It is a terrific piece, full of original ideas and compelling gestures for both the full choir as well as the soloists. The highlight for me was perhaps the magnificent fifth movement, “The Kraken,” which is a stunningly original creation. It is also wonderfully sung here by Londinium. This is the first recording of what truly is a major piece of English choral music of the last century.

It is hard to compare Leighton’s style with that of his contemporaries, as it really doesn’t sound like any of the logical suspects, like Britten, or Finzi, or Howells. That is what makes this recording all the more impressive, as this is music that is in a very real sense something of a discovery.

While not a premiere recording here, An evening hymn is another exceptionally fine work on this program that I had never heard before. This is a far more substantial piece than the generic title of “hymn” would suggest, and once again it is given a thoroughly committed and convincing performance by Londinium on this album. There is so much really bad music being recorded now that it refreshing to know that there is still plenty of fine repertoire out there that can engage and inspire choirs the world over.

Other highlights on this new recording include the slightly more conservative (and earlier) Three Carols from 1948, the quite lovely Nativitie from around 1956, and the final work on the album, Hymn to the Trinity, written in 1974, which brings the recital to a resplendent close. It would also be remiss not to mention the excellent contribution provided by The Finchley Children’s Music Group on a couple of the tracks. The recording itself is excellent, with plenty of space around the performers and yet no lack of detail. Once again, all of the soloists are uniformly excellent.

In summary, this recording is a triumph for all involved, not least director Andrew Griffiths, who was no doubt the main force behind this project, and not forgetting composer Kenneth Leighton, whose music is absolutely worth getting to know. What an unexpected delight!”

William Kempster, Fanfare (January 2024)