Carol Composer #3: Lennox Berkeley

Carol Composer #3: Lennox Berkeley

The Christmas and Winter Music of Lennox Berkeley

by R. Rojas

Lennox Berkeley (1903-1989) was the first composer to have a carol premiered at the Festival of Nine Lesson and Carols. This took place in 1983 with his piece "In Wintertime."  

For a biography of Lennox Berkley, I think the Wikipedia page on Berkeley is useful as is the Lennox Berkeley Society's page at: https://www.lennoxberkeley.org.uk. 

Berkeley studied music in Paris with Nadia Boulanger and while there, was acquainted with the likes of Francis Poulenc and Igor Stravinsky, both of which Berkeley wrote musical homages to. He also studied with Maurice Ravel.

"In Wintertime" performed by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge

"In Wintertime" (Op. 123) was based on words by Betty Askwith, and as stated above, was the first-commissioned carol for the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King College, Cambridge.

"Look Up Sweet Babe," Op. 43, No. 2

"Look Up Sweet Babe," Op. 43, No. 2 is a 1955 composition with text by Richard Cradshaw.

"I sing of a maiden"

Berkeley also composed a 1966 piece on the words of "I sing of a maiden."

"Sweet was the Song" Op. 43

Berkeley also tackled the text of "Sweet was the Song" Op. 43. No.3, as heard in this recording (above) by the Choir of Worcester College, Oxford under Stephen Furr (2014). It is a 1957 composition, SATB with organ.

I could not find videos that included an arraignment of Adeste Fideles for Organ and Chorale (1964) . I found it on the Wise Music catalogue website, but the website states it is "unavailable for performance." It is listed as SATB and one instrument.

Not necessarily Christmas, there is a composition by Berkeley called "Lullaby" for tenor or soprano and piano.

As for themes of winter, Berkeley has a piece of incidental music called "A Winter's Tale" as well as the "A Winter Tale Suite."

Other sacred music from Berkeley includes two pieces based on the Magnificat, one in 1968 (Op. 71) and another connected with a Nunc dimmittis for the Chichester service (Op. 99) in 1980. Wise Music says the later was commissioned for the Southern Cathedrals Festival. He also has a piece based on Psalm 23, "The Lord is my shepherd," Op. 91. No. 1 (1975).

Berkeley focuses on the cross in his 1955 Crux fidelis, Op. 43, No. 1 which was written by Peter Pears and dedicated to Imogen Holst; two masses, the Missa Brevis, Op. 57 (1960) and Mass for five voices, Op. 64 (1964)(Commissioned by His Eminence Cardinal Heenan, Archbishop of Westminster). "Missa Brevis" is Dedicated to Michael and Julian Berkeley and the boys of Westminster Cathedral Choir.  

Berkeley also had a ten-movement Stabat mater (Op. 28) and his "Three Latin Motets," Op. 83 no.1 (1972) is SSATB based on "a text for Passion Sunday, Eripe me (Deliver me, O Lord); the second, Veni Sponsa (Come thou Bridge of Christ) is to a text proper to the Feast of Virgins and Martyrs and the third is a Maryan anthem, Regina Coell (Queen of Heaven), proper to/season from Easter Sunday to the Friday before Pentecost." Wise Music. The composer also has a "Salve Regina" Op. 48 for choral ensemble. 

 

Based on a hymn tune written to celebrate the 14th centenary of the death of St Columba, Berkeley also composed "Christ is the World's Redeemer " (Gartan) (1963) for a cappella chorus and instrument. The composer wrote music on "Four Poems by St. Theresa de Avila" (1947). In 1944, he wrote "Lord, When the Sense of Thy Sweet Grace," Op. 21 no.1 (1944) (SATB).

 

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