A Ballad of the Fleet, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Set to Music for Chorus and, Orchestra by C. Villiers Stanford:
The Station Augmented Orchestra, conducted by T. H. Morrison
The Station Chorus: Chorus Master, S.H. Whittaker

This brisk and breezy sea Cantata is a setting of Tennyson's ballad telling how Sir Richard Grenville with the little Revenge fought a host of Spanish galleons.
After a few introductory bars the Chorus sings the first words-how fifty-three Spanish warships were sighted.
Basses then sing Lord Howard's words; with his ships disabled and his men sick he could not meet them there. Grenville's answer (Tenors) was that he must stay for the sake of his sick men ashore (Grenville's words are always sung by the Tenors).
Telling of Lord Howard's departure (Chorus), the music, fades into the distance.
After a short pause there comes the verse (Slower and heavy - Contraltos leading) telling how the sick were brought on board; followed by the decision to meet the Spaniards.
The music quickens and rises to a brief climax at the words, 'Sir Richard spake, and he laughed. and we roar'd hurrah.'
This leads on to the long description of the meeting of the little Revenge with the huge Spanish fleet. A vivid picture of the fight is painted. At length Grenville was sorely wounded; but he said, 'Fight on! fight on!' This brings a big orchestral climax.
Then comes a lull; 'And the night went down. And the Spanish fleet with broken sides lay round us all in a ring.'
But the Revenge was in a sad plight, and had soon to yield. Grenville was taken on board a Spanish ship, and died there.
This leads to a deeply expressive passage for Chorus (with no accompaniment but drum-throbs) telling how the Spaniards gazed on him; and then how they buried him with honours in the deep.
Another climax is built up, in describing the rising of a great gale which smote the 'shot-shatter'd navy of Spain.' Then, at last, the Revenge herself quietly went down, ' To be lost evermore in the main.'