BBC Chorus
(Chorus-master, Leslie Woodgate )
BBC Orchestra
(Section B), leader Paul Beard
Conducted by Clarence Raybould
Sybilla Marshall (soprano)
Parry's ' Blest Pair of Sirens ' is one of the composer's finest works and is in the great tradition of British choral writing. Particularly striking is the fine sense of climax-building and the rich contrast between simplicity of effect and vigorous and concentrated polyphonic writing. It is dedicated to Sir Charles Stanford and the Bach Choir, who gave it its first performance in 1887.