Benjamin Luxon And The Climax Male Voice Choir – Songs Of The Sea

Liner notes:
Benjamin Luxon, The Holman Climax Male Voice Choir - Songs of the Sea (1970)
Sung by BENJAMIN LUXON
Baritone Accompanist David Willison and the CLIMAX MALE VOICE CHOIR ]
Musical Director: EDGAR S. KESSELL
Accompanist: REG BECKLEY

SIDE ONE:
1. Drake's Drum
2. Outward Bound
3. Devon, O Devon
4. Homeward Bound
5. 'The Old Superb Salt Water Ballads
6. Port of Many Ships
7. Trade Winds
8. Mother Carey

SIDE TWO:
1. Sea Fever
2. Sacramento
3. Captain Stratton's Fancy
4. The Skippers of St. Ives
5. The Newquay Fisherman's Song'
6. Over the Rolling Sea
7. Time For Us To Go
8. Villiers Stanford

Cornwall is proud of its natural beauty, its rugged coastline, and its Male Voice Choirs. It is this combination that has brought together the artists on this recording of "Songs of the Sea". Benjamin Luxon started his musical career in his native Camborne as a boy soprano and sang with the Climax Male Voice Choir in their seasonal series of Celebrity Concerts in the 1950s. After qualifying for the teaching profession he again took up music and became a student at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. During his student period, he became one of the first British singers ever to win a major prize in the Munich International Music Festival and completed his studies by winning the Guildhall School's highest award for solo performance. the Gold Medal. Since then his professional career has developed covering a wide range of styles and period music. He has sung in recitals, oratorio, and opera at all the major music festivals in rills country. He is beginning to build his career as an international artist and as a principal singer with the English Opera Group he has sung in Russia. Australia, Israel and all the main Music centres of Europe. During his career he has worked intensively with Benjamin Britten, the culmination of this association comes in November with the recording for B.B.C. Television of Benjamin Britten's latest opera in which he has written the title role for Benjamin Luxon. This recording of Sea Songs marks an association with the West Country which he has managed to maintain throughout his professional career in the link with the Climax Mate Voice Choir. Benjamin Luxon and David Willison met and formed their partnership at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where David was also one of the school's outstanding students. In their partnership as singer and accompanist, they are frequently to be seen and heard in London's leading recital halls and regularly broadcast in the B.B.C. Music programs. Male Voice singing in the Camborne—Redruth district goes back to the tin mining era of the 19th Century, when almost every village, at some time or another had its own Male Voice Choir.

During the depressions of the early 1920's the famous "Cornish Tin Miners Choir" toured as far afield as London and Wales, raising funds for their families and friends. Some members of this Choir were members of the Climax Male Voice Choir which was formed in February 1940. Its primary object being to raise funds to help alleviate some of the distress caused by the air raids on London and Plymouth. Under their Musical Director, the venture proved both a musical and financial success. With the full support of the Climax Rock Drill and Engineering Works Co., it was resolved to continue the Choir thus helping further all charities making an appeal for their services. When the Climax Company was taken over by Holman Brothers Ltd.. in 1956. the Directors of the new company continued to give support to the Choir. The Choir is very honoured to have as its President The Chairman of the International Compressed Air Corporation Ltd., John F. -Holman Esq., C.B.E. A strong and continuous lint, has now been forged with the earlier tin mining era, through the excellent mining connections of the Holman Company and its Subsidiaries who now form part of Britain's largest Compressed Air Equipment Manufacturers—The International Compressed Air Corporation Ltd. Since its formation the Climax Male Voice Choir has raised over £15.000 for charities and church. Since 1940 the Choir has regularly broadcast with the B.B.C. The Choir successes have also covered the competitive world of music, and premier honoUrs have been achieved at Music Festivals in Wadebridge, Camborne, Cornwall County, Blackpool, Cheltenham, London. Oxford, and in 1969 the Choir were prize winners at the International Eisteddfod at Llangollen. For its services to music, the Choir was awarded the Cornwall Gorsedd Shield in 1960 and the Musical Director was elected a Cornish Bard in 1963. with the Bardic title "Lcwycr Y Gur" (Leader of the Choir). The Sleeve design incorporates another son of this arca, namely Geoffrey Williams with his Atlantic record-breaking boat "Sir Thomas Lipton" in full sail. When Geoffrey triumphant-ly returned to Redruth in 1968, at the Civic Reception given in his honour, it was again the Climax Choir who were invited to honour him in song with some of the music on this record.

Recorded and Edited by Harry 'Mudd
Sleeve Design Bub Tanner
Sleeve Notes Aubrey R. Williams
Cover Photograph-Anthony Howarth by permission of The Daily Telegraph
Sleeve Printed by West Brothers. Printers. Ltd. London. S.W.19
Record First Published 1970
MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN
ABBEY RECORDS • EYNSHAM • OXFORD