Choral Fantasia, Op 80*
Claire Rutter, soprano • Matilde Wallevik, mezzo-soprano
Peter Hoare, tenor • Stephen Gadd, baritone
Marta Fontannais-Simmons, mezzo-soprano* • Julian Davies, tenor*
Leon McCawley, piano* • Boys of Westminster Under School Senior Choir †
City of London Choir • Royal Philharmonic Orchestra • Hilary Davan Wetton

Beethoven’s unusual cantata Der glorreiche Augenblick (The Glorious
Moment) is filled with patriotic praise for Vienna and tributes to the kings
and princes of Europe after the defeat of Napoleon. It was performed
alongside his symphonic Wellington’s Victory at its première in 1814.
The Fantasia in C minor for piano, chorus and orchestra opens with a
virtuosic, improvisatory Adagio for the piano. The work’s main theme
anticipates the famous Ode to Joy setting Beethoven later devised for
his Choral Symphony.

Beethoven’s cantata Der glorreiche Augenblick is rarely performed
and very seldom recorded, usually only appearing amidst vast sets of
Beethoven’s complete works. This is in fact a remarkable and distinctive
piece which deserves wider availability, and its appearance with the
distinguished forces of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and a very fine
gathering of soloists will make it an easy and popular choice for seekers
of fresh Beethoven material. The coupling with another occasional and
relatively low-profile work, the Choral Fantasia, is entirely logical and
eminently satisfying.

Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the City of London Choir
since 1989, Hilary Davan Wetton was founder/conductor of the Holst
Singers and is Conductor Emeritus of the Guildford Choral Society and
the Milton Keynes City Orchestra. He appears regularly on BBC Radio 3
and Classic FM, for which he presented the popular series Masterclass.
Acknowledged as one of Britain’s most prestigious orchestras, the Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra enjoys an international reputation for bringing
audiences worldwide first-class performances and the highest possible
standards of music-making across a diverse range of musical repertoire.