Primarily a renowned music critic and conductor and composer of ballets, Constant Lambert wrote very few choral works. Summer’s Last Will and Testament is an extensive cantata of stylistic diversity and emotional power. Completed in 1935, this setting of writings by the poet Thomas Nashe has strong claims to being one of its composer’s finest works. Despite attracting little attention at its premiere, Malcolm Arnold called it “one of the undiscovered treasures of the English choral repertoire”.

This benchmark recording by the English Northern Philharmonia and David Lloyd-Jones is a first-class demonstration of orchestral and choral brilliance.

RECORD OF THE YEAR, THE INDEPENDENT GRAMOPHONE CRITICS’ CHOICE PENGUIN GUIDE ROSETTE

‘A masterpiece buried for far too long’ (The Guardian) ‘One is very reluctant at the conclusion to disturb the silence by standing up and switching off the CD player’ (CDReview) ‘Nothing short of a triumph. With the bittersweet Aubade héroique as makeweight, no disc makes a better case for Lambert’s importance’ (BBC Music Magazine)