This March [1982], William Walton will celebrate his eightieth birthday. Those eighty years have provided the world with music of consistently high quality, secure in its philosophy of creation and uniformly dedicated to music as an art. Although his total numerical choral output is not great (Walton chooses to work in a slow, meticulous manner in all areas), there are significant works in all categories of choral music. His best known work, Belshazzar’s Feast, may be viewed as one of the most prominent choral works of the twentieth century. However, it is far from being his only notable work and sadly, many of the remaining pieces are seldom performed.
A Litany, for SATB a cappella chorus, is Walton’s earliest extant choral piece. The original manuscript is dated “Easter, 1916.” The text by Phineas Fletcher deals with the cleansing of the feet of Jesus by Mary Magdalene and her thoughts concerning her own “fault and fears” as well as the “sin” of the world. It is a simple, touching text of remorse; at even that early time in Walton’s musical career (he was fourteen), the musical setting shows a flair for surprise in harmonic and melodic writing, creating a style in his music that is never lacking in ingenuity.
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