When Walton's ground-breaking Belshazzar's Feast, his first major contribution to English choral music, burst onto the scene at the Leeds Festival of 1931, it took the choral world by storm. After this much-needed breath of fresh air, things could never be quite the same again, and Leeds Festival Chorus (conductor, Malcolm Sargent) certainly had an appetite for more. Six years later, they gave the first performance of In Honour of the City of London in the very same venue, Leeds Town Hall. Composed in the summer of 1937 and dedicated to the choir, it is a setting of six stanzas of a poem of the same name by William Dunbar (1465-1520) for chorus (SSAATTBB) and large orchestra. Despite very different subject matter, it has much of the directness, energy and virility which are such unmistakable features of Walton's style.

Though the work is through-composed, each stanza has its distinctive character which Walton observes with great sensitivity, without ever losing the forward momentum or shape of the whole work. The stirring first stanza eulogises the city and its people in opening moments of what Sir Laurence Olivier elsewhere described as "heart-quickening quality". In turn, London's nobility, its clergy and its affluent merchants are brought to life in finely differentiated melodic treatment and Walton exquisitely captures the poet's delight with his rapturous treatment of London, thou art the flour of Cities all. Dunbar's allusions to the New Troy evoke a confident but more subtle response from Walton, becoming almost reflective at the words Pryncesse of townes, of pleasure and of joy. His energetic approach to the third stanza, perhaps best summed up in the poet's word strenuytie, reaches an awesome climax at the words In beawtie beryng the crone imperial before coming to a more gentle close, basking (as it were) in the reflected glory. In the fourth stanza, poet and composer take time out from the medieval bustle to paint an impressionistic picture in which the shimmering orchestration combines ethereally with voices to produce an idyllic riverscape. The respite is short-lived, and a scurrying introduction in the woodwind heralds a lively depiction of London Bridge, complete with strutting dignitaries, followed by reference to the Tower in which Walton's evocative scoring amply supports Dunbar's militaristic rhetoric. For the final stanza, Walton slackens the pace and the music of Dunbar's 'litany' begins almost reverentially as each virtue is extolled. Happily, Walton could not resist the opportunity to toll the church bells (orchestrally, that is) and this more animated phase spills over into his description of the rich merchauntis. In contrast, the gentle music with which the wives and virgins of the city are lovingly portrayed leaves the listener in no doubt about the affection in which they are held. The work is brought to a close with the climactic treatment of London, thou art the flour of Cities all, highly reminiscent of Belshazzar, in Walton's most extravagant cinematic style.
© J. S. Whitehead, October 2002

London, thou art of townes A per se.
Soveraign of cities, seemliest in sight,
Of high renoun, riches and royaltie;
Of lordis, barons, and many a goodly knyght;
Of most delectable lusty ladies bright;
Of famous prelatis, in habitis clericall;
Of merchauntis full of substaunce and of myght:
London, thou art the flour of Cities all.

Gladdith anon, thou lusty Troynovaunt,
Citie that some tyme cleped was New Troy;
In all the erth, imperiall as thou stant,
Pryncesse of townes, of pleasure and of joy,
A richer restith under no Christen roy;
For manly power, with craftis naturall,
Fourmeth none fairer sith the flode of Noy:
London, thou art the flour of Cities all.

Gemme of all joy, jasper of jocunditie,
Most myghty carbuncle of vertue and valour;
Strong Troy in vigour and in strenuytie;
Of royall cities rose and geraflour;
Empress of townes, exalt in honour;
In beawtie beryng the crone imperiall;
Swete paradise precelling in pleasure;
London, thou art the flour of Cities all.

Above all ryvers thy Ryver hath renowne,
Whose beryall stremys, pleasaunt and preclare,
Under thy lusty wallys renneth down,
Where many a swan doth swymme with wyngis fair;
Where many a barge doth saile and row with are;
Where many a ship doth rest with top-royall.
O, towne of townes! patrone and not compare,
London, thou art the flour of Cities all.

Upon thy lusty Brigge of pylers white
Been merchauntis full royall to behold;
Upon thy stretis goeth many a semely knyght
In velvet gownes and in cheynes of gold.
By Julyus Cesar thy Tour founded of old
May be the hous of Mars victoryall,
Whose artillary with tonge may not be told:
London, thou art the flour of Cities all.

Strong be thy wallis that about thee standis;
Wise be the people that within thee dwellis;
Fresh is thy ryver with his lusty strandis;
Blith be thy chirches, wele sownyng be thy bellis;
Rich be thy merchauntis in substaunce that excellis;
Fair be their wives, right lovesom, white and small;
Clere be thy virgyns, lusty under kellis:
London, thou art the flour of Cities all.

Gladdith=rejoice Troynavaunt=troja Nova or Trinovantum
Fourmeth=appeareth Geraflour=gillyflower Are=oar
Small=slender Kellis=hoods, head-dresses