£10.00 £8.33 Ex vat
The Choir of St George’s Cathedral, Southwark
Frederick Stocken Organ, Directed by Norman Harper
with Simon Desbruslais Trumpet
100 in stock
Description
The musical tradition which currently thrives at St George’s dates from 2000, when Nick Gale was appointed Director of Music. He built up a choral tradition based on a group of professional lay clerks and boys from various catholic schools within the Diocese of Southwark, and also north of the Thames. Provision was made for choral scholars, boys whose voices were changing and who would learn to sing alto, tenor or bass alongside the lay clerks. With these forces Solemn Mass was established as the main weekly choral service, with Gregorian Chant and polyphony at its heart, and with all Mass settings and motets sung in Latin, by a wide range of composers.
The Girls’ Choir was founded shortly afterwards, recruited from a wide variety of London schools, initially singing their own repertoire. Over the years the Boys’ and Girls’ Choirs have developed to the point where they exchange rôles, and sing together for special services, thus enjoying equal status within the Cathedral’s musical life.
Track List
Dominus dixit – Introit antiphon (Midnight Mass)
1:25 O come, all ye faithful – J F Wade, arr Norman Harper
3:50Of one that is so fair and bright – Francis Duffy, arr Timothy Craig Harrison
3:06 Out of your sleep – Richard Rodney Bennett
1:52 While shepherds watched – Este’s Psalter 1592, arr Norman Harper
2:31 O magnum mysterium Tomás Luis de Victoria
4:05 Silent night – Franz Grüber, arr Norman Harper
2:54 Lætentur cæli – Offertory antiphon (Midnight Mass)
0:59 God is with us – A Christmas Proclamation – John Tavener
5:52 In splendoribus sanctorum – Communion antiphon (Midnight Mass)
1:19 In splendoribus sanctorumI* – James MacMillan
9:25 Puer natus est nobis – Introit antiphon (Christmas Day)
2:22 Welcome Yule – Norman Harper
2:18 The Virgin’s Last Slumber Song – Christian Strover
2:37O little town of Bethlehem – English trad, arr Ralph Vaughan Williams and Thomas Armstrong
3:25 Tui sunt cæli – Offertory antiphon (Christmas Day)
1:32 Glory to the Christ Child – Alan Bullard
2:49 Viderunt omnes – Communion antiphon (Christmas Day)
1:18 Once in royal David’s city – H J Gauntlett, harm A H Mann, arr Philip Ledger
4:52 Total playing time: 58:33
Production credits
Recorded in St George’s Cathedral, Southwark 30th May–1st June 2018 by kind permission
Recording producer and engineer: Gary Cole. Assistant engineer: Andrew Gammon
Editing: Steve Swinden and Gary Cole
Sample audio extracts
Reviews
‘This is an excellent Christmas disc, with a difference. All sections of the choir, including the outstanding soloists, sing with conviction and vitality, while Frederick Stocken’s organ accompaniments are consistently first class in quality. Norman Harper (whose final term as Director of Music at St George’s coincided with the release of this disc) directs with real authority and musicality. Highly recommended!’ Cathedral Music November 2019
‘The performances are at a high level.’ American Record Guide November 2019
