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The Girls’ Choir† and Lay Clerks‡ of Southwell Minster
Simon Hogan director
Edward Turner organ
139 in stock
Description
Southwell Minster is a Cathedral and Parish Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and Marian feast days are of particular importance. Sing we of that Mother blest from the Girls’ Choir and Lay Clerks is a musical celebration of the life of the Virgin Mary, and of the music and words she has inspired generations of artists to compose.
The collection includes works for all the annual church festivals celebrating the Virgin Mary, together with the complete five dances for organ in praise of Mary Mariales by Naji Hakim. There are well-known pieces by Grieg, Willcocks, Haydn, Dyson, Hadley, and Howells, coupled with recent and unfamiliar works from James MacMIllan, Paul Drayton, Simon Johnson, and Matthew Larkin, and a selection of Marian hymns.
The ancient Norman and Romanesque vaults of Southwell Minster have echoed with the inspiring melodies of human song for hundreds of years, with the historic music foundation dating back to at least the tenth century. In 2005 The Girls’ Choir was formed – joining this tradition – and is currently directed by the Cathedral’s Assistant Director of Music, Simon Hogan. Members of The Girls’ Choir are drawn exclusively from The Minster School, with girls ranging in age from eleven to eighteen.
The girls currently sing least two services per week and their repertoire encompasses works from the eleventh century, through to the present day including works commissioned specifically for them. Sing we of that Mother blest is their second recording,
Track List
organ Danse (No 5 of Mariales) – Naji Hakim
1:02 hymn O glorious Maid†‡ – Bertram Luard-Selby
2:14 Ave maris stella†‡ – Edvard Grieg
2:54Tota pulchra es†‡ – James MacMillan
4:33 organ Hymne (No 4 of Mariales) – Naji Hakim
1:03 Gabriel’s Message†‡ – Basque carol, arr David Willcocks
2:47 Ecce ancilla Domini†‡ – Paul Drayton
3:14 Magnificat on Plainsong Tones† – Simon Johnson
4:26 organ Pastorale (No 2 of Mariales) – Naji Hakim
0:54 Benedictus (from Missa Sancti Joannis de Deo)† – Franz Josef Haydn
4:56 hymn Now in holy celebration† – Plainsong Urbs beata
2:44 Magnificat in D†‡ – George Dyson
4:25 organ La Nativité (No 2 of Trois poèmes évangéliques, Op 2) – Jean Langlais
5:34 Virgin-born, we bow before thee† – Stanley Vann
2:55 There is no Rose‡ – Anon, 14th century
3:00 I sing of a maiden† – Patrick Hadley
2:39 organ Antienne (No 3 of Mariales) – Naji Hakim
3:41 Adam lay ybounden† – Matthew Larkin
3:11 Mater ora filium† – Charles Wood, arr Harrison Oxley
3:31 hymn Hail to the Lord†‡ – Anon
3:14 organ Incantation (No 1 of Mariales) – Naji Hakim
1:06 hymn Her Virgin eyes‡ – Henry Lawes
2:31 Salve Regina†‡ – Herbert Howells
4:23Production credits
Recorded in Southwell Minster 7–9 February 2016, by permission of the Dean and Chapter
Recording producer and engineer :Gary Cole
Assistant engineer: Andrew Gammon
Editing: Steve Swinden and Gary Cole
Sample audio extracts
Reviews
‘The excellent Girl’s Choir and Lay Clerks give marvelous performances of mostly unfamiliar pieces…The girls sing with an exuberant musical maturity. ’ American Record Guide November 2017
‘..as varied as it is colorful, nuanced and inspiring… it seems there’s nothing these singers can’t seamlessly morph into’ Classicalmusicsentinel December 2016
‘finely wrought and beautifully sung… Here is a clean pure girls’ sound…Excellent recordings such as this can only help to put Southwell Minster on the map.’ Church Music Quarterly March 2017
