Recordings

Worcester Cathedral Chamber Choir has released seven CDs of choral music over the last few years. Sing Choirs of Angels is a Christmas CD; Jerusalem is a collection of favourite hymns and anthems; A Worcester Evensong is exactly as it says, all them elements of a traditional choral evensong from Worcester Cathedral; Hodie, music from Advent to Christmas Day; Rise Heart, a selection of the some of the best romantic English choral music some of which have significant connections to Worcester and the surrounding area; The Guest, choral and organ music by Paul Paviour; and our latest – Royal Worcester, choral and organ music from coronations across the centuries.
Below are all the details of each album. Samples of the music can be found on the media page.

The Guest

The Guest is a selection of choral and organ music of Paul Paviour.

Paul Paviour is one of Australia’s best-known composers. His output is both substantial and varied. Recorded in Worcester Cathedral, this collection presents a broad overview of his work for smaller choir forces, including works written for a royal visit, the dedication of a new organ, carols for Chritsmas and Easter, and an organ piece based on Edward Elgar’s only psalm chant. Also included is his newest composition, The Morning Watch,especially written for Stephen Shellard and the Worcester Cathedral Chamber Choir in 2012.

All artwork in the CD booklet is by local artist, the late Craig Letourneau.

THE GUEST
TRACK TITLE
1 A Canberra Canticle (Te Deum Laudamus)
2 The Morning Watch
3 Ruminations (on a chant by Edward Elgar) organ solo
4-5 Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in G
6 The Glories of this Noble Sound
7 Abstractions (on a hymn tune, King’s Lynnorgan solo
8 Love of the Father (based on Song 22 by Orlando Gibbons)
9 That blessèd place
10 Mary’s Child
11 I sing the birth
12 Welcome Yule
13 I know Christ lived A carol for Easter
14 Dithyramb organ solo
15 The Guest

Rise Heart

Rise Heart is a selection of the some of the best romantic English choral music some of which have significant connections to Worcester and the surrounding area.

The CD includes works by Parry, Elgar, Vaughan Williams, and Stanford. The Vaughan Williams was particularly chosen for this recording to mark the centenary of the first performance, on 14th September 1911 in Worcester Cathedral, as part of the 3 Choirs Festival. It was performed by Campbell McInnes, the Three Choirs Chorus, the London Symphony Orchestra, and conducted by the composer.

The three arrangements of ‘O salutaris hostia’ by Elgar were written for St George’s RC Church, Worcester, where he had taken over from his father as organist in 1885.

All artwork in the CD booklet is by local artist, the late Craig Letourneau and is specially commissioned for the choir.

RISE HEART
Track Title Composer
1 Light out of darkness Edward Elgar
2 Memorial Ode for Queen Alexandra Edawrd Elgar
3-5 Three seetings of ‘O salutaris hostia’ Edward Elgar
6 The spirit of the Lord is upon me Edward Elgar
7-11 Five Mystical Songs Ralph Vaughan Williams
12 Choral Prelude on Martyrdom Charles Hubert Hastings Parry
13 My soul, there is a country Charles Hubert Hastings Parry
14 Choral Prelude on Croft’s 136th Charles Hubert Hastings Parry
15 The blue bird Charles Villiers Stanford
16 Hear my words, ye people Charles Hubert Hastings Parry

Hodie

Advent to Christmas Day – well known 20th century and new music.

This CD includes works by Benjamin Britten and Vaughan Williams; it also features two new works by British composer Steven Kings. Recorded in Worcester Cathedral in June and July 2009.

HODIE
Track Title Composer
1 Fantasia on Christmas Carols Ralph Vaughan Williams
2-13 A Ceremony of Carols, Opus 28 Benjamin Britten
14 Chorale prelude: Es ist ein’ Ros’ entsprungen Johannes Brahms
15 Resonemus Laudibus 14th century (arr. David Willcocks)
16 Jesus Christ the Apple Tree Elizabeth Poston
17 Rose Carol Praetorius/Brahms (arr. Harrison Oxley)
18 A tender shoot Otto Goldschmidt
19 Carol Steven Kings
20 O Tree! Steven Kings
21 O come, all ye faithful J.E. Wade (arr. David Willcocks)
22 Away in a manger Traditional Normandy (arr. Reginald Jacques, v3 arr. Stephen Shellard)
23 I wonder as I wander Carl Rutti
24 Hark! The herald angels sing Mendelssohn (v3 descant Stephen Shellard)

A Worcester Evensong

All the elements of an Evensong in the beautiful Worcester Cathedral.

A Worcester Evensong contains hymns, anthems, magnificat and nunc dimittis, prayers and readings. An evensong is sung almost every day in Worcester Cathedral and Worcester Cathedral Chamber Choir is one of the four choirs that sing regularly. Enjoy music from Herbert Howells, Arvo Part and Kenneth Leighton. Recorded in Worcester Cathedral in May and June 2006.

A WORCESTER EVENSONG
Track Content Title Composer
1 Organ Toccata – Prelude on “Pange lingua” Edward Bairstow
2 Introit O Taste and See Ralph Vaughan Williams
3 Responses Part 1 Kenneth Leighton
4 Office Hymn Dear Lord and Father of Mankind. Tune: Repton Hubert Parry
5 Psalm 49 O hear ye this, all ye people Chant: Hubert Parry
6 Reading Book of Job Chapter 38, vs 4 – 21
7 Magnificat Collegium Regale Herbert Howells
8 Reading First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians Chapter 13
9 Nunc Dimittis Collegium Regale Herbert Howells
10 Responses Part 2 Kenneth Leighton
11 Anthem Great is the Lord Edward Elgar
12 Prayers Led by Rev. Charmian Manship
13 Hymn God is Love. Tune: Abbot’s Leigh C.V. Taylor
14 Organ Toccata – from Triptych for Organ Ian Hare
15 Epilogue The Beatitudes Arvo Part

Jerusalem

Favourite hymns and anthems.

Jerusalem is the choir’s second CD. It contains favourite hymns such as Jerusalem and How Shall I Sing That Majesty interspersed with beautiful anthems such as Mozart’s Laudate Dominum. Recorded in Worcester Cathedral in March and April 2004.

JERUSALEM
Track Title Composer
1 Jerusalem Parry
2 O Thou Who Camest From Above (Hereford) S.S. Wesley
3 Evening Hymn Balfour Gardiner
4 Ave Verum Corpus Byrd
5 Praise My Soul. the King of Heaven (Praise my Soul) Goss
6 Locus iste Bruckner
7 Magnificat in A Stanford
8 Peace, Pefect Peace (Song 46) Gibbons
9 Nunc Dimittis in A Stanford
10 Come Down, O Love Divine (Down Ampney) Vaughan Williams
11 Laudate Dominum Mozart
12 Blessed City Heavenly Saalem (Westminster Abbey) Purcell
13 Geistliches Lied Brahms
14 How Shall I Sing That Majesty? (Coe Fen) Naylor
15 Hear My Words, Ye People Parry

Sing Choirs of Angels

Well known and much loved Christmas carols old and new.

This CD was played extensively on Classic FM before and during Christmas 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Unfortunately, this CD is currently withdrawn from sale.

SING CHOIRS OF ANGELS
Track Title Composer
1 Once in Royal David’s City H.H. Gauntlett (harm. A.H. Mann)
2 Ding Dong! Merrily on High 16th C. French (harm. Charles Wood)
3 Away in a Manger J. Kirkpatrick (arr. David Willcocks)
4 God Rest You Merry Gentlemen English trad. arr. David Willcocks)
5 Up Good Christen Folk and Listen from Piae Cantiones (arr. David Willcocks)
6 Adam Lay Ybounden Boris Ord
7 Little town of Bethlehem Walford Davies
8 Unto us is born a Son from Piae Cantiones (arr. David Willcocks)
9 I saw a Maiden Basque Carol (arr. E. Pettman)
10 Nativity Carol John Rutter
11 O Come all ye Faithful J18c. Anon. (arr. David Willcocks)
12 Jesus Christ the Apple Tree Elizabeth Poston
13 Torches John Joubert
14 In the Bleak Mid Winter Harold Darke
15 O Little town of Bethlehem English trad. (arr. R. Vaughan Williiams, Descant Thomas Armstrong)
16 Three Kings from Persian Lands afar Peter Cornelius (arr. Ivor Atkins)
17 Personent Hodie German 1360 (arr.Gustav Holst)
18 Myn Lyking R.R. Terry
19 Hark the Herald Angels Sing adapted from Mendelssohn
20 We wish you a merry Christmas West Country Air (arr. Arthur Worrell)