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.
| 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 Lynn) organ 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.
| 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.
| 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.
| 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.
| 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.
| 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) |