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The Choir of Ely Cathedral
Edmund Aldhouse organ, Alex Berry organ II*
directed by Paul Trepte
Out of stock
Description
The sixth of the English Cathedrals to take part in Regent’s popular ‘A Year at…’ series, the Ely Cathedral Choir, in their first recording on the Regent label, sings a selection of music charting a journey through the church’s year as is it observed in the awe-inspiring surroundings of this historic building.
Whether penitential or celebratory, this excellent choir ably draws us in to the seasons, while harnessing the warmth of the building with which they engage daily in the annual round of services.
Track List
Advent
Out of your sleep — Richard Rodney Bennett (1936–2012)
1:45Christmas
Away in a manger — William James Kirkpatrick† (1838–1921), arr Pat Brandon (b.1945)
5:30Epiphany
Ascribe unto the Lord — Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810–76)
13:30Candlemas
Nunc dimittis in B flat (6-part, 1916) — Charles Wood (1866–1926) 3:09
Lent
Prayer — Ben Parry*† (b.1965)
6:30Holy Week
When David heard — Thomas Tomkins (1572–1656)
5:10Easter
My beloved spake — Patrick Hadley (1899–1973)
3:13Laudate pueri, Op 39, no 2 — Felix Mendelssohn (1809–47)
4:02Ascension
Coelos ascendit hodie — Charles Villiers Stanford (1852–1924)
2:07Pentecost
Come, Holy Ghost, the Maker — Cedric Thorpe Davie (1913–83)
4:57St Etheldreda
A Hymn to St Etheldreda — Matthew Martin† (b.1976)
3:28Beati quorum via — Stanford
3:39Harvest
Fear not, O land — Herbert Sumsion (1899–1995)
6:33All Souls
Justorum animae — Stanford
3:20Remembrance
Death be not proud — Francis Grier† (b.1955)
4:39Christ the King
O clap your hands — John Rutter (b.1945)
3:21First recordings †
Total Playing time: 75:00
Production credits
Recorded in Ely Cathedral on 10–13 February 2014, by permission of the Dean and Chapter
Producer and engineer: Gary Cole,
Assistant engineer: Andy Gammon
Editing by Steve Swinden and Gary Cole
Sample audio extracts
Reviews
‘Spirited singing coupled with agile organ accompaniments and expert choral training, makes this a must-have CD.’American Choral Journal March 2016
‘The choir performs beautifully, with robust choral sound. I was particularly impressed with their rendition of the substantial Wesley piece, ‘Ascribe unto the Lord’; its pairs of treble and alto soloists alternate with the choral passages to stunning effect. The organ support balances the choral sound very nicely. Regent has seen to excellent recording quality and a fine booklet. No English cathedral choir aficionado or Anglican music devotee will regret getting this one.’ American Record Guide May/June2015
‘There can be few more noble sights than that of the spires of Ely Cathedral rising above the fens, especially on clear and frosty days. It would be hard to deny that it is one of the most beautiful of English cathedrals, with a very special character of its own. On the basis of this disc as well as hearing them in the flesh it would be similarly hard to deny that the Cathedral Choir is amongst the best in England.’ MusicWeb February 2015
‘There is so much to enjoy on this excellent disc – not least the performances. But special mention must be made of the Grier and Rutter pieces, both of which are premiere recordings and stunningly good compositions.’ Church Music Quarterly March 2015
‘In addition to fine performances of standard pieces of the repertoire, this disc contains the premiere recordings of he works by Pat Brandon, Ben Parry, Matthew Martin and Francis Grier This exciting CD is certainly well worth buying for those compositions alone, but you will not be disappointed by any of the tracks.’ Sydney Organ Journal Autumn 2015
‘Ely is a fine edifice with sensible dimensions, which makes for excellent recording quality, and the unmistakable autumnal sound of the Anglican tradition (one of the great musical sounds in western culture) is captured beautifully by fine singing and a vibrant, life-like acoustic.’ Hifi January 2015
