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New Recording by the Choirs of St Albans Cathedral

New Recording by the Choirs of St Albans Cathedral

rutter-gloria-magnificat-tedeumThe Cathedral Choir and the Abbey Girls Choir have recorded together for the first time on a new release of three choral works by acclaimed British composer, John Rutter.

Gloria, Magnificat and Te Deum, are performed by The Choirs of St Albans Cathedral and Ensemble DeChorum with conductor Andrew Lucas, Master of the Music at St Albans Cathedral. They are joined by soprano Elizabeth Cragg and organist Tom Winpenny who performs on the newly renovated Harrison & Harrison organ at the Cathedral.

The recording is released by the world’s leading classical music label, Naxos, and is their lead international recording for April.

The music by John Rutter is well known. The Gloria for choir, organ and brass, was a milestone in his career and remains an evergreen favourite with choirs worldwide for its freshness, drama and sheer beauty. His joyous setting of the Magnificat was conceived, in the composer’s words, as ‘a bright Latin-flavoured fiesta’ and is performed in its version for choir, organ and chamber orchestra. The album concludes with Rutter’s setting of the Te Deum, one of the church’s most ebullient hymns of praise to the Almighty. John Rutter was involved as an adviser in the recording.

Andrew Lucas, Master of the Music at St Albans Cathedral said, “This is a feather in the cap for St Albans Cathedral and should significantly enhance the reputation of the cathedral's music department around the globe for wonderful music making. It was a great project for all of the cathedral musicians here to be involved in – the music is energetic and was exhilarating to perform. We hope that everyone has as much fun listening to the recording as we had in making it.”

John Rutter:

Gloria, Magnificat, Te Deum

The Choirs of St Albans Cathedral, Ensemble DeChorum, Elizabeth Cragg (soprano), Tom Winpenny (organ), Andrew Lucas (conductor)

Naxos Catalogue Number: 8.572653

Now Available 

ENDS

Notes to Editors

The Cathedral Choir

  • The Cathedral Choir consists of 24 boy Choristers (aged 8-14) and 12 Lay Clerks (the gentlemen who sing the Alto, Tenor and Bass parts).  The boys sing Evensong on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and are joined by the Lay Clerks for three weekend services.
  • The ancient Benedictine monastery at St Albans had a distinguished musical history before 1539 (when the Abbey was dissolved by Henry VIII). Being the premier monastery in the land, the Abbot was able to press-gang (i.e. forcibly make) boys to join the choir from all over the country. When the Abbey church became a cathedral in 1877 a boys choir was again formed after 238 years but, like today, comprised local schoolboys who committed to sing services and attend rehearsal every day of the week, except one, during school term time.
  • The choir has toured the USA, Sweden and Rome, performed at the International Organ Festival in Haarlem, Netherlands and the Thomas à Becket Festival at Angers Cathedral, France.
  •  “The sound of the choir is full and colourful throughout and the boys produce a very fine sound indeed matching their well-developed sound with mature musicianship” The Organ on The Choirs of St Albans Cathedral.

Abbey Girls Choir

  • Formed in 1996, the St Albans Abbey Girls Choir sings Evensong twice a week and consists of 26 girls aged 8-14 drawn from many local schools.
  • The choir is regarded as one of the finest ensembles of its type in the UK, and in addition to its role at the centre of the Cathedral’s daily round of worship, the Choir plays a major part in the prestigious St Albans International Organ Festival, which takes place biennially. 
  • The choir has broadcast Choral Evensong BBC Radio 3, and in recent years, the choir has made concert tours to the USA (Washington DC, New York City and Miami), Holland and Germany.
  • “The Girls' Choir of St Albans Abbey demonstrate themselves to be not only among the finest cathedral girls' choirs in Great Britain, but worthy of ranking alongside the best boys' choirs.” Church Music Quarterly.

Andrew Lucas (conductor)

  • Andrew Lucas has been Master of the Music of St Albans Cathedral and Music Director of St Albans Bach Choir since 1998.  He was Artistic Director of the St Albans International Organ Festival from 1999 to 2007.
  • As a solo organist he has played concerts throughout Britain, Europe, Australia, Bermuda and the United States. In 1997 he spent three months as Acting Organist and Master of the Choristers at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney, Australia.

Tom Winpenny (organ)

  • Tom Winpenny took up the post of Assistant Master of the Music at St Albans Cathedral in 2008, where his duties include accompanying the daily choral services and directing the Abbey Girls Choir.
  • Previously, he was Sub-Organist at St Paul's Cathedral and has broadcast regularly on BBC Radio. He was also Organ Scholar for three years at King's College, Cambridge, where he accompanied the renowned choir for services and concerts, including playing twice for the world-famous Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols.
  • “Tom Winpenny displayed his sensitive musicianship over and over again, both as soloist and impeccable choir accompanist.” (The Diapason - on his appearance with St Paul’s at the AGO National Convention).

For more information on John Rutter visit:http://www.johnrutter.com

For more information on Naxos visit: www.naxos.com