posted: Monday, 28 June, 2010

Recent changes to the running of the Choral Foundation are now reflected on the relevant Personnel pages. At the end of the Summer term, Philip Scriven leaves his post as Organist and Master of the Choristers to become Organist in Residence at Cranleigh School in Surrey. From September, the choir will be run by joint Directors of Music, Ben and Cathy Lamb. Martyn Rawles will become the Cathedral Organist and be responsible for the cathedral organs. Full details of the changes can be read in a press release issued by the Dean and Chapter on Sunday 20 June.

posted: Monday, 18 January, 2010

A description of the choir's forthcoming tour to New York city has been added to the Tours page, and Philip Scriven writes: "It has been a while since the Cathedral Choir last crossed the Atlantic, and therefore we are very excited about the prospect of spending a week in New York City after Easter. We will be performing in some of the city's most prestigious venues for choral music (such as St Thomas' Church, 5th Avenue and the Cathedral of St John the Divine), and we will be joining forces with members of the New York City Master Chorale in a concert in St James's Church, Madison Avenue. We have also been invited to sing two concerts further afield in Connecticut - one at Christ Church, Greenwich, and the other at the First Congregational Church, Litchfield (with a 't'!), where the choir also sang on a previous tour. In between concerts and services, there will also be plenty of time to enjoy all that 'The Big Apple' has to offer and, all in all, it looks as if this is going to be a tour to remember."

posted: Wednesday, 5 August, 2009

As cathedralchoir.org.uk approaches its tenth birthday a makeover seemed both appropriate and desirable. It seems unbelievable that it was ten years ago that the idea of a choir website was born in the then usual den of creativity: the Queen's Head. Since then the site has grown to include a wealth of information, and the latest addition is the inclusion of audio clips from some of the recordings made by the choir over the past twenty years; I am still trying to seek permission from the various people concerned to include clips from some of the older recordings too.

One very important change in terms of the site is that after recent conversations with the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral, it must be noted that the site is in no way endorsed by the Cathedral and, at their request, its content must be regarded as unofficial. Nevertheless, this does not detract from the scholarship and research that has gone into the site over the past decade and the information presented here is all thoroughly researched and, to the best of my knowledge, reflects as completely and accurately as possible the history, background and present state of the choral foundation.

posted: Saturday, 29 November, 2008

The discography has been updated to include A Lichfield Celebration!, a new release by Griffin Records of a compilation of tracks recorded between 1980 and 1985, when the choir was under the direction of Jonathan Rees-Williams, and previously released on LP by Abbey/Alpha. The list of broadcast services has also been updated to include the forthcoming broadcast in December.

posted: Thursday, 28 August, 2008

The personnel listings have been updated to show details of the choral foundation for the forthcoming academic year.

posted: Thursday, 15 May, 2008

Regent Records have released two new CDs: Choral Classics and Organ Classics. Full details can be found in the discography.

posted: Friday, 7 December, 2007

Priory Records have re-released two recordings on CD which were originally released on the alpha label. The recordings they have released date from 1981 and 1988 and the full details are available in the discography.

posted: Saturday, 3 November, 2007

The list of broadcast services has also been updated to include the most recent broadcast in October.

posted: Tuesday, 14 August, 2007

The personnel listings have been updated to reflect the members of the choir over the forthcoming academic year.

posted: Saturday, 28 April, 2007

The Lay Vicars' personnel listings have been updated to reflect recent changes in the choir.

posted: Sunday, 24 September, 2006

The new CD of Joseph Jongen's Mass, and Flor Peeters's Missa Festiva made by the Cathedral Choir and the Cathedral Chamber Choir, entitled Belgian Choral Works was launched last week. The full details have been added to the discography.

posted: Monday, 4 September, 2006

The personnel listings have been updated to reflect the members of the choir over the forthcoming academic year. A list of forthcoming concerts and recitals is now included at the head of this page.

posted: Monday, 29 May, 2006

The tours page has been updated to include the choir's recent weekend trip to Holland.

posted: Saturday, 7 January, 2006

Details of former Lay Vicars and Priest Vicars installed from 1740 onwards are now available by following the links at the foot of the relevant page: Lay Vicars arranged by stall and Priest Vicars.

posted: Sunday, 18 December, 2005

The discography has been updated to include the newly released landmark recording of Paul Spicer's Easter Oratorio in which the choristers are singing the part of the boys' choir.

posted: Sunday, 27 February, 2005

The Cathedral Choir has been invited to sing the opening recital of the 2005 Concert Series in Frankfurt Cathedral on March 11th. The programme will include works by Tallis and Sheppard, as well as Grieg, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Britten, and Tippett (who was born 100 years ago this year).

The list of current personnel has been updated to reflect a couple of changes during the year, and the list of Radio 3 broadcasts has been updated to include the forthcoming broadcast this Wednesday.

posted: Monday, 6 December, 2004

Two new CDs, one of the Cathedral Choir singing music for Advent and Christmas called Angels Rejoice!, and one of Philip Scriven playing the Cathedral organ called Piping Hot were recorded earlier this year and have now been released. The discography has been updated to include cover images and complete track listings.

posted: Wednesday, 8 September, 2004

In a long overdue update, the pages detailing the individual holders of the Lay Vicar and Priest Vicar stalls now list the names going back to the start of the nineteenth century.

posted: Thursday, 20 November, 2003

The list of broadcast choral Evensongs has been updated again and now lists services going back to 1944. There are periods such as June 1948 where Evensongs were broadcast weekly for four weeks, and February 1946 when there were three consecutive broadcasts. As mentioned previously it is the aim to get copies of all broadcasts before 1983 for the Cathedral Library; if anyone has recordings that they would be willing to loan for transferring to CD, please e-mail webmaster@cathedralchoir.org.uk.

posted: Friday, 24 October, 2003

The list of broadcast choral Evensongs has been updated and now lists services going back to 1979. This list is not exhaustive and any details people can supply about missing broadcasts would be appreciated. It is the aim to get copies of all broadcasts before 1996 for the Cathedral Library and if anyone has recordings that they would be willing to loan for transferring to CD, please e-mail webmaster@cathedralchoir.org.uk.

posted: Saturday, 18 October, 2003

Having previously said that the discography was complete, an earlier LP has come to light. Although an earlier recording had been referred to in conversation, nobody had been able to provide a copy before now and as such it was omitted from the discography. It was released in 1966 and produced from "tapes supplied by the Organist"; it would appear to have been supported by the Friends of the Cathedral. The image of the sleeve and track listing are now available online.

posted: Sunday, 26 January, 2003

In a large update of the available material, details of former Lay Vicars and Priest Vicars going back to the mid 1800s are now available by following the links at the foot of the relevant page: Lay Vicars arranged by stall; Priest Vicars.

posted: Thursday, 22 August, 2002

The site has been updated to reflect the annual changes to the Choral Foundation, and also this year's new Organist, Philip Scriven, and his assistant, Alex Mason. New photographs of the choir, former choral scholars, and former organists (to accompany their biographies) have also been added.

posted: Sunday, 18 August, 2002

Andrew Lumsden is being installed as Director of Music at Winchester Cathedral during their Evensong on Saturday 14 September, and Robert Sharpe as Organist and Master of the Choristers at Truro Cathedral during their Eucharist on Sunday 8 September.