Westminster Cathedral Choir
WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL CHOIR is widely considered to be one of the finest choirs in the world.
The establishment of a fine choral foundation was part of the original vision of the founder of Westminster Cathedral, Cardinal Herbert Vaughan. Vaughan laid great emphasis on the beauty and integrity of the new Cathedral's liturgy and music, and realised that a residential choir school for the boy choristers was essential to the realisation of his vision. Daily sung Masses and Offices were immediately established when the Cathedral opened in 1903, and have continued without interruption ever since. Today, Westminster Cathedral Choir is the only professional Catholic choir in the world to sing a daily Mass.
Richard Runciman Terry, the Cathedral's first Master of Music, proved to be an inspired choice. Terry was both a brilliant choir trainer and a pioneering scholar, one of the first musicologists to revive the great works of the English and Continental Renaissance composers. Terry built Westminster Cathedral Choir's reputation on performances of music - by Byrd, Tallis, Taverner, Palestrina and Victoria, among others - that had not been heard since the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and Mass at the Cathedral was soon attended by inquisitive musicians as well as the faithful. The performance of great Renaissance masses and motets in their proper liturgical context remains the cornerstone of the choir's activity.
George Malcolm consolidated the musical reputation of Westminster Cathedral Choir during his time as Master of Music - in particular through the now legendary recording of Victoria's Tenebrae Responsories. More recent holders of the post have included Colin Mawby, Stephen Cleobury, David Hill and James O'Donnell. The choir continues to thrive under the current Master of Music, Martin Baker, who has held the post since February 2000.
In addition to its performances of Renaissance masterpieces, Westminster Cathedral Choir has given many first performances of music written especially for it by contemporary composers. Terry gave the premieres of music by Vaughan Williams (whose Mass in G minor received its first public performance at a Mass in the Cathedral), Gustav Holst, Herbert Howells and Charles Wood; in 1959 Benjamin Britten wrote his Missa brevis for the choristers; and since 1960 works by Lennox Berkeley, William Mathias, Colin Mawby and Francis Grier have been added to the repertoire. Most recently three new Masses - by Roxanna Panufnik, James MacMillan and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies - have been performed and recorded by the choir.
Westminster Cathedral Choir made its first acoustic recording in 1907. Many more have followed, most recently the acclaimed series on the Hyperion label, and many awards have been conferred on the choir's recordings. Of these the most prestigious are the 1998 Gramophone Awards for both 'Best Choral Recording of the Year' and 'Record of the Year', for the performance of Martin's Mass for Double Choir and Pizzetti's Requiem. It is the only cathedral choir to have won in either of these categories.
The choir's most recent recordings include two discs of Palestrina on the Hyperion label - the Missa Hodie Christus natus est with motets for Advent and Christmas, and the Missa Dum complerentur with Pentecost motets and plainchant. In addition, the choir has recently recorded a complete Mass for Easter Sunday, on the Herald label.
When its duties at the Cathedral permit, the choir also gives concert performances both at home and abroad. It has appeared at many important festivals, including Aldeburgh, Salzburg, Copenhagen, Bremen and Spitalfields. It has appeared in many of the major concert halls of Britain, including the Royal Festival Hall, the Wigmore Hall and the Royal Albert Hall. The Cathedral Choir also broadcasts frequently on radio and television; recent transmissions include the live broadcast of Midnight Mass for BBC Television in 2001.
Westminster Cathedral Choir has recently undertaken a number of successful international tours, including visits to Hungary and the USA. The choristers participated in last year's International Gregorian Chant Festival in Watou, Belgium and the full choir undertook a tour of Germany in September. This year's engagements include two performances at the Oslo International Church Music Festival.
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Britten: A Ceremony of Carols, Missa brevis & Other Choral Works
Westminster Cathedral Choir, David Hill
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 1 janv. 1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Christmas in London
Classique - Paru chez Music Manager le 23 oct. 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vierne, Widor & Dupré: Choral Music
Westminster Cathedral Choir, James O'Donnell
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 1 févr. 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Morales: Missa Queramus cum pastoribus & Other Sacred Music
Westminster Cathedral Choir, James O'Donnell
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 1 juin 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Masterpieces of Portuguese Polyphony, Vol. 2
Westminster Cathedral Choir, James O'Donnell
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 1 févr. 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Christmas Vespers at Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral Choir, Matthew Martin, Martin Baker
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 2 oct. 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Palestrina: Music for Advent & Christmas
Westminster Cathedral Choir, Martin Baker
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 1 sept. 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Victoria: Requiem (Officium Defunctorum, 1605)
Westminster Cathedral Choir, David Hill
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 1 août 1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Panufnik : Westminster Mass & Sacred Works
Musique chorale (pour chœur) - Paru chez Warner Classics International le 10 sept. 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Poulenc: Mass in G; Motets for Christmas & Lent etc.
Westminster Cathedral Choir, James O'Donnell
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 1 mars 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Victoria: Responsories for Tenebrae
Classique - Paru chez Past Classics le 1 mars 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Panis angelicus – Favourite Motets from Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral Choir, James O'Donnell
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 1 nov. 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Masterpieces of Mexican Polyphony
Westminster Cathedral Choir, James O'Donnell
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 2 juil. 1990
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Britten: A Boy Was Born; Rejoice in the Lamb; Festival Te Deum
Corydon Singers, Westminster Cathedral Choir, Matthew Best
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 1 avr. 1986
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Duruflé: Requiem & Messe Cum jubilo
Westminster Cathedral Choir, James O'Donnell
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 1 mars 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli & Missa brevis
Westminster Cathedral Choir, David Hill
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 1 févr. 1988
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lassus: Missa Bell' Amfitrit' altera – Festal Sacred Music of Bavaria
Westminster Cathedral Choir, His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts, James O'Donnell
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 1 févr. 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vexilla regis: A Sequence of Music from Palm Sunday to Holy Saturday
Martin Baker, Peter Stevens, Westminster Cathedral Choir
Classique - Paru chez Ad Fontes le 23 févr. 2024
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Palestrina: Missa Aeterna Christi munera & Other Sacred Music
Westminster Cathedral Choir, James O'Donnell
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 19 août 1991
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jean Langlais: Missa Salve regina & Messe solennelle
Westminster Cathedral Choir, David Hill
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 1 juil. 1988
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Victoria: Missa Trahe me post te & Other Sacred Music
Westminster Cathedral Choir, James O'Donnell
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 1 oct. 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo