Great Sacred Music airs every Sunday from 8-11 a.m. eastern time on The Classical Station.
08:01:02
J.S. Bach: Chorale Prelude: Aus der Tiefe rufe ich, BWV 745
Nicholas Danby, organ
Marcussen organ in Lubeck Cathedral
J.S. Bach: Chorale Prelude: Aus der Tiefe rufe ich, BWV 745
Nicholas Danby, organ
Marcussen organ in Lubeck Cathedral
Benjamin Britten: A hymn to the Virgin
Cambridge Singers, John Rutter
Cambridge Singers, John Rutter
Sir George Dyson: Hymn to the stars
St. Michael’s Singers, Jonathan Rennert
Thomas Trotter, organ
St. Michael’s Singers, Jonathan Rennert
Thomas Trotter, organ
Nicholas Danby (1935-1997) was Professor of Organ at both the Royal
College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music, London. Benjamin Britten’s
hauntingly beautiful “A hymn to the Virgin” is an unaccompanied work for double
SATB choir which dates from 1930. Sir George Dyson (1883-1964) was Director of
the Royal College of Music from 1938 to 1952.
08:16:47
J.S. Bach: Air ~ Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D, BWV 1068
Noel Rawsthorne, organ
Harrison & Harrison Organ in Coventry Cathedral
J.S. Bach: Air ~ Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D, BWV 1068
Noel Rawsthorne, organ
Harrison & Harrison Organ in Coventry Cathedral
Benjamin Britten: Jubilate in C
Holst Singers, Stephen Layton
Holst Singers, Stephen Layton
Philip the Chancellor: Dic, Christi Veritas
Sequentia
Sequentia
The facades of the Harrison & Harrison organ in Coventry Cathedral were developed
from sketches made by the architect Sir Basil Spence. Prince Philip encouraged Benjamn
Britten to compose his Jubilate Deo in 1961 for the Choir of St. George’s, Windsor. Philip
the Chancellor (1160-1263) was a French theologian and Chancellor of Notre Dame Cathedral.
08:33:05
Benjamin Britten: Hymn to St. Peter, Op. 56a
Choir of St. John’s College, Cambridge, George Guest
Benjamin Britten: Hymn to St. Peter, Op. 56a
Choir of St. John’s College, Cambridge, George Guest
Tomas Luis de Victoria: Vidi speciosam
Stile Antico
Stile Antico
Britten’s Hymn of St. Peter dates from 1955. It was first performed at the parish Church
of St. Peter in Mancroft, Norwich. Victoria’s motet for SSATTB choir is written in the mixolydian mode.
08:47:01
Louis Vierne: Final ~ First Symphony for Organ, Op. 14
John Scott, organ
Mander organ in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London
Louis Vierne: Final ~ First Symphony for Organ, Op. 14
John Scott, organ
Mander organ in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London
Benjamin Britten: Festival Te Deum, Op. 32
Choir of St. John’s College, Cambridge, George Guest
Choir of St. John’s College, Cambridge, George Guest
Nice pairing here with music written by one of Notre Dame Cathedral’s great organists played by one
of the great organists of London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral. Britten’s Festival Te Deum (1944) is an example
of the composer writing choral parts which are quite accessible to choirs of average ability accompanied
by an organ part which requires a very high standard of playing.
09:01:21
J.S. Bach: Cantata 70, “Wachet! betet! betet! wachet!”
Holland Boys’ Choir; Netherlands Bach Collegium
Pieter Jan Leusink
Ruth Holton, soprano; Sytse Buwalde, alto;
Knut Schoch, tenor; Bas Ramselaar, bass
J.S. Bach: Cantata 70, “Wachet! betet! betet! wachet!”
Holland Boys’ Choir; Netherlands Bach Collegium
Pieter Jan Leusink
Ruth Holton, soprano; Sytse Buwalde, alto;
Knut Schoch, tenor; Bas Ramselaar, bass
BWV 70 translates as “Watch! Pray! Pray! Watch!” It opens with one of those marvellous energetic
instrumental flourishes which Bach crafted so well.
09:26:45
Francis Poulenc: Four motets of penitence
Cambridge Singers, John Rutter
Francis Poulenc: Four motets of penitence
Cambridge Singers, John Rutter
Poulenc’s motets date from the 1940s and were written for the season of Lent.
09:41:55
William Byrd: Mass for Three Voices
Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips
William Byrd: Mass for Three Voices
Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips
William Byrd (1540-1623) wrote three masses for the Roman Catholic liturgy. This mass scored
for ATB dates from 1593-94.
10:01:15
George Frideric Handel: Chandos Anthem No. 08
The Sixteen Choir and Orchestra, Harry Christophers
Patrizia Kwella, soprano; James Bowman, alto;
Ian Partridge, tenor
George Frideric Handel: Chandos Anthem No. 08
The Sixteen Choir and Orchestra, Harry Christophers
Patrizia Kwella, soprano; James Bowman, alto;
Ian Partridge, tenor
Cannons was the country estate of the Duke of Chandos who employed Handel
when his opera productions were running into financial distress. Handel wrote eleven
instrumentally accompanied anthems for the Duke between 1717-1718. These were
performed in the chapel at Cannons.
10:33:03
Joseph Gabriel Rheinberger: Organ Sonata No. 7 in F minor, Op. 127
Robert Munns, organ
Hill, Norman and Beard organ at Norwich Cathedral
Joseph Gabriel Rheinberger: Organ Sonata No. 7 in F minor, Op. 127
Robert Munns, organ
Hill, Norman and Beard organ at Norwich Cathedral
Josef Rheinberger (1839-1901) was a distinguished musician who counted among his
pupils Horatio Parker, George Whitefield Chadwick, Engelbert Humperdinck and Wilhelm Furtwängler.
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