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  Durham Cathedral Choir Classical Choir of Men and Boys 
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There has been a Choir at Durham Cathedral from the earliest time of its foundation. As well as the "monks in quire" who sang the services, for at least 600 years singing boys or choristers have been educated here. With the Reformation and the departure of the monks, lay (i.e., non-ordained) clerks sang with the choristers and, more recently, they were joined by choral scholars (students of the University of Durham).

There are 20 chorister places, 5 lay clerkships, and 7 choral scholarships, as well as an organ scholar, a Sub-Organist, and the Master of the Choristers and Organist.

The Choir's function is to maintain the daily choral tradition of the Cathedral's worship. The Choir sings 8 services a week - Evensong daily except Monday and Matins, Holy Communion and Evensong on Sunday. It also sings at special services and concerts. In recent years, it has been on tour to the United States of America, the Netherlands, Norway, Germany and Brazil. The Choir Association helps to support music at Durham Cathedral and welcomes new members.

The Choir is often heard broadcasting on both radio and television. Recent broadcasts include The King and the Kingdom on BBC 1, several live broadcasts of Choral Evensong on BBC Radio 3, and Morning Worship on BBC Radio 4. The Choir has made many recordings on the label, Priory Records, where CDs can be easily ordered for home delivery.
Related Sites
Official Site: Durham Cathedral Choir
Official Site: Durham Cathedral Choir Association
Official Site: Durham Chorister School
BCSD: Andrew Kennedy

Search Google for 'Durham Cathedral Choir': Web - Images
 
Featured Recordings Compact | Full
Durham Cathedral Choir - Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo (Durham Cathedral Productions DCP001, CD) November 2010
Featuring Durham Cathedral Choir  
Recorded February 2010. Includes premiere recording of Richard Lloyd's 'St Hild Service', commissioned for, and first performed by, the choir in 2009.
  1.   Gloria in excelsis Deo – Thomas Weelkes  
  1.   Gloria in excelsis Deo – Thomas Weelkes  
  1.   Gloria in excelsis Deo – Thomas Weelkes  
  2.   O nata lux – Thomas Tallis  
  3.   Senex puerum portabat – William Byrd  
  4.   Salvator mundi (first setting) – Thomas Tallis  
  5.   Prelude – John Bull (organ)  
  6.   Omnes de Saba venient – Jacob Handl  
  7.   O magnum mysterium – Giovanni Gabrieli  
  8.   Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes – Heinrich Schütz  
  9.   Fugue in G minor – Johann Adam Reincken (organ)  
10.   Magnificat (St Hild Service) – Richard Lloyd   Treble soloist Niall Bennison
11.   Nunc dimittis (St Hild Service) – Richard Lloyd  
12.   Harmonies du soir – Sigfrid Karg-Elert (organ)  
13.   O magnum mysterium – Francis Poulenc  
14.   Quem vidistis, pastores? – Francis Poulenc  
15.   Videntes stellam – Francis Poulenc  
16.   Hodie Christus natus est – Francis Poulenc  
17.   Hymn-Prelude on Darwall’s 148th – Percy Whitlock (organ)  
18.   And I saw a new heaven – Edgar Bainton  
19.   Save us, O Lord, waking – Edward Bairstow  
20.   Bring us, O Lord God – William Harris  
21.   Let all the world in every corner sing – Kenneth Leighton  
Available at   Durham Cathedral Choir Association
Durham Cathedral Choir - Tudor Church Music from Durham Cathedral
Tudor Church Music from Durham Cathedral (OxRecs DIGITAL OXCD-106, CD) September 2010
Featuring Durham Cathedral Choir  
Tudor service music that is often sung a capella is here accompanied on the Wetheringsett Organ, a 'speculative recreation of a typical organ from around 1530'. The organ parts are from the Durham organ books, which date from the 17th century. Three tracks sung by Durham Cathedral Consort Singers, the remainder by the cathedral choir.
  1.   A Short Verse - Tomkins (organ)  
  2.   A Substantial Verse - Tomkins (organ)  
  3.   Magnificat (Great Service) - Byrd   Durham Cathedral Consort of Singers
  4.   Nunc dimittis (Great Service) - Byrd   Durham Cathedral Consort of Singers
  5.   Fancy (July 8, 1647) - Tomkins (organ)  
  6.   Magnificat (Fourth Evening Service) - Batten   Durham Cathedral Choir
  7.   Nunc dimittis (Fourth Evening Service) - Batten   Durham Cathedral Choir
  8.   Fantasia in 4 parts - Gibbons (organ)  
  9.   Magnificat (Second Evening Service) - Gibbons   Durham Cathedral Choir
10.   Nunc dimittis (Second Evening Service) - Gibbons   Durham Cathedral Choir
11.   Voluntary 1 of Two Voluntaries - Weelkes (organ)  
12.   Voluntary 2 of Two Voluntaries - Weelkes (organ)  
13.   Magnificat (Evening Service for Trebles) - Weelkes   Durham Cathedral Choir
14.   Nunc dimittis (Evening Service for Trebles) - Weelkes   Durham Cathedral Choir
15.   A Voluntary - Gibbons (organ)  
16.   Hear my prayer, O Lord - Batten   Durham Cathedral Consort of Singers
Available at   Durham Cathedral Choir Association
no cover
Christmas Joy, Volume Two (Priory PRCD 604, CD) August 2003
Featuring Durham Cathedral Choir  
Performers: Wright, Keith (Organ), Halliday, Keith (Tenor), Drury, Rupert (Boy Soprano), MacBride, Julian (Boy Soprano)
Available at   Tower Records
Durham Cathedral Choir - Motets of William Byrd
Motets of William Byrd (Priory PRCD801, CD) June 2003
Featuring Durham Cathedral Choir  
Available at   Crotchet UK
Available at   iClassics
Durham Cathedral Choir - Choral Evensong for St Cuthbert's Day
Choral Evensong for St Cuthbert's Day (Priory PRCD296, CD) 1990
Featuring Durham Cathedral Choir  
Recorded July 1989. Directed by James Lancelot.
Available at   Crotchet UK
Durham Cathedral Choir - In Quires and Places...No. 26
In Quires and Places...No. 26 (Abbey LPB 795, LP) 1978
Featuring Durham Cathedral Choir   In Quires and Places...   Daniel Woodhouse  
Directed By Richard Lloyd with Alan Thurlow (Sub-Organist)
  1.   Te Deum In G Major (Stanford)  
  2.   Holy Is The True Light (Harris)  
  3.   O Most Merciful (Bullock)  
  4.   Come, Jesu, Come (West)  
  5.   Jesu, The Very Thought Of Thee (Hunt)  
  6.   Magnificat In G Major (Eden)   Soloist Daniel Woodhouse (Treble)
  7.   Her Foundations Are On The Holy Hills (Hutchings)  
  8.   My Lovely One (Finzi)  
  9.   Remember Now Thy Creator (Steggall)   Soloist Daniel Woodhouse (Treble)
10.   Thee Will I Love, My God And King (Gibbs)  
11.   O King Enthroned On High (Dykes Bower)  
12.   Give The King Thy Judgements, O Lord (Lloyd)  
Books Compact | Full
no cover
Come On Choristers! A history of the Chorister School, Durham ( 0-9537524-0-2, Book) 1999
Featuring Durham Cathedral Choir  
by Brian Crosby. iv, 92 pages, illus. 21 cm. Before his retirement Dr. Crosby taught at the Durham Chorister School for many years. His charming little book, 92 pages, recounts in lively prose the history of the Chorister School from its monastic roots until the present.
Available at   Amazon UK
Available at   Available from the author
no cover
Durham Cathedral Choristers and Their Masters (Durham, Dean & Chapter of  0907078109, Book) June 1980
Featuring Durham Cathedral Choir  
By Brian Crosby. 48 pages
Available at   Amazon UK
This page last modified on Thursday, January 01, 2004
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