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  The Choir of Rochester Cathedral Classical Choir of Men and Boys 
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Some say that Archbishop Theodore of Tarsus left evidence of singing boys at Rochester in 604 AD; another school of thought attributes it to Justus in the same year. Yet again that Putta who was bishop of Rochester in 669 AD was said to be well skilled in the Roman style of church music. A little later when Bishop Gundulph founded the Benedictine monastery and to be in line with other monasteries, a few singing boys would have been kept and given some education, singing instruction, also their board and lodging.

Not for about another 900 years is there any valid information when in 1540 the Priory of St Andrew was dissolved and two years later the new cathedral was given a fresh foundation by Henry the Eighth who provided for eight choristers. A document dated 27 November 1560 refers to their "feeding, lodging and clothing" also to "a teacher for the singing children" and "a master of the choristers". --OfChoristers.net

There are two separate choirs at Rochester Cathedral, one formed from boys aged 7 - 13 and the other from girls aged 7 - 14, which was formed in 1995. The boy choristers sing the majority of the cathedral's choral services during the school term. All the boys attend King's School, Rochester.
Related Sites
Official Site: Rochester Cathedral Choirs
BCSD: Sam Hall
Sam, a chorister at Rochester, was a finalist in the 2006 Chorister of the Year competition.
Of Choristers - Rochester

Search Google for 'The Choir of Rochester Cathedral': Web - Images
 
Featured Recordings Compact | Full
The Choir of Rochester Cathedral - A Choral Portrait of Vaughan Williams
A Choral Portrait of Vaughan Williams (Lantern , CD) 2000
Featuring The Choir of Rochester Cathedral  
Directed by Roger Sayer.
The Choir of Rochester Cathedral - A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol (Herald HAVP223, CD) 1999
Featuring The Choir of Rochester Cathedral  
The Choir of Rochester Cathedral - Sing High, Sing Low
Sing High, Sing Low (Priory PRCD 584 , CD) 1996
Featuring The Choir of Rochester Cathedral  
The Gentlemen and Boys of Rochester Cathedral Choir/ Roger Sayer. Recorded in Rochester Cathedral on 28 January, 7 and 8 May 1996. Treble soloists: James Clements (4,9,10), James Shotter (5,10), Jonathan Mills (5), Matthew Osborne (9), Oliver Daffarn (9). Tracks 19-28 are sang by the clerks only.
  1.   Procession (Benjamin Britten) (L)   tracks 1-12: A Ceremony of Carols, Opus 28
  2.   Wolcum Yole! (Britten) (L)  
  3.   There is no Rose (Britten) (L)  
  4.   That yongë child (Britten) (L)  
  5.   Balulalow (Britten) (L)  
  6.   As dew in Aprille (Britten) (L)  
  7.   This little Babe (Britten) (L)  
  8.   Interlude   harp solo: Jane Lister
  9.   In Freezing Winder Night (Britten) (L)  
10.   Spring Carol (Britten) (L)  
11.   Adam lay i-bounden (Britten) (L)  
12.   Recession (Britten) (L)  
13.   Kyrie (Jean Langlais) (L)   tracks 13-18: Missa "in simplicitate"
14.   Gloria (Langlais) (L)  
15.   Credo (Langlais) (L)  
16.   Sanctus (Langlais) (L)  
17.   Benedictus (Langlais) (L)  
18.   Agnus Dei (Langlais) (L)  
19.   Gloria (Barry Ferguson) (L)   tracks 19-22: The Rochester Mass
20.   Sanctus (Ferguson) (L)  
21.   Benedictus (Ferguson) (L)  
22.   Agnus Dei (Ferguson) (L)  
23.   Throw away thy rod (Barry Ferguson) (L)  
24.   Lord, with what courage and delight (Simon Mold) (L)  
25.   By the waters of Babylon (Arthur Wills) (L)  
26.   Their sound is gone out (Arthur Wills) (L)  
27.   Eastern Monarchs (Stanley Vann) (L)  
28.   Jesu thou art welcome (Dutch, arr.: Stanley Vann) (L)  
The Choir of Rochester Cathedral - Music From Rochester Cathedral
Music From Rochester Cathedral (Abbey APR 302, LP) 1979
Featuring The Choir of Rochester Cathedral  
  1.   Magnificant from the Verse Service   Side 1
  2.   God's Goodness  
  3.   The Fair Chivalry  
  4.   Jesu, Grant Me This I Pray  
  5.   Organ Solo: Reverie  
  6.   Psalm 137, Verse 1-6  
  7.   Death And Darkness Get You Packing  
  8.   Hymn; Crown Him With Many Crowns   Side 2
  9.   Boy's Voices: Prayer Of St. Richard Of Chichester  
10.   Ave Verum Corpus  
11.   Mens Voices: Behold How Good And Joyful  
12.   Come My Way  
13.   Antiphon: Let All The World  
14.   Organ Solo: Toccata In F  
The Choir of Rochester Cathedral - Carols from Rochester 1973
Carols from Rochester 1973 (Deroy , LP) 1973
Featuring The Choir of Rochester Cathedral  
A recital of Christmas and Easter music by the Choir of Rochester Cathedral. Directed by Robert Ashfield. Principal treble soloist: David Cordier. Second trebles: Leopold Kroll, Robin Cooke. Recorded by BBC Radio Medway, transferred to LP from original tapes.
  1.   Of the Father's Love Begotten - arr Ashfield  
  2.   Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child - Leighton  
  3.   In dulci jubilo - Bach (organ)  
  4.   The holly and the ivy - Walford Davies  
  5.   O sons and daughters - Walford Davies  
  6.   Hilariter - harm Shaw  
  7.   Good Joseph had a garden - Ashfield  
  8.   Love is come again - harm Shaw  
  9.   Heut' triumphieret Gottes Sohn - Bach (organ)  
This page last modified on Friday, April 14, 2006
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