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  St. Alban's Cathedral Choir   [St Albans Abbey Choir] Classical Choir of Men and Boys 
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The history of St Albans Cathedral Choir only stretches back 120 years, although the Benedictine monastery of St Albans Abbey had a distinguished musical history stretching back before 1539 when the Abbey was dissolved by Henry VIII. In those days the boys were press-ganged from all over the country; today they are all local schoolboys who are committed to sing services and attend rehearsal every day of the week, except one, during term time.

Unlike many ancient cathedrals there is no residential choir school - the rehearsals and services are fitted in around a normal school week. The day begins at 7.40 am and ends after evensong at 5.45 pm on three weekdays. Friday nights are taken up with two hours of rehearsal and the services on Saturday and Sunday (usually three but sometimes four in all) take up a major proportion of the weekend.

For the weekends, greater Feast days, concerts and tours the 24 boys are joined by the 12 Lay Clerks to make up the full Cathedral Choir. The Lay Clerks, in the main, earn their living outside the music profession. The choir has made several recordings and six tours of the USA in the last ten years. Previous Masters of the Music of the Cathedral include Meredith Davies, Peter Hurford, Stephen Darlington (now at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford) Colin Walsh (Lincoln Cathedral) and Barry Rose.
Related Sites
Official Site: Cathedral and Abbey Church of Saint Alban
BCSD: Freddy de Rivaz
Featured soloist from St. Alban's.

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Featured Recordings Compact | Full
St. Alban's Cathedral Choir - Geistliches Lied - German Choral and Organ Music in the Romantic Tradition
Geistliches Lied - German Choral and Organ Music in the Romantic Tradition (Lammas LAMM167, CD) April 2005
Featuring St. Alban's Cathedral Choir  
  1.   Geistliches lied Op. 30 Johannes Brahms  
  2.    Ach, arme welt Op. 110 No. 2 Johannes Brahms  
  3.   O welt, ich muß dich lassen, Johannes Brahms   ORGAN
  4.   Abendlied Op. 69 No. 3 Josef Rheinberger  
  5.   Cantus Missae (Mass in E flat) Op. 109 Josef Rheinberger   Kyrie
  6.   Cantus Missae (Mass in E flat) Op. 109 Josef Rheinberger   Gloria
  7.   Cantus Missae (Mass in E flat) Op. 109 Josef Rheinberger   Credo
  8.   Cantus Missae (Mass in E flat) Op. 109 Josef Rheinberger   Sanctus
  9.   Cantus Missae (Mass in E flat) Op. 109 Josef Rheinberger   Benedictus
10.   Cantus Missae (Mass in E flat) Op. 109 Josef Rheinberger   Agnus Dei
11.   Benedictus Max Reger   ORGAN
12.   Ave Maria Op. 23 No. 2 Felix Mendelssohn  
13.   Verlieh uns frieden Felix Mendelssohn  
14.   Os justi Anton Bruckner  
15.   Locus iste Anton Bruckner  
Available at   LAMMAS
  Abendlied
St. Alban's Cathedral Choir - St Albans Nowell
St Albans Nowell (LAMMAS Lamm 136D, CD) 2001
Featuring St. Alban's Cathedral Choir   Thomas Blackie   Charles Hibbert   Oliver Martin-Smith   Edward Rycroft   Bradley Smith  
Music for Christmas directed by Andrew Lucas with Simon Johnson (Organ)
  1.   Benedicamus Domino (Warlock)  
  2.   Once In Royal David's City (Gauntlett)   Soloist Charles Hibbert (Treble)
  3.   A Spotless Rose (Howells)   Soloist Ken Burgess (Baritone)
  4.   Adam Lay Y-Bounden (Warlock)   Treble Solo only Oliver Martin-Smith
  5.   Es Ist Ein Ros'Entsprungen (Sandstrom)   Soloists Charles Hibbert and Thomas Blackie (Trebles) Neil Baker (Alto) Simon Colston (Tenor) Simon Gaunt (Bass)
  6.   Of The Father's Heart (arr Willcocks)  
  7.   Ding Dong Merrily On High (Wood)  
  8.   Riu, Riu,Chiu (Spanish Trad.)   Soloist David Ireson (Bass)
  9.   The Lamb (Tavener)  
10.   O Little Town Of Bethlehem (Walford Davies)   Soloist Bradley Smith (Treble)
11.   Sing Lullaby (Howells)  
12.   The Little Road To Bethlehem (Head)   Soloist Oliver Martin-Smith (Treble)
13.   Sussex Carol (arr Willcocks)  
14.   The Little Drummer Boy (McCarthy)   Mens Voices only
15.   I Wonder As I Wander   Soloist Edward Rycroft (Treble)
16.   The Three Kings (Cornelius)   Soloist Ken Burgess (Baritone)
17.   Here Is The Little Door (Howells)  
18.   Silent Night (Gruber arr Rose)  
19.   O Come All Ye Faithful (arr Rose)  
St. Alban's Cathedral Choir - Sir Charles Villiers Stanford-The Bible Songs and Rare Anthems
Sir Charles Villiers Stanford-The Bible Songs and Rare Anthems (Priory PRCD 733, CD) 2000
Featuring St. Alban's Cathedral Choir   Oliver Martin-Smith   Bradley Smith  
directd by Andrew Lucas with Andrew Parnell Organ
  1.   Coronation Gloria in B Flat   Soloist Oliver Martin-Smith (Treble)
  2.   A Song Of Freedom  
  3.   Hymn after the Song Of Freedom  
  4.   A Song Of Trust  
  5.   Hymn After the Song of Trust  
  6.   A Song Of Hope  
  7.   Hymn After The Song Of Hope  
  8.   A Song Of Peace  
  9.   Hymn after A Song of Peace  
10.   A Song Of Battle  
11.   Hymn After A Song Of Battle  
12.   A Song Of Wisdom  
13.   Hymn After A Song Of Wisdom  
14.   How Beautious Are Their Feet  
15.   O Living Will   Soloist Bradley Smith (Treble)
16.   Arise Shine For Thy Light Is Come  
17.   Blessed City   Soloist Oliver Martin-Smith (Treble)
St. Alban's Cathedral Choir - Over The Rainbow
Over The Rainbow (Lammas LAMM 085D, CD) 1995
Featuring St. Alban's Cathedral Choir   George Corbett  
Music from Three USA Tours Directed by Barry Rose with Andrew Parnell (Organ)
  1.   Here I Am, Lord (Schutte)  
  2.   The Kingdom Of Heaven (Olsson)  
  3.   Lord, When You Came To Earth (Tegner)  
  4.   Jesus Christ The Apple Tree (Poston)  
  5.   Give Us The Wings Of Faith (Blatchly)  
  6.   Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Arlen)   Soloist Ken Burgess (Baritone)
  7.   Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't My Baby (Jordan)   Soloist Michael McCarthy (Bass)
  8.   All Wisdom Cometh From The Lord (Mooore)   Soloist Ken Burgess (Baritone)
  9.   Prevent Us O Lord (Ridout)   Organ solo played by Chris Betts
10.   O Be Joyful In The Lord (Shephard)  
11.   Magnificat In D Minor (Ashfield)  
12.   Were You There When They Crucified My Lord ? (Burleigh)   Soloist Ian Wicks (Tenor)
13.   There Is No Rose Of Such Virtue (Archer)  
14.   The Key (Piccolo)   Soloist George Corbett (Treble)
15.   Let Him Who Seeks, Not Cease Seeking (Shephard)  
16.   Ave Maria,Gratia Plena (Biebl)   Soloists Kenneth Burgess (Baritone) Anthony Edwards (Tenor) Ian Wicks (Tenor)
17.   Saviour, Prize Of The World (Nordqvist)  
18.   Light Of The World (Dankworth)  
19.   When I'm Sixty-Four (McCartney)  
St. Alban's Cathedral Choir - Christmas At St Albans
Christmas At St Albans (Lammas LAMM 081 D, CD) 1992
Featuring St. Alban's Cathedral Choir   Nicholas Crawley  
with the Cathedral Choir and St Albans Bach Choir Conducted by Barry Rose with Andrew Parnell (Organ)
  1.   The Shepherd's Pipe Carol (Rutter)   Sung by St Albans Bach Choir
  2.   What Child Is This ? (Traditional)   Sung by the Lay-Clerks
  3.   I Sing Of A Maiden (Hadley)   Sung by the Choristers
  4.   Before The Marvel Of This Night (Schalk)   Sung By St Albans Bach Choir
  5.   There is No Rose Of Such Virtue (Hendrie)   Sung by the Cathedral Choir
  6.   Zither Carol (Hendrie)   Sung by St Albans Bach Choir
  7.   Good King Wenceslas (Piae Cantiones)   Sung by St Albans Bach Choir with Nicholas Crawley (Treble) and Kenneth Burgess (Baritone)
  8.   I Saw A Fair Maiden (Warlock)   Sung by the Cathedral Choir
  9.   Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day (Gardner)   Sung By The Cathedral Choir
10.   Organ Prelude On "In Dulci Jubilo"   Organ solo played by Andrew Parnell
11.   No Small Wonder (Edwards)   Sung By The Cathedral Choir
12.   God Rest You Merry Gentlemen (Willcocks)   Sung By St Albans Bach Choir
13.   O Leave Your Sheep (Leighton)   Sung By The Cathedral Choir
14.   Lully, Lulla, Thou Little Tiny Child (Leighton)   Sung by The Cathedral Choir Soloist Nicholas Crawley (Treble)
15.   The Shepherd's Farewell (Berlioz)   Sung By St Albans Bach Choir
16.   Away In A Manger (Kirkpatrick)   Sung By the Cathedral Choir
17.   De Virgin Mary Had A Baby Boy (arr Sargent)   Sung by St Albans Bach Choir
18.   The Holy Son Of God Most High (Hurford)   Sung By The Lay-Clerks
19.   It Came Upon The Midnight Clear (Sullivan)   Sung By The Cathedral Choir
20.   Eia, Susanni (Bennett)   Sung By The Cathedral Choir
21.   The Sussex Carol (arr Willcocks)   Sung By St Albans Bach Choir
St. Alban's Cathedral Choir - In Honour of St. Alban
In Honour of St. Alban (Priory PR165, LP) 1985
Featuring St. Alban's Cathedral Choir   Matthew Taylor  
Directed by Stephen Darlington with Andrew Parnell (Organ)
  1.   O How Glorious (Harwood)  
  2.   Behold, Thou Hast Made My Days (Gibbons)  
  3.   Agnus Dei-From Missa Albanus (Fayrfax)  
  4.   Call To Remembrance (Battishill)   Soloists Matthew Taylor (Treble) Tony de Rivaz (Alto) Geoffrey Ward (Tenor)
  5.   Valiant For Truth (Vaughan Williams)  
  6.   Welcome Sweet and Sacred Feast (Finzi)  
St. Alban's Cathedral Choir - Psalms From St Albans
Psalms From St Albans (Lammas LAMM 075, LP) 1985
Featuring St. Alban's Cathedral Choir   Howard Dalziel   Dominic Fielding   Thomas Pepin   Paul Rendell   Matthew Taylor  
Direced by Stephen Darlington with Andrew Parnell (Organ)
  1.   The Lord's My Shepherd (Grant)  
  2.   Psalm 119 vv145-160 (Plainsong Tone I,iv)   Soloists Stephen Charlesworth (Bass) Paul Rendell, Matthew Taylor, Thomas Pepin, Dominic Fielding (Trebles)
  3.   I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes (Walker)  
  4.   Psalm Prelude Set 2 No. 1 (Howells)   Organ solo played by Andrew Parnell
  5.   The Old Hundredth (Vaughan Williams)  
  6.   O Clap Your Hands (Vaughan Williams)  
  7.   Put Thou Thy Trust In The Lord (McKie)   Soloist Stephen Charlesworth (Baritone)
  8.   He Delivereth The Poor (Parry)  
  9.   Psalm Prelude Set 1 No. 2 (Howells)   Organ Solo played by Andrewe Parnell
10.   Teach Me O Lord (Attwood)  
11.   Pie Jesu (Faure)  
12.   How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place (Brahms)  
St. Alban's Cathedral Choir - Anthems By S.S. Wesley
Anthems By S.S. Wesley (Meridan E707088, LP) 1984
Featuring St. Alban's Cathedral Choir   Howard Dalziel   Matthew Taylor  
Direced by Stephen Darlington with Andrew Parnell (Organ)
  1.   Ascribe Unto The Lord   Soloists Matthew Taylor (Treble) and Keith Parker (Alto)
  2.   Magnificat   Soloists Howard Dalziel (Treble) Tony de Rivaz (Alto) Tony Edwards (Tenor) David Ireson (Bass)
  3.   Nunc Dimittis   Soioists Howard Dalziel (Treble) Tony de Rivaz (Alto) Tony Edwards (Tenor) David Ireson (Bass)
  4.   Wash Me Throughly   Soloists Howard Dalziel (Treble) Tony de Rivaz (Alto) Tony Edwards (Tenor) David Ireson (Bass)
  5.   The Wilderness   Soloists Howard Dalziel (Treble) Tony de Rivaz (Alto) Tony Edwards (Tenor) David Ireson (Bass)
St. Alban's Cathedral Choir - Maurice Greene Anthems
Maurice Greene Anthems ( Argo, LP) 1975
Featuring St. Alban's Cathedral Choir  
Directed by Peter Hurford
  1.   Lord Let Me Know Mine End  
  2.   Like As The Heart   Verse anthem for two (anonymous) trebles and Organ
  3.   O Clap Your Hands Together All Ye People  
  4.   Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis  
  5.   Arise O Zion   Verse anthem for four solo voices
  6.   My God My God Look Upon Me  
  7.   I Will Sing Of Thy Pow'r, O God  
St. Alban's Cathedral Choir - Carols From St Albans (1972)
Carols From St Albans (1972) (Counterpoint CPT 996, LP) 1972
Featuring St. Alban's Cathedral Choir   Ian Henry  
Directed by Peter Hurford with Simon Lindley (Organ)
  1.   De Virgin Mary Had A Baby Boy (arr Sargent)  
  2.   Love Came Down At Christmas (Rutter)  
  3.   Bethlehem Of Noblest Cities (arr Hurford)  
  4.   There Is No Rose (Preston)  
  5.   Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day (Willcocks)   Treble Soloist Ian Henry
  6.   Puer Natus (Hoddinott)  
  7.   Sir Christemas (Mathias)  
St. Alban's Cathedral Choir - Cathedral Wedding Music
Cathedral Wedding Music (Abbey Abbey 605, LP) 1966
Featuring St. Alban's Cathedral Choir  
directed by Peter Hurford,who also plays the organ solos with John Freeman (Organ)
  1.   Herr Jesu Christ Dich Zu Uns Wend (Bach)   Organ Solo played by Peter Hurford
  2.   Nun Freut Euch (Bach)   Organ Solo played by Peter Hurford
  3.   Sing Praise To God  
  4.   God Be Merciful UntoUs And Bless Us  
  5.   O Father By Whose Sovereign Sway  
  6.   Content Are All They That Fear The Lord  
  7.   O Father All Creating  
  8.   The Wedding Responses And Collect (Hurford)  
  9.   Kommst Du Nun, Jesu (Bach)   Organ Solo played by Peter Hurford
10.   Praise To The Lord, The Almighty  
11.   Cantate Domino (Pitoni)  
12.   Prevent Us, O Lord (Byrd)  
13.   Praise To God In The Highest (Campbell)  
14.   Prayer To Jesus (Oldroyd)  
15.   My Beloved Spake (Hadley)  
16.   Voluntary In C (Stanley)   Organ Solo played by Peter Hurford
St. Alban's Cathedral Choir - Carols From St Albans
Carols From St Albans (Lammas LAMM 073, LP)
Featuring St. Alban's Cathedral Choir   John Dalziel   Howard Dalziel   Michael Robson   Jeremy Wheatley  
Directed by Stephen Darlington with Andrew Parnell (Organ)
  1.   Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day (Gardner)  
  2.   The Birds (Warlock)  
  3.   Sweet Was The Song (Berkeley)  
  4.   The Little Road To Bethlehem (Head)  
  5.   Lully, Lulla, Thou Little Tiny Child (Leighton)   Soloist Michael Robson (Treble)
  6.   A Spotless Rose (Howells)   Soloist Stephen Charlesworth (Baritone)
  7.   Remember, O Thou Man (Oldham)   Soloists Howard Dalziel (Treble) Tony Edwards (Tenor)
  8.   Silent Night (Ridout)  
  9.   God Who At Sundry Times (Bairstow)   Soloist Howard Dalziel (Treble)
10.   Quelle Est Cette Odeur Agreable (arr Willcocks)   Soloist Stephen Charlesworth (Baritone)
11.   Mater Ora Filium (Wood)   Soloists Howard Dalziel and Jeremy Wheatley (Trebles)
12.   Last Night In The Open Shippen (Posten)   Soloist John Dalziel (Treble)
13.   Ding Dong! Merrily On High (Williamson)  
no cover
Evensong From St Albans Abbey (Private Recording , CD)
Featuring St. Alban's Cathedral Choir   George Corbett  
Directed by Barry Rose with Andrew Parnell (Organ) Broadcast on Radio 3 "Choral Evensong"
  1.   Salvator Mundi (Blow)  
  2.   Preces, Psalms 142,143  
  3.   First Lesson  
  4.   My God I Love Thee Not Because  
  5.   Magnificat (Aylward)  
  6.   Second Lesson  
  7.   Nunc Dimittis (Aylward)  
  8.   Responses  
  9.   I Will Give Thanks Unto The Lord (Purcell)  
10.   Prayers  
11.   Hymne To God The Father (Humfrey)   Soloist George Corbett (Treble)
12.   Voluntary In D Minor (Croft)   Organ Solo played by Andrew Parnell
Other Recordings Compact | Full
St. Alban's Cathedral Choir - Music Is My World
Music Is My World (Lammas LAMM 036D, CD) June 2002
Featuring Bradley Smith   Edward Rycroft   St. Alban's Cathedral Choir  
Treble Solos sung by Bradley Smith
  1.   Pie Jesu (Webber)  
  2.   The Call (Vaughan Williams)  
  3.   I Waited for the Lord (Mendelssohn)   With Edward Rycroft (Treble)
  4.   Nunc Dimittis (Burgon)  
  5.   Litany To The Holy Spirit (Hurford)  
  6.   Age Of The Cathedrals (Cocciante)  
  7.   Break In Grief (Bach)  
  8.   I Know That My Redeemer Liveth (Handel)  
  9.   How Beautiful Are The Feet (Handel)  
10.   He That Is Down (Dowland)  
11.   O That I Once (Berlkeley)  
12.   O Little Town Of Bethlehem (Walford Davies)   With St Albans Cathedral Choir
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