Andy Munns
Salisbury Cathedral Choir has released its first Christmas album in over a decade on its own recently founded Salisbury Cathedral record label.
The Salisbury Christmas album is a collection of old and new Christmas carols sung by the Salisbury Cathedral Choir, with John Challenger (organ), directed by David Halls.
The album features the full Cathedral Choir, girl and boy choristers, adult singers, and the famous ‘Father’ Willis organ.
Many works on the album have a particular Salisbury link. Several carols are arrangements by the late Sir David Willcocks, Organist at Salisbury Cathedral in the 1940s and subsequently Director of the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, famous for Carols from King’s on BBC television and radio each Christmas Eve.
Herbert Howells, another former organist, is represented in the beautiful carol, Sing lullaby, along with a new award-winning work, Toccata on the Advent hymn ‘Wachet auf’, by David Halls, the Cathedral’s current Director of Music.
Across the decades, there has been another change, with work by women composers included in the album line up.
Amongst those is Errollyn Wallen, the award-winning composer named as one of the BBC’s 100 Women in 2018, who Salisbury Cathedral Choir commissioned to write Salisbury Carol.
Errollyn’s carol was first performed in Salisbury Cathedral on 22 December 2022 and is a tribute to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Other women composers include Cecilia McDowall, Sally Beamish and Jeanne Demessieux. There is also a carol by contemporary favourite composer, John Rutter.
As is fitting for a home-grown album, the cover image has been supplied by Salisbury photographer and ICU consultant Martin Cook.
David Halls, Salisbury Cathedral’s Director of Music, said: “Christmas is a very special time of year at the Cathedral, and we welcome thousands of worshippers and concert-goers over this very busy period.
“The selection of works on this album incorporates several old and well-known Christmas carols as well as newer works, and I’m delighted that, through this new album, we can share the joy of Christmas from Salisbury Cathedral with people at home.”
Physical copies of Salisbury Christmas are available to purchase from the Salisbury Cathedral shop, online via the Cathedral’s website, or streamed via this link – https://salisburycathedralchoir.hearnow.com/.
Proceeds from sales of recordings released by Salisbury Cathedral continue to support the Cathedral’s music funds, continuing our rich tradition of music as well as enabling future projects.
Feature Image: Finbarr Webster
