Herald AV Publications

HAVPCD354 – The Bliss of Solitude

This beautiful album, recorded in the delightful surroundings of Brentwood Cathedral, features the magnificent tenor voice of Richard Dowling in partnership with the pianist Joanna Smith, who also contributes several enchanting pieces for solo piano. The recordings include Vaughan Williams’ On Wenlock Edge in the version for piano and voice, as well as the first recording of Andrew Wright’s exquisite The Bliss of Solitude – settings of verses by William Wordsworth – and music by Roger Quilter.

‘The Bliss of Solitude’, Andrew Wright. For someone who devotes the majority of their compositional endeavours to the liturgy of the Church, the shift to writing for the voice (in the form of the Song Cycle) is easy to comprehend. In the liturgy, the spoken word is, shall we say, lifted when sung; a simple chant can make the everyday of one’s vernacular language become the sacredness of the numinous – we are transported to somewhere outside of ourselves. And isn’t this what music is about? When Andrew Wright completed his Requiem in 2005 it was the culmination of some twenty years or more of composing; being his largest-scaled work thus far, as well as his most ambitious compositional project.

Richard Dowling (tenor) and Joanna Smith (piano)

After many years experience as an active musician, his tastes and interests are broadening: with his knowledge of the voice (he was a member of The Tallis Scholars) and his inherent love of nature (particularly the Lake District) he was increasingly becoming inspired towards a new area for compositional exploration. Then came the gift of a copy of the poetical works of William Wordsworth. This spurred Wright on to set the texts to music. The initial suggestion for these songs came from singer and oboist friend, Julia Bentham. Bentham and Wright had worked on the staff at the choristers’ school at Westminster Cathedral and so their musical acquaintance had been a long one when Bentham suggested Wright might set one or two of Wordsworth’s texts to music. After favourable reception of the earlier songs, the project was worked into a song cycle proper by Wright, with performances given in London and Grassmere.

HAVPCD356 – The Organ Works of Jonathan Bielby

Jonathan Bielby was born in Oxford, and appointed Organ Scholar of St John’s College, Cambridge. He became Assistant Organist of Manchester Cathedral before his appointment as Organist of Wakefield Cathedral in 1970. Without substantial funding or endowment, Jonathan has built up the fine reputation of the Cathedral Choir, which regularly broadcasts on national radio and television. He is a sensitive composer who has written extensively for his choir and the organ. He has nurtured the careers of many choristers and organists; among his former choristers are David Hill, Roger Wright and John Scott.

Jonathan has also worked in Huddersfield at the Town Hall as Kirklees Borough Organist; and for 25 years in Leeds at the College of Music as a full-time lecturer. He master-minded the highly successful rebuilds of the Father Willis organ at Huddersfield and the five manual Compton at Wakefield. He has performed in many cathedrals, town halls and universities, both in Britain and abroad. He has recorded CDs for Priory at Huddersfield Town Hall (Romantic Organ Music of Yesteryear), Rochdale Town Hall (Complete Organ Music of John Ireland) and Huddersfield University.

HAVPCD351 – COEPERUNT LOQUI Cheltenham College Chamber Choir

One of the finest and most prolific composers of the period, Orlando di Lassus, was born at Mons, Hainaut in 1532. Following a series of prestigious posts in Italy and Antwerp, in 1556 he entered the service of Duke Albrecht V of Bavaria in Munich. The initial appointment was as a tenor in the chapel choir but he was soon promoted to maestro di capella, a post he retained for over thirty years until his death, being succeeded in turn by his two sons. Here he produced an enormous quantity of church music, including many motets, four passions and some sixty mass settings. Many of these are ‘parody’ masses, based on secular material such as chansons or madrigals or on motets written by himself or others, frequently including florid and intricate counterpoint handled with great skill. In contrast, the masses founded on plainsong are more typically concise, syllabic and straightforward and although not characteristic of the composer at his most sublime, they possess a coolly austere beauty….

Alexander Ffinch, the College Organist, founded the Cheltenham College Chamber Choir in 2007. Established with the clear purpose of performing demanding unaccompanied music, the Chamber Choir has rapidly gained a reputation as an excellent choir, with a distinctive repertoire. Having performed at Winchester Cathedral, and various Oxbridge Colleges, this CD, the Choir’s first release, comes on the back of a very successful tour to New York. Since its foundation, the choir has rehearsed and sung a variety of choral pieces, ranging from the 16th Century up to the modern works of John Tavener and Arvo Pärt. Whilst enjoying the range of pieces, the choir has felt an especial affinity with the music of the Renaissance. This is dynamic and powerful, reflecting the enormous creative energy across Europe that was present at the time.

Alexander Ffinch studied at the Royal College of Music and was later organ scholar of Keble College, Oxford where he subsequently became a pupil of Thomas Trotter. He was resident organist at Lancaster Town Hall where he gave over 100 recitals in the 1990’s also winning recognition in the St Albans Interpretation Competition in 1999. He performed regularly in the UK, Europe and the USA and is a wellknown international recitalist. Notable recent appearances have been in USA at Christ Church Greenville and St Mark’s Berkeley, CA and also in the Far East where he gave a recital to celebrate the Messiaen Centenary at The Academy for Performing Arts in Hong Kong. In 2009 he was organist on the newly released disc, ‘Salve Puerule’ (HAVPCD349) a collection of Christmas choral music. Recent recital engagements have included: The Cathedral of St John The Divine, New York; Westminster Abbey; and in 2010, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. He was appointed College Organist of Cheltenham College in 2004, after a three-year tenure as Director of Music at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge and established the College Chamber Choir in 2007.

Herald wishes all of its customers a very Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year in 2010

We are really pleased that Chichester Cathedral Choir directed by Sarah Baldock gained the accolade of “Gramophone Critics Christmas Choice 2009″ and “BBC Music Magazine Christmas Choice 2009″ for the recent HAVPCD350 “Carols from Chichester Cathedral” recording.

We gained a very good review from the Gramophone magazine (December edition) for HAVPCD346 ‘Ave Virgo Sanctissima’ sung by the Choir of the London Oratory directed by Patrick Russill which was sponsored by Aid to the Church in Need.

We have many other exciting new projects for 2010 including two new CDs featuring Wakefield Cathedral Choir and Organ, a new recording from the Temple Church of Music by the Nights Templar sung by the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge directed by Jeremy White, this recording has been specially made in Memory Dr Mary Berry.

HAVPCD353 – A Spotless Rose

The King’s School has its roots in the sixth century and its pupils live and work within the inspirational and ancient Precincts of Canterbury Cathedral and the grounds of St Augustine’s Abbey. Music has played a central role in the school’s life from its monastic foundations. The Crypt Choir, under the direction of Howard Ionascu, is the school’s senior choir. Its primary purpose is to provide music for weekly School services in Canterbury Cathedral, where the King’s School is part of the Foundation.

The choir also performs at outside venues, most recently St Paul’s, Knightsbridge, The Temple Church, St John’s, Smith Square and Westminster Abbey. It has toured extensively, including a number of European countries, New York, Boston, New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong. The Choir reached the final stage of the 2005 BBC Choir of the Year at the Lowry Centre in Salford. In July of that year the Choir was invited to perform Tallis’ Spem in alium alongside The Sixteen and Harry Christophers in Canterbury Cathedral. The Choir has been particularly active in performing contemporary music.

It has performed in the Sounds New Festivals, featuring works by James Macmillan, Paul Patterson and Gabriel Jackson. In December 2005 it gave the first performance of a commission by Howard Goodall, Of the dark past, in Canterbury Cathedral.

HAVPCD350 – Carols from Chichester Cathedral

“Gramophone Critics Christmas Choice 2009” to be announced in the December issue.

“BBC Music Magazine Christmas Choice 2009” announced in the December issue.

Christmas is a special time for Chichester Cathedral Choir. In addition to a run of concerts at the Festival Theatre and services for radio and local organizations, the Choir sings the traditional services on Christmas Eve and Day, and three Cathedral services of lessons and carols.

The selection of music for Carols from Chichester Cathedral is intended to capture the spirit of these services, which are popular with the young and old alike. Some of the usual congregational carols, with the familiar David Willcocks descants, sit alongside other Christmas favourites such as In the bleak mid-winter and Tomorrow shall be my dancing day. Mark Wardell’s Rocking was specially written for the Choristers for this CD, and like David Hill’s Away in a manger demonstrates the power of a good tune in the hands of a skilful arranger.

“The English Cathedral tradition at its very finest”
– Five Stars for Recording & Performance.
- BBC Music Magazine, December 2009

The Lay Vicars sing one to a part in Brian Kay’s version of Gaudete, and at the other end of the spectrum is the atmospheric full choir work Lux aurumque by the contemporary American composer, Eric Whitacre. The Sussex Carol is particularly appropriate for Chichester Cathedral Choir: the melody is reputed to have been collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams and Cecil Sharp in the West Sussex village of Monk’s Gate. The Cathedral Choir is accompanied on the Hill organ by Mark Wardell, who also plays three contrasting settings for solo organ of In dulci jubilo and J.S. Bach’s Chorale Prelude Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her – ‘From heaven above, to earth I come’.

Four exceptional new discs are now available on the Herald AV Publications label, from diverse musical backgrounds and highlighting the talent and dedication of the performers, soloists and directors.

HAVPCD346 – AVE VIRGO SANCTISSIMA. A Garland for Our Lady	HAVPCD347 – Ascribe unto the Lord. Large-scale anthems from the Victorian Era
HAVPCD350 – Carols from Chichester Cathedral. Chichester Cathedral Choir	HAVPCD352 – THROUGH THE DAY. Guildford Cathedral Choir

The Guildford Cathedral “Flower Gala” – A feast of flowers arranged by over three hundred flower arrangers from churches and flower clubs across the Diocese. There will be over seventy displays, including a garden in the centre of the Cathedral complete with silver birches.

Guildford Cathedral is the mother church of the Diocese of Guildford, covering 500 square miles of Surrey, north east Hampshire, the London Borough of Kingston and a part of West Sussex. With a seating capacity of 1000, the Cathedral provides both focus and resource for the whole community, a venue for concerts, art and education, a place of pilgrimage, as well as stillness, prayer and daily choral worship.

HAVPCD352 – THROUGH THE DAY. Guildford Cathedral Choir

Through the day – a CD of “Favourite Anthems” recorded by the boys, girls and men of Guildford Cathedral Choir, directed by Katherine Dienes-Williams and David Davies has just been released on the Herald label.

We’ve extended and hopefully improved the way in which you can list all the discs published on the Herald AV label. You can now list all the “Discs by Choir“, “Discs by Conductor” and “Discs by Location” from the drop-down options on the “Catalogue” button in the top menu bar.

The Radio 4 programme, “Tales before the Stave” -
HAVPCD151 – Christmas in Royal Anglo-Saxon Winchester.
10th-century Chant from the Winchester Troper

Francis Fyfield unpicks the hidden codes of a beautiful 11th-century manuscript that confirms that the English were pioneers of musical notation long before the arrival of staves.

With the help of Professor Susan Rankin and the French performer Dominique Vellard, Francis tells the story of the Winchester Troper, a tiny book belonging to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and written in Winchester around the year 1030, and how scholars have used it to clarify the way musical notation developed in the 11th and 12th centuries.

The magical discovery in the Troper was that polyphony, the use of two-part harmony, which many thought did not appear in manuscript form before the 13th century, was actually captured by the cantor scribbling in the Troper at a time when Winchester was at the heart of Anglo Saxon culture. This little book provides us with insights into the soundscape of Edward the Confessor’s England.
But it only does so thanks to the scholars like Susan and Dominique who have deciphered what looks like modern shorthand notation.

The programme describes the process of unravelling the musical language and how that fits in to the broader story of the development of musical notation in Europe. Frances tries to get an idea of who this cantor was who managed to preserve a golden era of Anglo Saxon music well before the universal staves and notes were developed to simplify the process.