Through The Day

Info & track listings

‘Through the day’ represents some of the music sung at Guildford Cathedral by the Cathedral Choirs – favourite anthems which reflect different seasons of the liturgical year, from different eras of musical history, written for many diverse occasions. We also offer a canticle from the Book of Common Prayer, from the order of service for Evening Prayer: George Dyson’s exuberant setting of the Magnificat in D major.

Perhaps you will find one of your favourites here, or perhaps you too will ascend the hill and enter through the doors to hear this music in context. We look forward to welcoming you to Guildford Cathedral and hope you enjoy this music.This recording begins with Sir Hubert Parry’s I was glad, a firm favourite with choirs and listeners alike.

Parry’s depiction of words from Psalm 122 is both arresting and lyrical, its central focus being the elegantly crafted O pray for the peace of Jerusalem. A psalm long associated with the coronation rites of the English monarchy, this particular setting was offered by Parry for the coronation of Edward VII in 1902. The famous accretion Vivat rex or Vivat regina is here omitted.

Philip Moore succeeded Barry Rose as Organist and Master of the Choristers at Guildford Cathedral in 1974, and both works of his on this recording come from his Guildford days. Through the day was written for the 1978 Guildford Diocesan Choirs’ Festival, a beautifully shaped polyrhythmic composition structured upon an attractive dialogue between the upper and lower voices. All wisdom cometh from the Lord (track 10) was written in 1980, taking as its text parts of the wisdom writings of Ecclesiasticus together with verses of Psalm 119. The boy choristers of Guildford Cathedral Choir attend Lanesborough School, and it was in celebration of the school’s 50th anniversary that this anthem was composed, the choice of texts being thus particularly apposite.

Moore’s compositional style juxtaposes splendour and rhythmic fun with serene linear writing, maintaining at the same time formal integrity in the overall structure of the work.Katherine Dienes-Williams, MA, BMus, FRCO, Hon. ARSCM, Hon. GCM was appointed Organist and Master of the Choristers at Guildford Cathedral in January 2008.

Born and educated in Wellington, New Zealand, Katherine was Organ Scholar at Wellington Cathedral from 1988 – 1990 and Assistant Organist there in 1991, before moving to the UK to take up the post of Organ Scholar at Winchester Cathedral and Assistant Organist at Winchester College. She has held posts at Liverpool Metropolitan and Norwich Cathedrals, as well as the post of Director of Music at St. Mary’s Collegiate Church in Warwick. She holds a Master of Arts in Music and Liturgy from Leeds University.