Westminster Abbey Choir - Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II / Various - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

This recording of the BBC's broadcast of the coronation service from Westminster Abbey was taken by means of a direct line to Abbey Road Studios in St John's Wood, London. The splendid ritual of the coronation rite has offered to composers of succeeding generations an opportunity to provide music of fitting beauty and to the choirs taking part an incentive to excel in presenting music in which Britain has a rich and unique tradition. Some of this music had been heard in earlier coronations, some was composed especially for this occasion. Old and new were woven into the fabric of the ceremony with great skill, and the recording provides a sound-picture representing some five centuries of the finest of English church music. The Coronation Choir was a large one of over four hundred singers, the voices, with the exception of a few sopranos and contraltos from the Commonwealth, being those of men and boys. Certain famous choirs were present in full force, having a prescriptive right to sing at the coronation. Among these were the choirs of Westminster Abbey, HM Chapel Royal, St George's Chapel, Windsor, and St Paul's Cathedral; the remaining singers were drawn from choirs throughout England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland with a considerable number of 'additional' altos, tenors, and basses who were well known soloists or who at some time had been members of famous choirs. As each member of these choirs was thoroughly at home with church music of every degree of difficulty, the resultant tone was of singular beauty rich, majestic and of great flexibility. The accompaniments were shared by the fine organ of the abbey and a full orchestra made up of eminent soloists and of players nominated from leading orchestras. The special fanfares, composed by Sir Ernest Bullock, were played by massed trumpeters from the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, under their c

Album Tracks 1. Trumpet Signal, Fanfare 2. Bransle Double 3. Amour Partes 4. Washerwoman's Bransle 5. Tutto 'l Di Mi Dici, Villanelle for 4 Voices, S. X/79 6. Allez Souspirs 7. Pavanne Et Gaillarde D'angleterre Pavanne 8. Bransle Simple 9. Trumpet Signal (Circa 14 C.), Fanfare 10. Veni, Creator Spiritus 11. Omnis Terra 12. Deus Creator 13. Praise Him Praiseworthy, Mass for 6 Voices Gloria 14. Misit Dominus, Gradual 15. Laudate Deum, Alleluia (STS. Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael) 16. Praise Him Praiseworthy, Mass for 6 Voices Credo 17. Jubilate Deo Omnis Terra, Offertory in Mode 5 (Liber Usualis No. 480) 18. Sursum Corda, Plainchant 19. Quia Per Incarnati, Plainchant 20. Praise Him Praiseworthy, Mass for 6 Voices Credo 21. Praise Him Praiseworthy, Mass for 6 Voices Credo 22. Pater Noster 23. Pax 24. Praise Him Praiseworthy, Mass for 6 Voices Agnus Dei 25. Praise Him Praiseworthy, Mass for 6 Voices Agnus Dei 26. Praise Him Praiseworthy, Mass for 6 Voices Agnus Dei

Album Tracks 1. I Vow to Thee, My Country, for Chorus & Orchestra, H. 148 2. Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (Tune Blaenwern) 3. Wash Me Thoroughly from My Wickedness, for Chorus & Organ 4. Lord, for Thy Tender Mercy's Sake 5. Give Rest, O Christ (Kontakion of the Dead, Kiev Melody) 6. O God Our Help in Ages Past (Tune St. Anne) 7. I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes, for Chorus & Brass 8. Land of My Fathers, Song 9. Investiture Anniversary Fanfare, for Brass & Percussion 10. Rhapsody for a Prince 11. Gwyn a Gwridog, Hawddgar Iawn ('Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise'), Hymn 12. Fanfare Arrival 13. God Bless the Prince of Wales, Hymn 14. Set Me As a Seal Upon Thine Heart, for Chorus 15. Make Me a Channel of Your Peace 16. Abide with Me (Tune Eventide)