OUR MUSIC

We have a wide ranging repertoire of music, ranging across six centuries. Sometimes we sing with an orchestra and at other times we sing a cappella.

We aim to perform to a professional standard. We sing many well known and loved pieces of music such as Handel’s Messiah, Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius and the St John and St Matthew Passions by JS Bach. Alongside these we include less familiar music. We performed the world premiere of James McMillan’s Gloria in 2012 and the European premiere of John Rutter’s The Gift of Life in 2015. 

On the lighter side we have included songs from Wicked and arrangements of Shakespeare songs by jazz musican George Shearing in our concerts.

You can see below the major works we have performed since Rachel Mahon took up the baton as Musical Director in 2022. Alongside these are many shorter pieces which we included in our annual carol concerts. 
 
 
Year Composer Music
2023 JS Bach St John Passion
Elgar Dream of Gerontius
Handel Let Their Celestial Trumpets All Unite
Monteverdi Beatus Vir
JS Bach Lobet Den Herrn
Purcell My Heart is Inditing
Vaughan Williams Three Shakespeare Songs
Shearing Songs and Sonnets
Barber Agnus Dei
Rheinberger Abenlied
Gjeilo Ubi Caritas
Rachmaninoff Vespers
Handel Messiah
2022 Vaughan Williams Toward the Unknown Region
Vaughan Williams Lord, Thou hast been our refuge
Vaughan Williams Te Deum in G
Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem
Parry I Was Glad
Walton Te Deum
Purcell I Was Glad
Gibbons O Clap Your Hands
Willan O Lord, Our God
Howells Behold O God our Defender
Handel Four Coronation Anthems
Finzi Lo, the Full, Final Sacrifice
Chilcott St John Passion

 

Last year saw the Chorus take a new direction, performing four pieces of acapella music, including the hour long Rachmaninoff Vespers. Our audience certainly enjoyed the music!

" It was a delight to hear such different music in the Cathedral - it took me straight back to St. Petersburg."

"The music really suited the atmosphere in the Cathedral, and the music was wonderful and well sung."

"Simply sublime."

"Glorious. We didn't expect to stay right to the end but we did because the music was so wonderful."

"Thank you for a sublime evening."

Brought to you by Making Music
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