Add 'Threads of Gold' to your Christmas stocking

Early release for new CD from York Minster’s Choir

An Elizabethan musical treat will be available exclusively in York this Christmas, with the local release of the new CD by the choir of York Minster, “Threads of Gold: Music from the Golden Age” on 19 December, before it becomes available nationally in January.

The CD, recorded in York Minster by Regent Records earlier this year, features the cathedral’s choir conducted by director of music, Robert Sharpe.  It features compositions by an array of composers who were writing before, during or immediately after Elizabeth I’s reign – a time of change within the church when the break with the strict traditions of Rome led sacred music to develop to a kind of domestic chamber music. 

“Many of the pieces that we have included on this CD will be familiar to those attending services within the Minster, though this is the first time we have brought together works by four of the greatest composers of the Elizabethan period – from Byrd and Mundy to Tallis and Gibbons – in one collection,” comments Robert Sharpe.  “Some of this music would have been performed for Elizabeth I at a time when royal patronage was particularly important, and this collection shows that not only the kingdom, but also music enjoyed a truly golden age of its own.”

The sacred repertoire featured on the CD is sung in English and Latin, with some performed a cappella, and others with a beautifully nuanced accompaniment provided by David Pipe, formerly the assistant director of music at York Minster, and now the cathedral organist in the Diocese of Leeds, where he also encourages new organ students as director of the organists training programme.

The CD is available from the York Minster gift shop from Monday 19 December, priced at £10.00, and will go on national release in January 2017.  A selection of other CDs by the choir of York Minster – including the 2015 festive release ‘A York Yuletide’ and 2014’s ‘An Ebor Epiphany’ – are also available from the giftshop, or online at yorkminster.org/shop

ENDS

Notes to editors:

The full track list is:

1             Vide, Domine, afflictionem           – William Byrd (1543–1623)        7:33

Evening Service ‘in medio chori’                 – William Mundy (c.1529–91)

2             Magnificat                                                                                                           7:05

3             Nunc dimittis                                                                                                     2:56

4             Ne irascaris                                         – Byrd                                                   8:11

5             O salutaris hostia                              – Thomas Tallis (c.1505–85)         2:57

6             Glorious and powerful God          – Orlando Gibbons (1583–1625) 4:25

Soloists: Jack Comerford (bass); Hugo Janacek (alto)

7             O sacrum convivium                        – Tallis                                                  3:14

8             In manus tuas                                    – Tallis                                                  2:05

9             Videte miraculum                            – Tallis                                                  9:50

Cantor: Paul Gameson

10           Praise our Lord, all ye gentiles    –Byrd                                                    2:44

11           Great Lord of Lords                         – Orlando Gibbons                           4:14

Soloists: James Cave, Hugo Janacek (altos); Matt Dowdy (bass)

12           O Lord, make thy servant, Elizabeth – Byrd                                            2:43

13           O God, the King of glory                – Gibbons                                            3:48

Soloists: James Cave, Hugo Janacek (altos); Christopher O’Gorman (tenor);

John-Joseph Sykes, Owen Amende (trebles)

14           Tribulationes civitatum                  – Byrd                                                   9:24

For further media information or photographs, please contact:

Jay Commins

Pyper York Limited

Tel:         01904 500698

Email:    jay@pyperyork.co.uk