Singing Retreat Music Pack April 23

CCA Singing Retreat Repertoire

Dr Edward Wickham

Choral Director Edward Wickham

Our first evensong is Renaissance-themed, with Gibbons’ elegant ‘Short’ service coupled with an anthem by Thomas Tallis appropriate to the season of Easter. Gibbons was associated with King’s College, and his music – alongside that of Tallis – forms the earliest generations of music for the then newly-created Anglican church.

Our second evensong is a tale of two Herberts – both of them from the West Country. Brewer’s rumbustious canticles are a great sing; while Howells’ setting of the psalm text ‘O pray for the peace of Jerusalem’ provides a lovely contrast, suave, sultry and full of Howells’ characteristically dense harmonies.

Evensong 1
William Byrd: Responses
Psalm 76
Orlando Gibbons: Short Service
Thomas Tallis: Christ rising
Hymn: NEH 120 ‘Thine be the glory’

Evensong 2
William Byrd: Responses
Psalm 84
Herbert Brewer: Canticles in D
Herbert Howells: O pray for the peace of Jerusalem
Hymn: NEH 124 ‘Ye choirs of new Jerusalem’

Grace: Wood Oculi omnium

All music will be available in downloadable pdf well in advance of the course so that you can feel confident of the notes on arrival. Where there is divisi within parts, we will assign parts in advance.

Don’t worry if you’re feeling a little rusty – try Edward’s “dusting off the cobwebs” video. You could also practice singing along with with a Youtube video by one of the Cambridge choirs.  Enjoy!

Cambridge Choral Academy