Salisbury Cathedral Choir has released its first Christmas album for over a decade on its own recently founded Salisbury Cathedral record label.
Salisbury Cathedral launches first Christmas album for a decade
The album entitled Salisbury Christmas is a collection of Christmas carols old and new, sung by Salisbury Cathedral Choir, with John Challenger (organ), directed by David Halls.
You can buy it by tapping the image below.
The album features the full Cathedral Choir, girl and boy choristers and adult singers, accompanied on the famous ‘Father’ Willis organ.
David Halls, Salisbury Cathedral’s Director of Music, said:
“Christmas is a very special time of year at the Cathedral, and we welcome thousands of worshippers and concert-goers over this very busy period. The selection of works on this album incorporates several old and well-known Christmas carols as well as newer works, and I’m delighted that, through this new album, we can share the joy of Christmas from Salisbury Cathedral with people at home.”
Many works on the album have a particular Salisbury link.
Several carols are arrangements by the late Sir David Willcocks, Organist at Salisbury Cathedral in the 1940s and subsequently Director of the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, famous for Carols from King’s on BBC television and radio each Christmas Eve.
Herbert Howells, another former organist, is represented in the beautiful carol, Sing lullaby along with a new award-winning work, Toccata on the Advent hymn ‘Wachet auf’, by David Halls, the Cathedral’s current Director of Music.
There is work by women composers included in the album too including Errollyn Wallen, the award-winning composer named as one of the BBC’s 100 Women in 2018, who was commissioned by Salisbury Cathedral Choir to write Salisbury Carol.
Errollyn’s carol was first performed in Salisbury Cathedral on 22 December 2022 and is a tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth.
The cover image has been supplied by Salisbury photographer Martin Cook.
Salisbury Christmas is available to purchase in the Cathedral shop or online via the Cathedral’s website or streamed via this link.
Proceeds from sales of recordings released by Salisbury Cathedral continue to support the Cathedral’s music funds, continuing our rich tradition of music as well as enabling future projects.
