Lichfield Cathedral Choir sing music by Lichfield Composers (1980) Sleeve Notes

 Transcribed from the LP sleeve, these are the sleeve notes to accompany this recording of Lichfield Cathedral Choir singing music by Lichfield Composers, which can be heard at

SIDE ONE

Michael East was Organist of Lichfield Cathedral in the early seventeenth century. He was born in about 1580 and was a lay clerk at Ely Cathedral before taking up his appointment at Lichfield in about 1615 where he remained for some twenty-five years. He is thought to have been the son of Thomas East. the influential music publisher; this would account for the unusually large number of publications to his name — a precocious contribution to The Triumphs of Oriana (1601) and seven collections of madrigals, Church music, instrumental fantasias etc. spanning the years 1606 to 1638. He died in London in 1648.

Most of his Church music is to be found in three of the published collections, that of 1624 (the sixth set) being devoted entirely to sacred music. His style is simple and direct with an appealing vitality, and it demonstrates an ability to write fluently in up to six parts. His music displays an attractive lyricism but the development of his ideas tends to be four-square, a weakness overcome by only a few of his contemporaries such as Gibbons and Tomkins. Ten of the twelve published anthems are in the early Baroque verse style — with solo sections accompanied instrumentally alternating with chorus. Although the published anthems were designed for accompaniment by viols, the existence of a number of contemporary organ arrangements indicates that this was normal practice for liturgical purposes.

Lichfield Cathedral enjoyed an excellent musical reputation while East was Organist. The Vicars Choral provided six Gentlemen for the celebrated Chapel Royal Choir although most cathedrals sent no more than three. In 1634 Lieutenant Hammond in his Survey of Twenty-six Counties commented that "The organs and voices were deep and sweet . . . (the singers) most melodiously acted and performed their parts . . . the melodious harmony of the music invited our longer stay."

1. WHEN ISRAEL CAME OUT OF EGYPT
This setting of part of Psalm 114, was one of the most popular verse anthems of the period. It appeared in the Third Set of Books (1610), a collection consisting for the most part of secular music, and this influence may be found in some of the word-painting, particularly in the appealing duet "The mountains skipped like rams" and "Tremble thou earth" with its bold chorus interpolation. The work ends with a sweeping 'Amen' so characteristic of East's church music.

Trebles: Thomas Barnard, Patrick Craig, David Craig
Altos: Raymond Leang, Dermot Coleman
Tenor: Michael Guest

2. O LORD, OF WHOM I DO DEPEND
This anthem was included in the Fourth Set of Books (1618). The text, by the late sixteenth century devotional writer, William Hunnis. is set in a simple but appealing manner for two solo boys, chorus and accompaniment. It is interesting that the work shares the text and some of the musical material with John Mundy's setting published in 1594.

Trebles: David Craig, Mark Hindley

3. WHEN DAVID HEARD
East's Version of When David heard (1618) is one of eight early seventeenth century settings, the most familiar being by Weelkes and Tomkins. Arguably his finest composition, the rhetorical and poignant text is set in a largely diatonic idiom which matches the composer's austere and dignified conception.

4. MAGNIFICAT — VERSE SERVICE
5. NUNC DIMITTIS — VERSE SERVICE
The Verse Service comprising the evening canticles Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis survives in manuscripts at Lichfield Cathedral and Peterhouse, Cambridge. The organ part has been editorially supplied by the writer. Its layout for SSATB chorus (rather than the normal SAATB) reflects the vocal disposition of East's church music in the madrigal part-books while similar influences are to be found in some of the word-painting and the unusually long instrumental incipits to the main sub-divisions. As in Gibbons' Second Service, the same splendid 'Amen' ends both canticles.

Altos: Mark Cowley, Raymond Leang
Tenors: Geoffrey Talbot, Peter Bailey
Bass: David Hill

SIDE TWO

1. EXALT THYSELF, O GOD William Byrd
Byrd's festive anthem Exalt thyself, O God, a setting of Psalm 57, vv 6. 8-12, ranks among his best works for the Anglican liturgy. The writer has reconstructed the work from an incomplete anonymous score (previously thought to be by Tomkins) in Worcester Cathedral, together with an authentic bass part. The opening 20 bars, lacking in the Worcester manuscript, arc recapitulated towards the end in the same way as Gibbons' Hosanna to the Son of David with which Byrd's anthem com-pares in several respects.

2. OUT OF THE DEEP John Alcock
John Alcock (1715-1816) was Organist of Lichfield Cathedral from 1750 to 1760. Out of the Deep was included in his Six and Twenty Select Anthems (1771). It is a simple but dignified setting of part of Psalm 130 and is a typical example of cathedral music of the period.

Treble: Mark Hindley
Alto: Mark Cowley
Tenor: Geoffrey Talbot

3. KING OF GLORY, KING OF PEACE William Harris
4. ALMIGHTY AND MOST MERCIFUL FATHER William Harris
5. I WAS GLAD WHEN THEY SAID UNTO ME (Psalm 122) William Harris
6. COME DOWN, O LOVE DIVINE William Harris
Sir William Harris (1883-1973) was assistant organist at Lichfield Cathedral between 1911-19 and was subsequently organist at New College, Oxford (1919), Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford (1928) and St George's Chapel Windsor (1933). His compositions are in a conservative, tonal idiom characterised by a pleasing lyricism, grateful vocal writing, tasteful chromaticism and a clear sense of structure.

King of Glory was written for the choristers of New College, Oxford in 1925. Almighty and Most Merciful Father is a setting of the last prayer of Samuel Johnson, famous son of Lichfield; it was composed in 1968 for Richard Greening and the Choir of Lichfield Cathedral. Psalm 122 is sung to a chant by Harris. Harris wrote a number of effective anthems based on hymn tunes; Come Down, O Love Divine, composed in 1965, is based on his own tune North Petherton.

THE CATHEDRAL CHOIR
The Choir of Lichfield Cathedral consists of eighteen choristers and nine Lay Vicars Choral, whose work it is to maintain the tradition of daily sung services in the Cathedral. a tradition which stretches back several hundred years. In order that this work may be performed to the highest possible standard, the boy choristers arc educated in a choir school, situated in the Cathedral Close and maintained by the Dean and Chapter. Although this school for centuries existed exclusively for the choristers, since 1942 it has been run as a normal Preparatory School of which the choristers are a part. Every day the choristers rehearse for an hour in the morning and half an hour in the evening before singing the Office of Evensong; this, of course, is extra to a normal school timetable during the day. The choristers come from homes in different parts of the country, some a great distance from Lichfield; this requires most of the boys to live in the school. All choristers are expected to learn to play two instruments and some reach a high standard of proficiency by the time their course here comes to an end. There is then an opportunity of winning a substantial Scholarship to a Public School for the continuation of their education.

Trebles
David Craig (Head Chorister)
Mark Hindley (Second Head Chorister)
Douglas Jones
Mark Parrott
Sebastian Prentis
Richard Simpkin
Thomas Barnard
Patrick Craig
Alastair Hodgson
Paul James
Daniel Hunt
Robert Ninis
Alan Richardson
Jonathan Cooper-Bagnall
Daniel Norman
Christopher Betts
Angus Veitch

Altos
Raymond Leang
Dermot Coleman
Mark Cowley

Tenors
Geoffrey Talbot
Michael Guest
Peter Bailey

Basses
Edgar Parkinson
Sandy Hunt
David Hill

Jonathan Rees-Williams
Jonathan Rees-Williams studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Arnold Richardson and at New College. Oxford where he was Organ Scholar and Acting Organist. After a period as Assistant Organist of Hampstead Parish Church and St Clement Danes, London, he was appointed Assistant Organist at Salisbury Cathedral, where he was also Director of Music in the Cathedral School and Chorus Master to the Portsmouth Festival Choir. He took up his appointment as Organist and Master of the Choristers of Lichfield Cathedral in 1978.

Peter King
Peter King, the Assistant Organist of the Cathedral, was a chorister of the Cathedral. Subsequently, he was educated at the King's School. Canterbury, going on to read Music at Queen's College, Cambridge. He is frequently heard as a recitalist and broadcasts for the BBC. Since last autumn he has been Assistant Chorusmaster and Accompanist to the CBSO chorus.

THE CATHEDRAL ORGAN
The organ by William Hill was installed in 1884, incorporating earlier pipework (1861) by George Holdich. An extensive rebuild in 1974 by Hill. Norman and Beard provided the instrument with a remodelled Choir Organ and some extra ranks including a Trompette en chamade. The organ is tuned to a sharp pitch (C = 540), over a quarter tone higher than present day pitch.

Produced by Peter James

Executive Producer Harry Mudd

Recorded in Lichfield Cathedral July 1980

Sleeve Notes by Peter James

Cover Photograph Lichfield Cathedral from across Minster Pool by John Rackham

Recording first published 1980

Sleeve printed by Senor Printing Limited