The Light of Unexpected Angels is the first recording by Sospiri and features a showcase of John Duggan's choral work as well as tracks by Britten, Anerio, Josquin, Poulenc and Richard Lloyd. John says:
'We recorded this in early 2007 in the chapel at Lady Margaret Hall in Oxford, with Libby Burgess (http://www.elizabethburgess.com/) as our producer. At the time we were such a small group that Chris (Watson) directed from within the group, managing to sing at the same time. A marvellous piece of multitasking!'
This collection also features John's setting of the William Blake poem 'The Sick Rose', which is not available on the CD

The Light of Unexpected Angels

Videte Miraculum
Sospiri recorded this CD at the wonderful Abbaye Notre Dame des Dombes near Lyon in France in September, 2007. We were invited to the Abbey by the Communauté du Chemin-Neuf and we spent a fun-packed few days singing and recording there. The Abbey church is set in the quiet countryside just north of Lyon and has a rich and resonant acoustic. It was the ideal space to record this mixture of plainsong and polyphonic medieval and renaissance settings of Christmas texts, including the six-part setting of Videte Miraculum (Behold the miracle of the mother of the Lord) by Thomas Tallis. The disc includes my setting of the French carol La Ballade de Jésus Christ (SATB). The tune appears in the English Hymnal with the text 'Let all mortal flesh keep silent'.

One of the out-takes from the sessions, included here, is my setting (SATB) of the Augustinian text: Tu excitas ut laudare. I was fortunate to hear a sermon preached by Liz Carmichael, the chaplain of St John's College, Oxford on this text, which was thought-provoking and inspirational. Whilst recording the track the tranquil calm of the Abbey was disrupted by a huge flock of seagulls. If you listen carefully in the closing 30 seconds of the piece you can hear them vying for attention.

You can buy copies of this disc direct from the Communauté du Chemin-Neuf :
http://www.ame-boutique.com/

Videte Miraculum

These are choral tracks of mine that were recorded at various sessions services and concerts, and have yet to make their way onto a disc.
Ave Maria, The Lord hath Spoken and Nativitie were recorded by Oxford Polyphonix at Wolfson College in January 2015.
O Sacrum Convivium was commissioned by Sospiri in 2012 for the choir's trip to Canterbury Cathedral in August, from whence this recording comes.
Two Cherubim was a private commission and the piece was first performed by the choir of St Mary Magdalen, Oxford
Ave Verum was written for Dr Edward Rowntree and the Abbey Choir at Douai. It is now publshed by Novello as part of their New Choral Series
Ave Regina Caelorum was commissioned by Sospiri in 2008, and was first sung by them at Vespers later that year. It was also sung during Vespers early in 2009 by the choir of Westminster Cathedral. This recording is from the Sospiri Hertford College sessions in 2008.
Regina Coeli also uses a Marian text. It was one of those rare times when inspiration and determination meet, and was written over the space of one cold, winter's evening early in 2010. It was sung at Vespers in Merton College chapel early in the spring, by Sospiri, who recorded it in June in St Michael's church in Summertown, Oxford. Dedicated to Martin Baker and the choir of Westminster Cathedral, the work is scored for SSATBarB.
Psalm 95 was commissioned for the Edington Festival in 2008 and premièred there in the Priory Church, Edington by the Festival Consort. I used an English version of the psalm text: 'O come, let us sing unto the Lord' and the scoring is SSATB. This recorded version is from the Sospiri sessions in Hertford College chapel, summer 2008.
Nunc autem manet was written for my friends Paul and Angharad de Cates for their wedding in April 2010. The Latin text is taken from Corinthians 13:13: 'Now there are but three things, faith, hope and love…', and the scoring is SAATB. It is now publshed by Novello.
This recorded version is from the Sospiri sessions in St Michael's church, Summertown,in the summer 2010.
Pied Beauty is a setting of the Gerard Manley Hopkins poem and was commissioned by Sospiri for a concert entitled: Glory be to God for dappled things (music and poetry from the city of dreaming spires). Scored for SSATBarB, this recording was made at the concert in Merton College chapel in June 2010.
Brassica est was commissioned by Oxford-based choir, Commotio for a concert at St Barnabas church in June 2010. It is scored for SATBarB and takes a text from the Roman writer Cato the Elder, which extols the virtues of eating cabbage. The music is built around the notes: CABBAGE at the behest of Commotio director, Matthew Berry. The recording is from the concert.



New and miscellaneous choral work

Released in 2009, this is the only album by my band, Restless Blue. The music embodies the Restless Blue spirit of improvisation, exotic soundscapes and bittersweet lyricism. Several tracks feature guest vocalists, including the fabulous classical soprano, Susanna Fairbairn and the Japanese diva, Yuko Matsunaga.

Lifeline (Restless Blue)

Ave Maria

This piece was commissioned by Shorter House for The Book of Introits
http://www.shorterhouse.com/thebookofnewintroits.html

Psalm 50: The Lord hath spoken

This is a setting of the beautiful John Donne poem Nativitie, the third in the series of seven sonnets, the Divine Poems, in which the story of the incarnation unfolds from Annunciation to Ascension. I have dedicated this piece to Richard Holloway

Nativitie (John Donne)

Ave Verum was commissioned by Edward Rowntree for the birthday of his father, Dr John Rowntree. John directs the Douai Abbey singers and they gave the first liturgical performance in the abbey on Sunday 18 March 2011. Early in July, 2011, the choir recorded the piece for a new disc of choral music for Herald:
HAVPCD368 : Catholic Collection III (copyright (p)2011 Herald AV Publications).
Sound engineering & balancing, digital editing & mastering, David Wright.
Musical production, Adrian Peacock.
The sheet music for Ave Verum is published by Novello
http://www.musicroom.com/se/id_no/01061913/details.html

Buy the Sheet Music

Ave Verum (Duggan)

Commissioned by Dr Brian Stewart in celebration of his 40th wedding anniversary, the work was first performed on Sunday 8 July, 2012 as an introit to High Mass at the church of St Mary Magdalen in Oxford. The text is from Exodus 37: 7–9

Two cherubim first performance

The Light of Unexpected Angels is the first recording by Sospiri and features a showcase of John Duggan's choral work as well as tracks by Britten, Anerio, Josquin, Poulenc and Richard Lloyd.

O Viridissima Virga

Veni Sancte Spiritus

Sospiri had a short residency at Canterbury Cathedral during August 2012. I wrote this setting of O Sacrum Convivium specially for our visit and we sang it during Communion at the Sunday morning service. 

Sheet music

O Sacrum convivium (Duggan)

Sospiri recorded this CD at the wonderful Abbaye Notre Dame des Dombes near Lyon in France.
La Ballade de Jésus Christ is published by Novello
http://www.musicroom.com/se/id_no/01017908/details.html

La Ballade de Jesus Christ (Duggan)

 Nunc autem manet was written for the wedding of Paul and Angharad de Cates in 2010. The text is taken from Corinthians 13:13 – ‘Now but three things remain: faith, hope, love. But of these three the greatest – this is love.’ The piece reveals the three fundamental tenets of Christian life with contrasting austere and lush harmonies and brief, contrapuntal episodes, ending with a gently pulsing chord-shift on the word ‘caritas’, over which the well-known plainsong melody ‘ubi caritas’ can be heard.

The Novello New Choral Series is an inspiring selection of new works from a range of contemporary composers, offering pieces for all types of choirs, including sacred and secular works from simple, four-part settings to more expansive, yet accessible, repertoire in an exciting variety of styles. This collection is perfect for choirs looking to broaden their repertoire and explore some of the best new music around.

Born in 1963, John Duggan was a chorister at Westminster Cathedral and studied music at Oxford. Whilst still a boy he dreamed of writing in the choral tradition of Victoria, Tallis and Palestrina. His vocal music has delighted both singers and audiences across Europe and the USA. He has written for a number of choirs including Commotio, Westminster Cathedral Choir, the Hildegard Choir and Sospiri, and has received commissions from the Edington Music Festival, Crossover Intergenerational Dance Group, Oxford Youth Dance and The Oxford-Grenoble Association. He composers regularly for film and dance, and performs as a singer and choral director whilst working as a recording engineer and producer.
Nunc Autem Manet is published by Novello
http://www.musicroom.com/se/id_no/01017907/details.html


Nunc autem manet

Ave Maria (Byrd)

Ave Maria (Josquin)

Ave virgo sanctissima (Guerrero)

Creator Alme Siderum (plainsong)

Ecce Virgo Concipiet (Byrd)

Ecce Virgo Concipiet (Morales)

Puer Natus in Bethlehem (plainsong)

Rorate Coeli (plainsong)

Videte Miraculum (Tallis)

Released in 2009, this is the only album by my band, Restless Blue. The music embodies the Restless Blue spirit of improvisation, exotic soundscapes and bittersweet lyricism. Several tracks include guest vocalists, including the fabulous classical soprano, Susanna Fairbairn and the Japanese diva, Yuko Matsunaga.

01 Star

02 Lifeline

03 The Shadow of a Doubt

04 Trust

05 Spiral

To Daffodils (Britten)

Inter Natos Mulieribus (Josquin)

Virtue (Lloyd)

The Light of Unexpected Angels is the first recording by Sospiri and features a showcase of John Duggan's choral work as well as tracks by Britten, Anerio, Josquin, Poulenc and Richard Lloyd. The recording was made in early 2007 in the chapel at Lady Margaret Hall in Oxford, with Libby Burgess (http://www.elizabethburgess.com/) as our producer. 
This collection also features John's setting of the William Blake poem 'The Sick Rose', which is not available on the CD

Christus Factus Est (Anerio)

Welcome to this cloud formation. I'm a composer, singer and director and you can hear good choral music here, as well as some groovy-to-movie electronic wisps.

John Duggan

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