This is a live recording of the morning service on the last day of Truro Cathedral Choir's academic year 2012/13.  Three Choristers, five Choral Scholars and the Organ Scholar enjoyed their final notes in Truro Cathedral on that day, and the singing is perhaps a little more impassioned than usual.  

The semi-chorus in the Communion anthem, "Lord, thou hast been our refuge" was sung by the following leavers: Byron Gregory and Billy Lee (treble), Tom Lilburn (alto), Ranald McCusker (tenor); and Charlie Murray (bass). The Responsorial Psalm is sung by Ranald McCusker. 

The organ is played by Luke Bond and Truro Cathedral Choir is directed by Christopher Gray. 

02 Hymn Glorious things of thee are spoken

This is a live recording of the anthem from Evensong at Truro Cathedral on 19th March 2013, "O Lord, rebuke me not" by Purcell. The treble duet is sung by two Head Choristers in their final year with the cathedral choir. The choir is directed from the chamber organ by Christopher Gray. 

O Lord, rebuke me not in thine indignation, neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure. 
Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are vexed. 
My soul also is sore troubled: but, Lord, how long wilt thou punish me? 
Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver my soul: O, save me, for thy mercy’s sake. 
For in death no man rememb’reth thee: and who will give thee thanks in the pit? 
I am weary of my groaning; every night wash I my bed, and water my couch with my tears. 
My beauty is gone for very trouble, and worn away because of all mine enemies. 
Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver my soul: O, save me, for thy mercy’s sake.

Psalm 6: 1-7

O Lord, rebuke me not - Purcell

Organ voluntary: Prelude and Fugue in C minor - Mendelssohn

O holy night - Adolph Adam

O come, all ye faithful

Post-Gospel organ improvisation

Office Hymn: The eternal gifts of Christ the King (Gonfalon Royal)

Truro Cathedral Choir, with its girl Choristers, singing "A babe is born" by Mathias at the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on 23rd December 2015.

A Babe Is Born - Mathias

This is a live recording of the Miserere by Allegri from the service at Truro Cathedral on Ash Wednesday, 10th February 2016 at 5.30pm. Truro Cathedral Choir is conducted by Christopher Gray. There is a little background noise as the congregation walks up through the middle of the choir stalls to receive the sign of the cross with the words "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ." The words, from Psalm 51, are as follows: 

Miserere mei, Deus: secundum magnam misericordiam tuam.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy.

Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum: dele iniquitatem meam.
And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies: blot out my iniquity.

Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea: et a peccato meo munda me.
Wash me yet more from my iniquity: and cleanse me from my sin.

Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco: et peccatum meum contra me est semper.
For I know my iniquity: and my sin is always before me.

Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci: ut iustificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincas cum iudicaris.
To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee:
that thou mayst be justified in thy words and mayst overcome when thou art judged.

Ecce enim in inquitatibus conceptus sum: et in peccatis concepit me mater mea.
For behold I was conceived in iniquities: and in sins did my mother conceive me.

Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti: incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi.
For behold thou hast loved truth: the uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest to me.

Asperges me, Domine, hyssopo, et mundabor: lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.
Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed:
thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam: et exsultabunt ossa humiliata.
To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness:
and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.

Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis: et omnes iniquitates meas dele.
Turn away thy face from my sins: and blot out all my iniquities.

Cor mundum crea in me, Deus: et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis.
Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.

Ne proiicias me a facie tua: et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me.
Cast me not away from thy face: and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui: et spiritu principali confirma me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation: and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.

Docebo iniquos vias tuas: et impii ad te convertentur.
I will teach the unjust thy ways: and the wicked shall be converted to thee.

Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meae: et exsultabit lingua mea iustitiam tuam.
Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation:
and my tongue shall extol thy justice.

Domine, labia mea aperies: et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.
O Lord, thou wilt open my lips: and my mouth shall declare thy praise.

Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique: holocaustis non delectaberis.
For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it:
with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.

Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus: cor contritum, et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies.
A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit:
a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion: ut aedificentur muri Ierusalem.
Deal favourably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion:
that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

Tunc acceptabis sacrificium iustitiae, oblationes, et holocausta: tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos. 
Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice,
oblations and whole burnt offerings:
then shall they lay calves upon thy altar. 


Allegri Miserere from Truro Ash Wednesday 2016

This is a live recording of Evensong on Easter Day, 27th March 2016. Truro Cathedral Choir is directed by Christopher Gray. The organist is Luke Bond.

This was the last service for our Senior Lay Vicar, Peter Hulme, who has just retired after nearly 38 years as a tenor in the choir. 

Hymn: The day of resurrection

This is a live recording of the anthem at Truro Cathedral's Evensong on 30th June 2016. The Cathedral Choir's girl Choristers are conducted by Luke Bond, the organ is played by Joseph O'Berry, and the violin solo is played by Martha Prindl, one of the Choristers. 

Ave Maria by David Bednall (Truro Cathedral)

Duruflé  Introit and Kyrie

Duruflé  In Paradisum

This is a live recording of Evensong at Truro Cathedral on Thursday 10th November. Truro Cathedral Choir, with its girls Choristers, is joined by the five Year 8 girl Choristers from Exeter Cathedral Choir. On the eve of Remembrance Day, the anthem is John Ireland's Greater Love Hath No Man. The canticles are those composed for St Paul's Cathedral by Herbert Howells.

Anthem: Greater Love Hath No Man - John Ireland

Nunc Dimittis (The St Paul's Service) - Herbert Howells

This is a live recording of "In my father's house" by Philip Stopford sung by Truro Cathedral Choir with its girl Choristers on Sunday 6th November 2016. The choir will record a CD of Philip Stopford's music with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in February 2017. The background noise is due to members of the congregation walking up to receive Communion through the middle of the choir.

In my father's house - Philip Stopford

This is a live recording of Mendelssohn's "Hear my prayer" sung as the anthem at Evensong in Truro Cathedral on Tuesday 6th June. Truro Cathedral Choir, with its girl Choristers, is directed by Christopher Gray and the organist is Simon Jacobs. The soloists are Helena Paish and Bethany Williams.

Hear my prayer - Mendelssohn (Truro Cathedral Choir)

This is a live recording of the 7.00pm Eucharist on Maundy Thursday, 29th March 2018 at Truro Cathedral. Truro Cathedral Choir, with its girl choristers, is directed by Christopher Gray, and the organ is played by Joseph Wicks. Music includes the Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei from William Byrd's Mass for Five Voices, Byrd's Ave verum corpus, and, during the washing of feet, the motet Ubi caritas by Maurice Duruflé.

Hymn: An upper room

This is a live recording of The Good Friday Liturgy at 10.00am on 30th March 2018 in Truro Cathedral. Truro Cathedral Choir, with its boy choristers, is directed by Christopher Gary. The organist is Joseph Wicks. Music sung includes the St John Passion by Victoria, The Reproaches by John Sanders and the Litany by Philip Marshall.

Hymn: O sacred head sore wounded

This is a "live" recording of the Sung Eucharist at Truro Cathedral on Sunday 1st July. The President is Canon Lynda Barley and the preacher is Canon Philip Lambert. 

The Father Willis organ is played by the Organ Scholar, Edward Symington. Truro Cathedral Choir is directed by Christopher Gray who also plays the closing organ voluntary. The bass choral scholar soloist for the Responsorial Psalm is Nick Beever. 

The music includes the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei from Byrd's Mass for Four Voices, the Communion anthem is "And I saw a new heaven" by Bainton and the closing organ voluntary is Bach's Prelude and Fugue in A minor. 

05 Gloria (Mass for Four Voices) - Byrd

The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from Truro Cathedral at 7.00 pm on 23rd and 24th December 2012.

25 Hark, the herald-angels sing

These tracks are a selection from the Christmas concert given by Truro Cathedral Choir, directed by Christopher Gray, on Saturday 14th December 2019. Some tracks are sung by choir with its boy choristers, others by the choir with its girl choristers, and others with the full choir. The organists are Michael Butterfield and Manuel Piazza.

Pascoe - I Sing Of A Maiden

This is a live recording of Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols which took place at Truro Cathedral on 23rd December 2019 at 7pm. Truro Cathedral Choir, with its girl choristers, is directed by Christopher Gray. The organist is Michael Butterfield.

In the bleak midwinter

This is a live recording of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at Truro Cathedral on Monday 24th December 2019 at 7pm. Truro Cathedral Choir, with its boy choristers, is directed by Christopher Gray. The organist is Michael Butterfield.

A hymn to the virgin - Benjamin Britten

Silent night

Third Lesson Isaiah 11  1 - 9

People look east - Peter Tranchell

Second Lesson Isaiah 9.2, 6 - 7

Adam lay ybounden - Boris Ord

First Lesson Genesis 3  8 - 15

The magi's dream - James Whitbourn

The Bidding Prayer

Once in royal David's city

This is a "live" recording of Truro Cathedral's Sung Eucharist at 5.30 pm on Ash Wednesday 13th February 2013. The President is Canon Philip Lambert and the sermon is by Canon Perran Gay. 

The Father Willis organ is played by Luke Bond and Truro Cathedral Choir is directed by Christopher Gray. 

Allegri's setting of Psalm 51, Miserere mei, Deus, is sung as the congregation walks up to receive the Imposition of Ashes. Here, as in the Agnus Dei sung during the Communion, our microphones pick up the sound of the people as they walk through the middle of the choir stalls to the altar rail.

Soloists in the quartet are Ben Reed (treble 1), James Rogers (treble 2), Ed Stebbing-Allen (alto) and Ian Brown (bass). 

11 Miserere mei, Deus - Allegri

18 Agnus Dei (Mass for Four Voices) - Byrd

20 Hymn Be thou my guardian and my guide

'For Remembrance' is sung by Truro Cathedral’s girl choristers, directed by Christopher Gray with the composer at the piano. 

The words are by Laurence Binyon, written in 1914 as he was sitting on the cliffs near Pentire Point in Cornwall: 

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death, august and royal,
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

For Remembrance by Paul Drayton

As a jewel in the crown of Cornwall’s arts scene, Truro Cathedral Choir broadcasts regularly on television and radio, presents concerts throughout the year, and records for the acclaimed record label Regent.

The choir dates back to the 1880s when services took place in a wooden shed whilst John Loughborough Pearson’s magnificent Gothic Revival cathedral was still under construction.

Today, the choir consists of eighteen boy choristers, eighteen girl choristers, and twelve adult professional singers. All organise their lives around the choir’s busy schedule of commitments which has at its heart seven sung services each week during term time.

Our performances are regularly attended by music lovers from all backgrounds and we invite you to join us at one of our services or concerts, or to listen to our broadcasts, webcasts and recordings!

Truro Cathedral

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