The Spacious Firmament 2: Yet we who neither burn nor shine

7 mins

for SATB and trumpet in C

Text by Colin Tan (b.1977)

Commissioned by the John Armitage Memorial Trust
First performed by the Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge and Niall Keatley (trumpet), directed by Nicholas Cleobury, at St Margaret’s, Westminster, London on 3 December 2008

Let us all rejoice in the Lord

2½ mins

for SATB unaccompanied

Text: Antiphon for All Saints

Commissioned by DeChorum
First performed by DeChorum, directed by Brian Kay, at All Saints’, Weston-super-Mare on 2 November 2008

Ave, Regina caelorum

11 mins

for SATB and electric guitar

Texts: Antiphon to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)

Commissioned by the International Guitar Festival, King’s Place Music Trust and The Sixteen
First performed by The Sixteen and Tom Kerstens (electric guitar), directed by Eamonn Dougan, at King’s Place, London on 6 October 2008

The Land of Spices

4 mins

for trebles and organ

Text by George Herbert (1593-1633)

Commissioned for Dean Close School by the Earl of Harrowby
First performed by the choristers of Westminster Abbey and Tewkesbury Abbey Schola Cantorum, directed by James O’Donnell, at Westminster Abbey, London on 30 September 2008

Requiem

29 mins

for SATB unaccompanied

Texts: Latin Mass for the Dead, Hōjō Ujimasa (1538-1590), Chief Aupumut (c.1725), Walt Whitman (1819-1892), Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) and Kevin Gilbert (1933-1993)

Commissioned by the Vasari Singers
First performed by the Vasari Singers, directed by Jeremy Backhouse, at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London on 11 November 2008

The Spacious Firmament

11 mins

for SATB, brass quintet (2 trumpets in C, horn in F, trombone and tuba) and organ

Text by Joseph Addison (1672-1719)

Commissioned by the John Armitage Memorial Trust
First performed by the BBC Singers, Onyx Brass and Stephen Disley (organ), directed by Nicholas Cleobury, at St Bride’s, Fleet Street, London on 10 April 2008

To Morning

3 mins

for SATB unaccompanied

Text by William Blake (1757-1827)

First performed by Dean Close Chapel Choir, directed by Benjamin Nicholas, at Notre Dame de Blancs Manteaux, Paris on 12 April 2008

The Voice of the Bard

6 mins

for SATB unaccompanied

Text by William Blake (1757-1827)

Commissioned by the BBC for BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year, Chantage
First performed by Chantage, directed by James Davey, at Glaziers Hall, London on 5 December 2007

Angeli, archangeli

7 mins

for SSATB unaccompanied

Texts: Antiphon at First vespers, Feast of All Saints and Colin Tan (b.1977)

Commissioned by St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, for St Catharine’s Day 2007
First performed by the Choir of St Catharine’s College, directed by Edward Wickham, on 25 November 2007

Aeterna caeli gloria

6 mins

for SATB unaccompanied

Text: 5th Century Ambrosian Hymn

Commissioned by the Musicians Benevolent Fund in the name of Sir Thomas Armstrong
First performed by the combined choirs of Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral and St Paul’s Cathedral, directed by James O’Donnell, at Westminster Abbey, London on 21 November 2007

Oculi omnium

3 mins

for SATB unaccompanied

Text: Psalm 145, v15

Commissioned by Michael Nicholas and the choir of St Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich
First performed by the choir of St Mary-le-Tower, directed by Michael Nicholas, on 1 July 2007

Thou whose birth

3 mins

for trebles and organ

Text by Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837-1909)
First performed by Tewkesbury Abbey Schola Cantorum, directed by Benjamin Nicholas, on 22 January 2007

Nowell sing we

2 mins

for SATB unaccompanied

Text: Anonymous (15th century)

Commissioned by Truro Cathedral for the 2006 Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
First performed by Truro Cathedral Choir, directed by Robert Sharpe, on 23 December 2006

The Magi

4 mins

for SATB and organ

Texts: Matthew 2: 1-2 and WB Yeats (1865-1939)

Commissioned by Harrow School
First performed by the choirs of Harrow School, directed by David Woodcock, on 6 December 2006

Orbis patrator optime

6 mins

for SATB unaccompanied

Text: St Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) (Hymn for Lauds on the feast of the Guardian Angels)

Commissioned in memoriam Robert Beazer, M.A., for Edward Higginbottom and the Choir of New College, Oxford
First performed by the Choir of New College, Oxford, directed by Edward Higginbottom, on 7 October 2006

Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (Tewkesbury Service)

11 mins

for SATB and organ

Commissioned by Michael Amherst for The Abbey School, Tewkesbury, in honour of Miles Amherst’s 75th birthday
First performed by the choir of The Abbey School, Tewkesbury, directed by Benjamin Nicholas, on 25 May 2006

Ecce venio cito

5 mins

for SATB unaccompanied

Text: Revelation 22: 12, 13 & 17

Commissioned by Mark and Elaine Farrant to celebrate their 25th Wedding Anniversary
First performed by Lichfield Cathedral Choir, directed by Philip Scriven, on 27 November 2005

Sanctum est verum lumen

10 mins

for 40-part choir (8xSATBarB)

Text: Antiphon at First Vespers, Feast of All Saints

Commissioned by the Lichfield Festival
First performed by Ex Cathedra, directed by Jeffrey Skidmore, in Lichfield Cathedral on 14 July 2005

Missa Triueriensis

11 mins

for SATB unaccompanied

Written for Robert Sharpe and the Choir of Truro Cathedral
First performed by Truro Cathedral Choir, directed by Robert Sharpe, on 3 July 2005

Not no faceless Angel

9 mins

for SATB, violoncello and offstage flute (or oboe)

Text by Tanya Lake (b.1987)

Commissioned by the Royal College of Music Junior Department
First performed by the RCM Junior Department Chamber Choir with Theo Balkwill (violoncello) and Suzanne Thorn (oboe), directed by Joy Hill, at Holy Trinity Church, South Kensington, London on 11 June 2005