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Views from the Choir Loft

Album: Sacred Treasures of England

Fr. David Friel · September 24, 2017

ECORDINGS are churned out ever more furiously, it seems, and they are widely accessible in ever more varied formats. In a sweeping sea of music, streaming and otherwise, it has become increasingly difficult for an album to stand out.

One recent album that definitely stands out is Sacred Treasures of England, released in February 2017 by the London Oratory Schola Cantorum Boys Choir.

This prestigious choir sings Mass weekly at Brompton Oratory, offers frequent concerts, and tours regularly. Beyond their normal regimen of liturgies, concerts, and travels, the choir also recorded the soundtracks for the Lord of the Rings films.

HIS ALBUM boasts fourteen tracks from the English Tudor era, including motets by William Byrd, Thomas Tallis, John Sheppard, and Peter Philips and the Missa Euge bone of Christopher Tye. There are many glorious moments among these fourteen tracks. For the sake of concision, I will mention only three.

1. First is the intonation of the Agnus Dei in Tye’s Mass. The entrance of each voice in each of the three strophes is uncommonly pure and richly prayerful.

2. A second memorable moment is the conclusion of Robert Parsons’ Ave Maria. The closing notes of this piece are utterly luminous.

3. Finally, two settings of the Easter text Haec dies are offered—one by Sheppard and the other by Byrd. The Byrd track, in particular, makes for fun listening and has elicited a smile from me on multiple listenings.

What makes this album stand out, for me, is not only the quality of the pieces featured. To be sure, the selection of the Mass and motets is superb, gathering together some of the finest of the English choral patrimony. More than this, however, it is the truly masterful execution of this beautiful music that so distinguishes the recording.

HARLES COLE has directed the Schola since 2012. A frequent faculty member at the annual CMAA Sacred Music Colloquia, Cole was, himself, a chorister at Westminster before winning scholarships at Ampleforth College, Exeter College, Oxford, and Westminster Cathedral.

In the introductory notes accompanying the CD, Cole writes:

The boys you hear in this recording rehearse every day before school and at various points throughout the school day. As choristers, they show an extraordinary dedication to the Church’s liturgy which they serve, immersing themselves in the challenge of music of such extraordinary quality and purity, for the greater glory of God. It is a pleasure to take this wonderful opportunity to thank them for their efforts, the fruits of which we hope that you will enjoy in this recording.

The experience of a chorister at the London Oratory School is, I suspect, exceptional.

TTENDEES of Sacra Liturgia UK in 2016 were treated to a live performance of the London Oratory Boys Choir. That concert featured a number of the pieces, including the Missa Euge bone, now available on this recording.

Our readers in the United States will have the opportunity to hear the choristers in person when they go on tour next month. As reported on these pages last week, the Schola Cantorum will be visiting Boston, New York, and Washington, DC in late October.

The tour consists of three Masses and two concerts:

Cambridge, MA • October 22, 2017 • St. Paul’s, Harvard Square • 11 AM Sung Mass

Cambridge, MA • October 22, 2017 • St. Paul’s, Harvard Square • 3 PM Concert

New York City • October 26, 2017 • Church of St. Vincent Ferrer • 7:30 PM Concert

Washington, DC • October 28, 2017 • St. Thomas Apostle Church • 7 PM Concert

Washington, DC • October 29, 2017 • Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception • 4:30 PM Sung Mass

These live performances are to be as highly recommended as their album, Sacred Treasures of England.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Catholic Youth Choirs, Charles Cole, Children at Mass, Recording Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and teaches liturgy at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    “Glory To God” • (For Choir + Congregation)
    I wish to thank everyone for the nice comments I received vis-à-vis my Glory To God setting for Choir & Congregation. A gentleman with a musical doctorate from Indiana University wrote: “Love this setting so much. And I will pray, as you asked, for your return to composition more fully. You are very very good.” A female choir director wrote: “I love your harmonizations, your musicality, and the wonderful interplay you have with dissonance and consonance in your music. So fun to listen to, and great for intellect, heart, and soul!” A young woman from California wrote: “Thank you for releasing your new Glory To God in honor of Saint Noel Chabanel. I'm enjoying reading through the various parts and listening to your recordings.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    William Byrd • “Mass for Five Voices”
    Our volunteer choir is learning the “Sanctus” from William Byrd’s Mass for Five Voices. You can hear a short excerpt (recorded last Sunday) but please ignore the sound of babies crying: Mp3 recording. We still have work to do—but we’re on the right track. Once we have some of the tuning issues fixed, I desire to use it as an example proving volunteers can sing complicated polyphony. — One of our volunteer choirs also sang that SANCTUS on 24 September 2023, and you can listen to how that came out.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Baptism” • A Unique Hymn
    Father Christopher Phillips is the founding Pastor of Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church. One of his hymns is unique and (in my humble opinion) quite beautiful. His hymn is basically a prayer to the Holy Trinity but also speaks of Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. It would be an ideal Communion hymn on Trinity Sunday or the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. You can hear live recording from last Sunday by clicking here.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Although the New Testament is now so much more important to us than the Old, we must remember that the archetype of the Canon of Scripture is the Old Testament. At first that was the whole Bible, to Christians as to Jews. When the apostles speak of “Scripture” they mean the Old Testament only. Indeed, the way in which the books of the New Testament came to be considered canonical was by making them equal to those of the Old.

— Rev’d Doctor Adrian Fortescue

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