Music - Recordings

Maestoso

This is the title of a new CD of romantic organ music by Elgar and Bairstow recorded here at St Matthew's, and performed by Callum Alger. Our magnificent 4-manual organ by JW Walker was built in 1895 - the same year Elgar completed his G major Sonata - and is the ideal instrument for the interpretation of these works.

As many may recall, Callum was a chorister and organ scholar here. He went on to study at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and the Hochschule für Musik und Theater 'Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy' in Leipzig. During the academic year 2019-20 he was Organ Scholar of Westminster Cathedral.

Callum won first-prizes at the IAO/RCO Organ Playing Competition (2018) and the Dame Gillian Weir Messiaen Competition (2018), and was a finalist in the St Albans International Organ Competition (2021). He is currently Director of Music at St Peter's Collegiate Church, Wolverhampton.

Suffice to say he is one of the most promising organists of his generation. The package is nicely produced, and the quality of the recording is probably the best our organ has yet received. Please do consider supporting Callum. The CD is available from Presto Classical, Callum's website and many other on-line stores. Available for download and streaming shortly.

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O How Glorious

The Choir of St Matthew's Church was pleased to release in April 2015 its CD O How Glorious, recorded at the church in 2014.

The Choir consists of mixed boy and girl choristers aged between eight and eighteen who attend schools all over Northamptonshire and are supported by a dedicated back row of men and women of all ages. This is the second CD recorded by the Choir in as many years and represents a point of significant strength in the recent history of music-making at the church.

O How Glorious contains works from the choir's main repertoire and which are sung at various points throughout the liturgical calendar. All of the works are from British-born composers; alongside well-known names such as Herbert Howells, Edward Bairstow and Charles Villiers Stanford are the more contemporary John Rutter, Bob Chilcott and Grayston Ives. The disc also features three compositions commissioned by St Matthew's since 2009, here receiving their premiere recordings. Works written for the Choir of St Matthew's by the composers David Bednall, David Halls and Philip Stopford are further evidence of a vibrant and forward looking tradition of commissioning and high quality music-making at the church.

The St Matthew's Choir was conducted by the then St Matthew's Director of Music, Stephen Moore, with Thomas Moore, Director of Music at Wakefield Cathedral (now the Director of Music at St Matthew's), accompanying on the fine renowned 1895 Walker Organ.

The CD, which is priced at £10 per copy, is available at the church at services, all concerts and recitals. Further information can be obtained from St Matthew's Director of Music, through St Matthew's Parish Office, by telephoning 01604 791251 or by emailing the music department.

Philip Stopford's O How Glorious is the Kingdom is available to listen to on YouTube.

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My Lord Has Come

The first CD recording of St Matthew's Choir for over 15 years was released on St Matthew's Day, 21 September 2013, at the evening concert. The disc, which is music for Advent and Christmas, includes many well-known pieces of music and some which will probably be new to most listeners. Included are the much-loved 'Congregational' carols O come, O come, Emmanuel, Hark! the herald angels sing and O come all ye faithful which are contrasted with a contemporary setting of Christina Rosetti's In the bleak mid-winter by Bob Chilcott and a rip roaring arrangement of Ding dong! merrily on high. Also represented, through Richard Rodney Bennett's carol Sweet was the song, is St Matthew's Church proud and distinguished history of commissioning works of new music and art. This particular work is from a set of five carols that Bennett penned for the church in 1967, some of which found national recognition through being published in the famous Carols for Choirs series.

The disc represents the years since the choir's re-founding with girl and boy choristers and adult Altos, Tenors and Basses, and the hard work which has taken place under the present Director of Music and his two predecessors to establish the choir at the forefront of church music in this country.

Ably supported by Thomas Moore on the renowned 1895 Walker Organ and with the choir directed by Stephen Moore, this disc is a great opportunity to support the music making at St Matthew's and to hear the choir in your own living room! The CD, which is priced at £10 per copy, is available through the church at all concerts and recitals, or by contacting the Director of Music directly on 01604 791251.

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In Quires and Places

The fourth in the series, In Quires and Places was recorded at St Matthew's Church, Northampton, and released on the Abbey label (LPB 655). With the choir of St Matthew's, directed by Michael Nicholas and accompanied by Terence Allbright on the J W Walker and Sons organ.

1. Hosanna to the Son of David (Thomas Weelkes)
2. Justorum animae (William Byrd)
3. Ave verum corpus (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) *
4. How beautiful upon the mountains (John Stainer)
5. Hail, gladdening light (Charles Wood)
6. Magnificat in A (Charles Villiers Stanford)
7. One thing have I desired of the Lord (Herbert Howells)
8. Sweet was the song the virgin sang (Richard Rodney Bennett)
9. Susanni (Richard Rodney Bennett)
10. Greater love hath no man (John Ireland)
11. There is no rose (John Joubert)
12. All people that on earth do dwell (arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams)

* with a section of the Northampton Bach Orchestra

It is likely that this recording is well out of circulation, however, In Quires and Places is available to listen to on YouTube.

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