MISSA WELLENSIS MISSA WELLENSIS duration, none longer than 25 minutes. These JOHN TAVENER (1944-2013) late-flowering pieces marked a step away from Death came close to John Tavener in December the expansive gestures present in much Missa Wellensis * 2007. The composer, in Switzerland for the of his music of the early 2000s; they also 1 Kyrie [6.06] first performance of his Mass of the encompassed a refinement of Tavener’s 2 Gloria [5.42] Immaculate Conception, was struck by a heart universalist outlook, part of a personal quest 3 Sanctus and Benedictus [3.01] 4 Agnus Dei [2.15] attack that knocked him into a coma for Sophia perennis or the perennial wisdom and demanded emergency surgery. When he common to all religious traditions. 5 The Lord’s Prayer [2.19] regained consciousness, Tavener the convalescent 6 Love bade me welcome [6.02] discovered that the familiar fervour of his The works of Tavener’s final years, including 7 Preces and Responses Part One * [2.07] faith in God was no longer there; he had the Missa Wellensis and Preces and Responses Cantor: Iain MacLeod-Jones (tenor) also lost his desire to write music. Tavener’s for Wells Cathedral, were driven by an intention 8 Psalm 121: I Will Lift up Mine Eyes unto the Hills [5.17] long recovery at home, a trial endured for to recover the essence of sacred or spiritual Magnificat and Nunc dimittis ‘Collegium Regale’ three years, was marked by physical weakness texts, to renew their vitality and immediacy, 9 Magnificat [7.25] and extreme pain and their correlates, to connect with their deepest claims to truth. 0 Nunc dimittis [3.41] inactivity and depression. While the former During his recovery he had listened to the q Preces and Responses Part Two * [9.39] remained constant companions for the rest of Mass of the Immaculate Conception and later Cantor: Iain MacLeod-Jones his life, the latter gradually dissolved. recalled being disturbed by the way its music w Song for Athene [6.42] had haunted his subconscious mind following e Prayer for the healing of the sick [9.00] The spiritual life, tested to destruction by surgery in Zurich. “I was disturbed also by Solo: Christopher Sheldrake (bass) Tavener’s heart attack, returned with force the almost mad daring I had taken with texts r They are all gone into the world of light [3.43] and clarity as he began once again to listen from the Hindus, Muslims, American Indians t Preces and Responses Final Responses * [0.44] to music; it was propelled by the falling away as well as setting the Mass in its entirety Cantor: Iain MacLeod-Jones of old anxieties, and found its full expression interspersed with tantric poems about the Total timings: [73.43] in a flood of late compositions, austere works Virgin Mary.” * World Premiere Recording stripped of all superfluous ornament and excess. Tavener completed over twenty pieces Tavener found his way back to composition WELLS CATHEDRAL CHOIR between 2010 and his death in November by setting texts rooted in mankind’s need for MATTHEW OWENS 2013, several little more than 90 seconds in meaning. Tolstoy’s novella The Death of Ivan

www.signumrecords.com - 3 - Ilyich and Shakespeare’s sonnets spoke to the re-sounded in great chordal blocks hewn from It was first heard at Wells Cathedral on 18 May a liturgical context, evoking Eucharist through composer of the test of pain and illness and simple harmonic material. 2014, with the Creed spoken by the congregation. the Mass, the Lord’s Prayer and a Communion the value of unconditional love. There was Tavener telescopes his setting of the Sanctus, motet in the form of Love bade me welcome, and no ‘mad daring’ about the texts he chose for The Kyrie’s opening plea for mercy is shared by Hosanna and Benedictus into a single outlining the musical monuments of Choral the succession of predominantly choral or the two choirs, the first echoed by the second movement of concentrated energy, reserving the Evensong with Tavener’s Preces and Responses, vocal works that followed; rather, he turned in a canon at the unison launched at a half work’s most exuberant rhythmic writing for the Psalm 121 and Magnificat and Nunc dimittis most often to words that express ancient bar’s distance. Its initial treble line and Sanctus, recycling the music of the Kyrie to ‘Collegium Regale’. Song for Athene appears as wisdom in simple terms: A Buddhist Miniature, prevailing choral sonorities call to mind the carry the two Hosannas, and addressing an anthem in the Evensong sequence, Prayer for example, conveys a verse from the Kyrie of Bruckner’s Second Mass. The central the mystery of the Benedictus with simple for the healing of the sick stands in lieu of Dhammapada, ‘Cease to do evil’; the carol O Christe, more introspective than the movement’s harmonies made complex by the use of spoken prayers, while They are all gone into the that we were there! projects a longing to outlying Kyries, continues the process of canon. The Agnus Dei opens with a twelve-note world of light serves as a final blessing. access eternal time and space; A New canonic repetition, albeit subtly varied in melody shared between the unison trebles Commandment and If ye love me, to words structure. Tavener recalls the music of the and tenors of both choirs; it concludes with a Tavener’s contribution to the repertoire of preces from St John’s Gospel, deliver a core opening Kyrie but stops short of a full quotation from O vos omnes, one of Victoria’s and responses, written for unaccompanied Christian message. repetition, casting sound into silence and Tenebrae Responsories, stated in choir one and double choir, complements early landmarks liberating his ‘monumental, majestic’ Gloria from echoed in unison by choir two at the distance of the genre by Tallis and Tomkins and more When Matthew Owens proposed that Tavener the void. Choirs one and two once more share of one full bar. The purity of Victoria’s recent examples by Kenneth Leighton and might consider setting the Latin Mass for a unison canon, stated either at the polyphony, the very sounding of the composing Gabriel Jackson (the latter also premiered Wells Cathedral Choir, the composer was so distance of a half or full bar. The consequent priest’s profound personal faith, complements by Owens). The opening section of his inspired that he almost completed the work blurring of individual parts and creation of and completes Tavener’s Mass for Wells. Preces and Responses rests on a reiterated before it had been contracted. Missa Wellensis a single body of sound appear to arise from bass note. Tavener weaves several gloriously stands among the longest and most substantial what the Romanian historian of religion Mircea Cathedral Commissions, a creative initiative unexpected chromatic passing notes and of Tavener’s final works. The piece, created in Eliade describes as “indefinitely recoverable, launched by Wells Cathedral in 2006, was cadences into the music’s stately harmonic the early months of 2013 as a tribute to indefinitely repeatable” sacred time, “[…] a able to raise funds to commission both the language; the recurrence of a sublime half the Spanish Renaissance composer Tomás sort of eternal mythical present that is Missa Wellensis and a new set of Preces and cadence in The Lord’s Prayer, meanwhile, Luis de Victoria, is scored for double choir periodically reintegrated by means of rites.” Responses. The latter was first brought to suggests eternal time. Prayers for the Queen and calls for the subdivision of each voice life by Matthew Owens and Wells Cathedral and the ministers of the Church are capped part. Within its 20-minute span Tavener Missa Wellensis was written for one of the Choir during Evensong on 18 May 2014. by joyful choral responses, while the plea for evokes the infinity of creation, sounded and oldest of all Christian rites, that of Eucharist. Owens has set their premiere recording within peace in our time is answered with defiant

- 4 - - 5 - strength by the two choirs singing identical Service was written in 1984 and first performed Silence stands at the heart of Tavener’s Psalm service of Matins. The grace notes prominent music in close imitation. The final responses, at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. The 121, both real and metaphysical, measured in the melodic writing, reminiscent of the a brief sequence of blessings offered in the monumental work, written in English and and eternal. The piece, intended by its ‘breaks’ in the voice common in Byzantine presence of the Lord and the spiritual lasting around two hours in performance, composer to be performed with ‘Byzantine chant, and the intensity of the ‘cherubim’ community, close with Tavener’s resounding includes a spellbinding setting of The Lord’s grandeur’, was written in 1989 for the Choir refrains contribute to the Magnificat’s mounting thanks to God. Prayer, which opens flower-like as each line of St Paul’s Cathedral. As with so many of fervour, which in turn finds its resolution in unfolds to blossom with the closing plea for Tavener’s compositions, the tonal edifice of the Lesser Doxology, ‘Glory be to the Father’, In 1977 Tavener was received into the Orthodox delivery from evil. ‘I will lift up mine eyes to the hills’ is built upon and meditative stillness of the ensuing Nunc Church. He found his way there after prolonged a drone, the ison of Byzantine sacred music, dimittis, the latter scored for subdivided immersion in Roman Catholicism and the It is not too fanciful to imagine Tavener as a symbol of the everlasting. Its marriage of adult male voices. spiritual angst that it engendered. What he latter-day George Herbert, deepening his spiritual sound and silence bears the richest fruit soon discovered was the depth of tradition practice in rural England while creating when performed in sacred space, the territory Song for Athene was, according to Tavener’s within Orthodoxy. The composer was strongly treasures of sacred art. Both men suffered of the divine, the place by virtue of which, poignant note, “written in memory of Athene affected by his first experience of hearing the from chronic ill health, both ended their according to Mircea Eliade, “the world is Hariades, who died tragically in March 1993. Znamenny chants of the Russian Orthodox days in the countryside, Tavener at his home resanctified in every part”. Tavener’s sonorous Her inner and outer beauty was reflected in Church during the services of Holy Week. “Tears in Dorset, Herbert as rector of the Wiltshire psalm setting, in which each syllable of text her love of acting, poetry, music and of the came into my eyes that had nothing to do village of Bemerton. And both cultivated a is matched almost exclusively to a single Orthodox Church. The text is taken from with human emotion,” he recalled in the directness of expression in their works as the chord, flows from sacred tradition without Shakespeare’s Hamlet and the Orthodox Funeral late 1990s. “I don’t know what you’d call ground for transcendence. Tavener’s setting of being drowned by it. Service.” The work moved a global audience them, but they had nothing to do with joy and Love bade me welcome, among the best known when it was performed at the funeral of they had nothing to do with sorrow. In a sort of Herbert’s religious poems, was commissioned Tavener completed his first settings of the Diana, Princess of Wales, in September 1997. of way they were tears of joy/sorrow, a in 1985 to mark the enthronement of Magnificat and the Nunc dimittis in December For this recording, dedicated to the composer’s mixture of the two. There was a deep, timeless the Bishop of Winchester. Traces of Eastern 1986. The paired works were created for memory, Wells Cathedral Choir follows compunction in this chant.” Tavener’s receptivity liturgical chant surface in the work’s main King’s College, Cambridge, the ‘Collegium Regale’, Tavener’s authorised change of text, intended to Russian and, later, to Greek Orthodox melody, voiced at first above an octave and first performed in King’s College Chapel to fit the piece for use at the funeral of a tradition directly informed the evolution of drone in the alto part before being repeated in April 1987. The Dean of King’s College man or boy, with ‘servant’ substituted for his musical style, delivering intense prayer-like in various vocal combinations between encouraged Tavener to include the refrain the original’s ‘handmaid’. works to the concert hall and liturgical slow-moving choral chants, distinctively ‘Greater in honour than the cherubim’, iterated pieces to the Orthodox liturgy. Orthodox Vigil Russian in style. between the Magnificat verses in the Orthodox

- 6 - - 7 - Abundant compassion governs the ethos of great support to me over many years.” Tavener Missa Wellensis Prayer for the healing of the sick, a tender suggests that his short composition be voiced 1 Kyrie setting of words from the Orthodox service ‘With the air of Paradise’, a metaphor apt of Holy Unction, one of the sacraments of the to describe the spirit of so much of his work. Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy. Orthodox Church. The piece, in common with Christe eleison. Christ, have mercy. Song for Athene, sets a text by Mother Thekla, © Andrew Stewart Kyrie eleison Lord, have mercy. Abbess of the Orthodox Monastery of the Dormition at Whitby and a key figure in 2 Gloria Tavener’s development at the time, his ‘spiritual mother’. “Very quickly she saw the problems Gloria in excelsis Deo Glory to God in the highest, I was having writing music for which I had et in terra pax hominibus bonæ voluntatis. and on earth peace to people of good will. no contemporary model,” he recalled of their Laudamus te, We praise you, first meetings in 1986. “She saw that I could benedicimus te, we bless you, not go on doing what I had done so far.” Prayer adoramus te, we adore you, for the healing of the sick, composed in 1998, glorificamus te, we glorify you, conveys the nature of ascetic devotion, stripped gratias agimus tibi propter magnam we give you thanks for your of earthly desire and imbued with kindness. gloriam tuam, great glory, Domine Deus, Rex cælestis, Lord God, heavenly King, The metaphysical poet Henry Vaughan, who Deus Pater omnipotens. O God, almighty Father. shared common ancestry with George Herbert Domine Fili unigenite, Iesu Christe, Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, and took inspiration from his life and work, Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, experienced a religious conversion in the late qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis; you take away the sins of the world, have mercy 1640s following prolonged illness. In August qui tollis peccata mundi, on us; 2011 Tavener set Vaughan’s visionary text suscipe deprecationem nostram. you take away the sins of the world, They are all gone into the world of light as a Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, receive our prayer. memorial work. “The music came to me after miserere nobis. you are seated at the right hand of the Father, attending the beautiful and moving funeral of Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus, have mercy on us.

Marianne Yacoub, wife of the eminent heart © Tom Lindsey tu solus Altissimus, For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, surgeon Sir Magdi Yacoub who has been such a Icon of St Andrew in Wells Cathedral. Iesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu: you alone are the Most High,

- 8 - - 9 - in gloria Dei Patris. Amen. Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, 6 Love bade me welcome Choir in the glory of God the Father. Amen and our mouth shall show forth thy praise. Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back, 3 Sanctus and Benedictus Guiltie of dust and sinne. Cantor But quick-ey’d Love, observing me grow slack O God, make speed to save us. Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Holy, Holy, Holy, From my first entrance in, Choir Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Lord God of Hosts! Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning, O Lord, make haste to help us. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. If I lack’d any thing. Hosanna in excelsis. Hosanna in the highest! Cantor A guest, I answer’d, worthy to be here: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Blessed are they who come in the name of the Lord. Love said, You shall be he. Holy Ghost; Hosanna in excelsis. Hosanna in the highest. I the unkinde, ungratefull? Ah my deare, I cannot look on thee. Choir 4 Agnus Dei Love took my hand, and smiling did reply, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, Who made the eyes but I? world without end. Amen. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Cantor miserere nobis. Have mercy on us. Truth Lord, but I have marr’d them: let my shame Praise ye the Lord. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Go where it doth deserve. dona nobis pacem. Grant us peace. And know you not, sayes Love, who bore the blame? Choir My deare, then I will serve. The Lord’s name be praised. You must sit down, sayes Love, and taste my meat: So I did sit and eat. 8 Psalm 121: I Will Lift up Mine Eyes 5 The Lord’s Prayer unto the Hills Text: George Herbert (1593-1633) Give us this day our daily bread; Our Father, who art in heaven I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, And forgive us our trespasses, Hallowed be thy Name; 7 Preces and Responses Part One from whence cometh my help. As we forgive those who trespass against us; Thy kingdom come, My help cometh from the Lord, who made heaven And lead us not into temptation; Thy will be done on earth, Cantor and earth. But deliver us from evil. As it is in heaven. O Lord, open thou our lips He will not suffer thy foot to be moved,

- 10 - - 11 - and he that keepeth thee will not slumber. throughout all generations. q Preces and Responses Part Two Cantor Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither He hath showed strength with his arm: O Lord, show thy mercy upon us. slumber nor sleep. he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of Cantor The Lord is thy keeper. their hearts. The Lord be with you Choir The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, And grant us thy salvation. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon and hath exalted the humble and meek. Choir by night. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and with thy spirit. Cantor The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: and the rich he hath sent empty away. O Lord, save the Queen. Cantor he shall preserve thy soul. He remembering his mercy hath holpen his Let us pray. Choir The Lord shall preserve thy going out servant Israel, And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee. and thy coming in from this time forth, as he promised to our forefathers, Choir and even for evermore. Abraham and his seed, for ever. Lord, have mercy upon us. Cantor Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, Christ, have mercy upon us. Endue thy ministers with righteousness. Text: Psalm 121 and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, Lord, have mercy upon us. is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Choir 9 - 0 Magnificat and Nunc dimittis Choir And make thy chosen people joyful. Text: Luke 1: 46-55 ‘Collegium Regale’ Our Father, which art in heaven. Cantor My soul doth magnify the Lord; Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, Hallowed be thy name, O Lord, save thy people. and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my saviour; according to thy word. Thy kingdom come, greater in honour than the cherubim, For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Choir Thy will be done, and glorious incomparably more than the seraphim; which thou hast prepared before the face of And bless thine inheritance. on earth as it is in heaven. thou who inviolate didst bring forth God the word, all people, Give us this day our daily bread; and art indeed the Mother of God: thee do we magnify. to be a light to lighten the gentiles, Cantor And forgive us our trespasses, For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden. and to be the glory of thy people Israel. Give peace in our time, O Lord as we forgive them that trespass against us. For behold, from henceforth all generations Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, And lead us not into temptation, shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty Choir is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. but deliver us from evil. hath magnified me, and holy is his name. because there is none other that fighteth for us, Amen. And his mercy is on them that fear him, but only thou, O God. Text: Luke 2: 29-32

- 12 - - 13 - Cantor quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ Life: a shadow and a dream. My days, which are at best but dull and hoary, O God, make clean our hearts within us. our Saviour. Alleluia. Mere glimmering and decays. Weeping at the grave creates the song: Choir Choir Alleluia. Dear, beauteous Death! the jewel of the just, And take not thy Holy Spirit from us. Amen. Alleluia. Shining nowhere, but in the dark; Come, enjoy rewards and crowns Cantor Priest I have prepared for you. Could man outlook that mark! Everlasting God, our maker and redeemer, grant Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and And into glory peep. us, with all the faithful departed, by thy great mercy Text: Mother Thekla (1918-2011) the sure benefits of thy Son’s saving passion and defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; Either disperse these mists, which blot and fill glorious resurrection that, in the for the love of thy only e Prayer for the healing of the sick My perspective still as they pass: last day, when thou dost gather up all things in Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Or else remove me hence unto that hill, Christ, we may with them enjoy Be thou the physician of thy servants. Choir Where I shall need no glass. the fullness of thy promises; through Jesus Christ Raise them up from their beds of sickness, thy Son our Lord, who liveth Amen. And from their beds of wasting disease, Text: Henry Vaughan (1621-1695) and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Whole and perfectly restored to health. Spirit, one God, now and for ever. w Song for Athene Yea, Lord send down from Heaven thy healing might, t Preces and Responses Final Responses Touch the bodies; Quench the fevers, soothe Choir Alleluia. the pangs, Cantor Amen. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. Alleluia. And banish every hidden ailment. The Lord be with you. Priest Remember me, O Lord, when you come O God, from whom all holy desires, all good into your kingdom. Text: Orthodox Service of Holy Unction Choir counsels, and all just works do Alleluia. And with thy spirit. proceed: Give unto thy servants that peace which Give rest, O Lord, to your servant r They are all gone into the world of light Let us bless the Lord. the world cannot give; that who has fallen asleep. Thanks be to God. both our hearts may be set to obey thy Alleluia. They are all gone into the world of light! commandments, and also that by thee we The Choir of Saints have found the And I alone sit ling’ring here; being defended from the fear of our enemies well-spring of life and door of paradise. I see them walking in an air of glory, may pass our time in rest and Alleluia. Whose light doth trample on my days:

- 14 - - 15 - WELLS CATHEDRAL CHOIR

Boy Choristers Countertenor Tom Bates Timothy Angel George Blundell Daniel Brown Maxim Davis (Head Boy Chorister) John Buckland * Henry Dukes Simon Clulow Zach Everson Aidan Cruttenden * Frederick Falzon Stephen Harvey James Gooding Alexei James-Cudworth Tenor Hugh Latta Mark Hounsell Wesleigh Peck Iain MacLeod-Jones Bailey Roberts Julian Robinson-Porter Richard Rowntree *

Girl Choristers Jack Wilde © Iain MacLeod-Jones Rosa Bonnin Wells Cathedral choristors and Matthew Owens with Lady Tavener on the day of the premiere of Missa Wellensis and Preces and Responses. Natalie Borenstein Bass Harriet Carlill Craig Bissex * Wells Cathedral Choir was hailed in 2011 Choral but occasionally come together for larger Freya Carruthers (Deputy Head Girl Chorister) David Costley-White * by an international jury from Gramophone events and tours. Erin Davies William Drakett Magazine as the greatest choir with children Niamh Davies (Deputy Head Girl Chorister) Andrew Kidd in the world, and the sixth greatest overall. The choir is at the heart of the worshipping Orla Donoghue Andrew Mahon The choir celebrated its 1100th birthday in life of the Cathedral, and sings a wide repertoire Flora Hartz Christopher Sheldrake 2009: boys first sang at Wells Cathedral in of music ranging from the Renaissance period Molly Johnson 909 and the full choral tradition dates back to the present day. It sings throughout the Frederica Lindsey-Coombs over 800 years. In 1994 the choral foundation cathedral’s festival, launched in June 2008: Beth Mitton * Extra singers on Magnificat and Nunc dimittis at Wells was enriched by the addition of girl new music wells, giving a number of premieres Jessica Morell ‘Collegium Regale’, Song for Athene and Missa Wellensis Sophie Morrell choristers. Today the choir consists of 18 boy as well as featuring music from the previous Harriet Perring choristers, 18 girl choristers and 12 Vicars forty years. It has premiered works from some Madeleine Perring (Head Girl Chorister) Choral (the men of the choir). The boys and of today’s finest composers, including Judith Astrid Rose-Edwards girls usually sing separately with the Vicars Bingham, Geoffrey Burgon, Bob Chilcott,

- 16 - - 17 - Jonathan Dove, Gabriel Jackson, John Joubert, at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and MATTHEW OWENS Conservatorium, Amsterdam. His major organ Sir James MacMillan CBE, Sir Peter Maxwell St James’s Palace, London). In September 2014 studies were with Gordon Stewart, Margaret Davies CH CBE (former Master of the Queen’s the choristers sang with the Berlin Radio Matthew Owens became Organist and Master Phillips, and Jacques van Oortmerssen. From Music), Tarik O’Regan, John Rutter, Howard Choir and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra of the Choristers of Wells Cathedral in January 1994-99, he was Tutor in Organ Studies at Skempton, and Sir John Tavener. under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle OM, in a 2005, having previously been Organist and the RNCM and Chetham’s, and worked for BBC performance of Bach’s St Matthew Passion Master of the Music at St Mary’s Episcopal Religious Broadcasting; he was Conductor of Wells Cathedral Choir broadcasts regularly on at the BBC Proms. Shortly afterwards they sang Cathedral, Edinburgh, and Sub Organist of The Exon Singers from 1997-2011, and BBC Radio 3 and its innovative recordings over with The Script on the ITV Pride of Britain Manchester Cathedral. In addition to being President of the Cathedral Organists’ Association the last eleven years for Hyperion Records and awards, which was screened to an audience of responsible for the 1100 year old tradition of from 2010-13. Regent Records have won international praise: five million viewers. daily sung worship at Wells Cathedral, Matthew “wonderfully blended, and must rank as one has toured, broadcast, and recorded extensively He is Musical Director of the Wells Cathedral of the top cathedral sounds outside London” The choir has toured extensively with tours with Wells Cathedral Choir which, in 2011, Oratorio Society, a chorus of over 150 singers (BBC Music Magazine); “currently enjoying a to Paris (2006), the North West of England was named by an international jury for with which he has performed Bach’s St John superb top line” (The Observer), and has had two (2008), Germany (2009), The Netherlands (2010), Gramophone as the best choir in the world Passion, B minor Mass, Cantata 140, Lutheran discs made Editor’s Choice in Gramophone Scotland (2011), Hong Kong and Beijing (2012), with children, and the sixth greatest overall. Mass in F, and Christmas Oratorio; Bernstein’s Magazine which called the choir “probably the and has just returned from a second tour to He prepared the choristers for Bach’s St Chichester Psalms; Brahms’s Ein Deutsches finest English cathedral choir at the moment” in The Netherlands (2015). Matthew Passion, with the Berlin Radio Choir, Requiem and Alto Rhapsody; Britten’s War “world-class form”. the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and Sir Requiem and Saint Nicholas; Elgar’s The Simon Rattle, for the 2014 BBC Proms. Dream of Gerontius, and The Kingdom; As well as the liturgical musical repertoire the Matthew is the Founder Artistic Director of three Fauré’s Requiem; Handel’s Messiah and Four choir performs larger scale choral works in initiatives at Wells: Cathedral Commissions, Coronation Anthems; Mendelssohn’s Elijah; concert, with recent collaborations including a scheme which commissions new works from Mozart’s Requiem and C Minor Mass; Orff’s the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (Britten pre-eminent British composers; the cathedral’s Camina Burana; Verdi’s Requiem; and War Requiem), Jools Holland and his band (Jools innovative festival, new music wells; and its major works by Finzi, Purcell, Rutter, Vaughan Holland Mass), Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society counterpart, Early Music Wells. Williams, and Vivaldi, with some of the south (Britten St Nicolas and War Requiem), Aled of England’s leading professional orchestras. Jones, Dame Felicity Lott, Dame Emma Kirkby, Matthew was educated at Chetham’s School Matthew has directed choral workshops and James Bowman CBE, and Wells Cathedral School of Music; The Queen’s College, Oxford; the Royal summer schools throughout the UK and abroad Chamber Orchestra (at a royal gala concerts Northern College of Music; and the Sweelinck – including recent visits to Australia, China,

- 18 - - 19 - Germany, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, New Zealand, and the USA – and has made over 30 CDs as a conductor with major labels including Hyperion, Signum, and Resonus Classics.

As an organist, Matthew has given recitals in Australia, France, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, New Zealand, the USA, and throughout the UK, including many festival appearances, and at venues such as St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Cathedral, and St John’s Smith Square, and is currently performing the complete works of Bach at Wells Cathedral over a series of 36 recitals. He has championed new music, particularly of British composers, conducting over 170 world premieres, including works by leading composers ranging from Jools Holland to Sir James MacMillan, and John Rutter to Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. As a composer himself, he is published by Oxford University Press and Novello. He was made an Honorary Fellow of the Guild of Church Musicians in November 2012. © Iain MacLeod-Jones © Iain MacLeod-Jones

- 20 - - 21 - This recording was made possible through the THE WELLS CATHEDRAL generous support of the following, through CHORISTER TRUST the Wells Cathedral Chorister Trust Recording Royal Patron: HRH The Countess of Wessex GCVO Patrons Scheme: Boys have sung in Wells Cathedral for over Bronze Patrons (donation of £250 and above) 1100 years; girls began in 1994. The Wells Mrs Dorothy Andrew Cathedral Chorister Trust has been providing Mr Cameron Marshall bursaries to support choristers’ education Mr John D. Owens since 2000, recognizing that singing in a Recorded in Wells Cathedral, by permission of The Chapter, from 29th to 30th April and 6th to 7th May 2015 Mr Michael Sinden cathedral choir is the best foundation for children with musical gifts. The Trust’s aim is Producer – Adrian Peacock Recording Engineer (29th April and 6th May) – Mike Hatch Silver Patrons (donation of £1000 and above) to raise enough money to fund all thirty-six Recording Engineer (30th April and 7th May) – Mike Cox Mr Bryan Carter choristers. This is some way off, and it needs Recording Assistant – Chris Kalcov your support to help us reach this goal. The Editor – Dave Rowell Gold Patrons (donations of £2500 and above) Trust’s website has more information and Cover Image – Icon painting of St Andrew located in Wells Cathedral, painted by Aliksandre Gormatiouk in 1999. The Darragh Family Charitable Trust provides an opportunity to make a donation. Design and Artwork – Woven Design www.wovendesign.co.uk Lady Hobson OBE P 2016 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by Signum Records Ltd Please visit it as soon as you can: www.wcct.co.uk © 2016 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Signum Records Ltd with additional donations from Mr Winston D. Any unauthorised broadcasting, public performance, copying or re-recording of Signum Compact Discs constitutes an infringement of copyright and will render the infringer liable to an action McAlister, Mr Andrew Drysdale, Mrs Ann Parsons, Registered charity no. 1098277 by law. Licences for public performances or broadcasting may be obtained from Phonographic Performance Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced, stored Mrs Lucy Williams in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Signum Records Ltd. SignumClassics, Signum Records Ltd., Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, UK. +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 E-mail: [email protected] www.signumrecords.com

- 22 - - 23 - ALSO AVAILABLE on signumclassics

John Tavener: The Veil of the Temple Bob Chilcott: St John Passion Choir of the Temple Church Wells Cathedral Choir English Chamber Orchestra Matthew Owens Stephen Layton SIGCD128 SIGCD367

“Performance and recording are outstanding. An essential “… This is an appealing, sincere and expertly crafted score testimony to the vitality of the musical and spiritual vision of and hearing it again in this very fine recording has moved me the final creative phase of one of Britain’s greatest composers.” as much as that first performance.” Gramophone Musicweb International

Available through most record stores and at www.signumrecords.com For more information call +44 (0) 20 8997 4000

- 20 - CTP Template: CD_INL1 COLOURS Compact Disc Back Inlay CYAN MAGENTA Customer SignumClassics YELLOW Catalogue No.SIGCD442 BLACK Job Title: Wellensis

SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD442 MISSA WELLENSIS

JOHN TAVENER (1944-2013) TAVENER: MISSA WELLENSIS WELLENSIS MISSA TAVENER: Missa Wellensis * 1 Kyrie [6.06] 2 Gloria [5.42] 3 Sanctus and Benedictus [3.01] 4 Agnus Dei [2.15] 5 The Lord’s Prayer [2.19] 6 Love bade me welcome [6.02] 7 Preces and Responses Part One * [2.07] Cantor: Iain MacLeod-Jones (tenor) 8 Psalm 121: I Will Lift up Mine Eyes unto the Hills [5.17] 9 - 0 [3.41]

Magnificat and Nunc dimittis ‘Collegium Regale’ OWENS / CHOIR CATHEDRAL WELLS WELLS CATHEDRAL CHOIR / OWENS q Preces and Responses Part Two * [9.39] w Song for Athene [6.42] e Prayer for the healing of the sick [9.00] r They are all gone into the world of light [3.43] t Preces and Responses Final Responses * [0.44] Total timings: [73.43] * World Premiere Recording

WELLS CATHEDRAL CHOIR TAVENER: MISSA WELLENSIS MATTHEW OWENS

LC15723

Signum Records Ltd, Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth SIGCD442 CLASSICS Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, United Kingdom. P 2016 Signum Records DDD SIGCD442 © 2016 Signum Records www.signumrecords.com 24 bit digital recording 6 35212 04422 3 SIGNUM