David Briggs (b. 1962) • Jeremy Filsell (b. 1964) He had acquired Burford Priory in 1586 but became Again, the organ part is granted the lionʼs share of known for his harsh treatment of tenants on the land. colourful interjection and the pieceʼs first performance Choral Music Petitions brought against him reputedly moved his second profited from the great skill of Scott Dettra at the National The concept behind this recording was to bring together own singers and colleagues, where liturgical offerings wife to “play the devil” among the villagers of Great Tew, Cathedral organ. two of the finest British organist/composers to showcase have proved apt for the fabric, traditions and musical style and to “grind them to powder”: Nice lady. Tanfield died in The writing of my Te Deum and Jubilate (2001) was a not only the sheer brilliance of their playing, but also the of respective establishments. Notable, however, is that 1625, and instructions in his will were to dispose of his response to a request – admittedly a light-hearted breadth and depth of their creativity as experienced choral fate often deals unkindly with music of this nature – indeed worldly goods “whereof God has bestowed upon me a throwing-down-of-the-gauntlet – by the inspirational composers. Both Jeremy Filsell (with whom we have been much of the copious Victorian fare of this kind is now justly plentiful heart”. On his grand tomb, erected in Burford Jonathan Rees-Williams, then Director of Music, for more delighted and privileged to work on many occasions in the – or unjustly, depending on the tint of oneʼs spectacles – church, his widow left this poignant epitaph. The loving ʻhome-grownʼ material. Given the demand for morning past) and David Briggs (this was our first collaboration, but neglected. intimacy of her timeless words are offered here in a canticles at Windsor, the idea of writing some seemed apt. not the last, I hope) now work abroad (Jeremy in My music has been written for, amongst others, Holy harmonically static but prayerful setting for a cappella Being directly conscious of the connections to monarchy, Washington, David in Toronto), but both are internationally Trinity Coventry, Ely Cathedral, Washington National double choir. ceremony and the courtly traditions upheld at Windsor, I renowned recitalists, much in demand. We were thrilled Cathedral and the various London churches I have The anthem for choir and organ, If God build not the failed to banish from my mind William Waltonʼs glorious therefore that both were able to join Vasari to accompany served, but for over ten years I was privileged to be house, dates from 2006 and was a commission by Andrew Coronation Te Deum, and my own setting thus attempts to their respective pieces and to give us invaluable insight associated with St Georgeʼs Chapel, Windsor Castle, a Carter to mark the 40th anniversary of St Georgeʼs House, recreate its spirit. There are motivic references which will into the three works we commissioned from them time from which much of the music on this recording the Conference Centre within the walls of Windsor Castle. be obvious to those aware of the ʻparentʼ work; the especially for this recording, as well as their other existing dates. The dedication is also to Timothy Byram-Wigfield (Director objective here, however, was primarily to set the works. The recording weekend was full of excitement and Within the Anglican/Episcopal church, the morning of Music 2004–2013) and the choir of St Georgeʼs Chapel, (somewhat lengthy) text as concisely as possible. Brief creative frisson and I hope the listener will pick up on the canticle settings are amongst the musical losses who first performed the work during Evensong on 5th reference is made at one point to Herbert Howellsʼ musical magic that these collaborations generated. consequent to the churchʼs abandoning of sung morning June 2006. The anthemʼs principal text is drawn from the beautiful Windsor Benedictus setting (the morning canticle prayer in favour of sacramental Eucharistic worship week words of Phineas Fletcher (1582–1650) whilst the central traditionally replacing the Te Deum during penitential Jeremy Backhouse by week. I grew up as a chorister singing both Matins and section takes verses from Psalm 25 (verses 4 and 5). time). The height of this musicʼs prominence came when, Eucharist on a Sunday morning; a liturgical sequence now Often rhythmically quirky and metrically unsettled, the humblingly, it was chosen to be sung before the Queen, Note by Jeremy Filsell largely extinct. At St Georgeʼs Chapel, however, the piece features a virtuoso organ part, expertly handled in Royal Family and various Knights of the Realm at the I am privileged to have my music paired on this disc with primary worship on a Sunday remains that of Morning the first performance by the brilliant young 18-year-old Garter Day service in 2002. The companion setting of the that of David Briggs, one whose musicianship I have Prayer (for which it may be unique). Windsor organ scholar at the time, Peter Stevens. Jubilate aimed for brevity, and it was my good friend and admired and revered since our schoolboy years in the Two pieces form the Vasari commission (2012) for The Windsor Evening Canticles Magnificat and Nunc colleague Nigel Short who pointed out the thematic English Midlands. That our career paths have criss- this disc. The true genesis of the first, Tomorrow shall be Dimittis (2001), complete a sense of book-ends with the references (subliminally assumed) to Graham Whettamʼs crossed over the years has been a source of great delight my dancing day, owes much to a good friend in morning set, and the Gloria Patri music shares material thrilling Coventry Service Magnificat. and inspiration, and that they do so again under these Washington who often sang, in idle moments, the chorus first heard in the Jubilate (the final perorations recalling a current circumstances is wonderfully fortuitous. phrases of this well-known carol – a kind of personal motif – and indeed a final chord – in deliberate homage to Note by David Briggs My own choral works unashamedly reflect utility leitmotif. In one of these idle moments, a new motif of the evening canticles which ought to be staple fare in most It is an honour to share this recording with my colleague above any artful search for fresh expressive musical refrain came to mind, and I wondered whether there might cathedrals: Sebastian Forbesʼs Aedis Christi). and friend for more than 35 years, Jeremy Filsell. We both utterance. As such, I am aware that they reflect more be something new and vibrant to be done with this ʻoldeʼ The Transfiguration (2011) was written for Cathedral grew up in the West Midlands and were both nurtured and closely the stylistic language of music that has touched text. Voices, the volunteer choir at Washington National inspired by the wonderful organ in Coventry Cathedral, and influenced me than form any innovative musical The touching text of the second, Epitaph (Here Cathedral that I was privileged to direct at the time. perhaps the finest instrument ever built by Harrison and language. Throughout my career, I have been involved in shadow lie), was discovered on the majestic Tanfield tomb Finding appropriate repertoire for this liturgical feast Harrison. We participated in competitions together, one capacity or another with the world of church music within Burford church in the heart of the English having proved difficult, in time-honoured fashion, I wrote performed in organ festivals (including at Lahti, Finland, and my choral works thus embody the ʻchurch musician at Cotswolds. Born in 1554, the Eton-educated Lord (Sir something myself. The texts were taken from the gospels where, if memory serves me correctly, we both performed workʼ. They are, I suspect, rooted in the long-standing Lawrence) Tanfield was an ambitious lawyer who rose to of Mark and John, the music aiming to reflect the on an Allen Computer organ on a pontoon in the middle of tradition of organists and/or choir directors writing for their become Chief Baron of the Exchequer to James I in 1607. allegorical themes of light and spiritual metamorphosis. a lake). We both spent many, many hours in the reconstruction of many of the greatest improvisations of opening words of the last two stanzas of Pange lingua). Jeremy Filsell Pierre Cochereau, the Organist at Notre-Dame de Paris The Messe pour Saint-Sulpice was written in 2011 (1955–84), and both ended up living in North America, and was jointly commissioned by the choirs of All Saintsʼ Jeremy Filsell is acknowledged as one of only a few virtuoso performers on both piano pursuing our separate liturgical and concert careers. I Parish Church, Northampton (Lee Dunleavy, Director of and organ. He has appeared as a solo pianist in Russia, Scandinavia, the United have a huge admiration for Jeremyʼs innate musicianship, Music) and the Cathedral of the Redeemer, Calgary, States and throughout the United Kingdom; his concerto repertoire encompasses and this recording also serves to demonstrate his Alberta (The Very Reverend Leighton Lee, Dean, and Mozart and Beethoven through to Shostakovich, John Ireland and the Rachmaninov considerable prowess as a composer. Timothy Pyper, Director of Music). Scored for Grand concertos. He has recorded the solo piano music of Herbert Howells, Bernard Stevens, I have often had conversations with composers about Orgue, Orgue de Choeur and Choir SATB, this music is Eugene Goossens, Johann Eschmann and Rachmaninov, and has broadcast on BBC work ethic and the speed and psychology of the creative inspired by the huge acoustic of St Sulpice, Paris, where Radio 3, and American and Scandinavian radio networks in solo and concerto rôles.