Vaughan Williams: Mass in G Minor Choir of St. John's College, Cambridge & Andrew Nethsingha

• Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958): Mass in G Minor:
• 1 Kyrie 04:42
• 2 Gloria 04:18
• 3 Credo 06:53
• 4 Sanctus - Osanna I - Benedictus - Osanna II 05:21
• 5 Agnus Dei 04:41
• Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958):
• 6 Te Deum 07:44
• 7 O vos omnes 05:59
• 5 Mystical Songs: 5 Mystical Songs:
• 8 No. 5. Antiphon 03:15
• 3 Preludes on Welsh Hymn Tunes:
• 9 No. 2. Rhosymedre 04:40
• Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958):
• 10 O Taste and See 01:46
• 11 Prayer to the Father of Heaven 05:39
• 12 O clap your hands 03:20
• 13 Lord, Thou hast been our refuge 09:17
• Total Runtime 01:07:35

Info for Vaughan Williams: Mass in G Minor

Andrew Nethsingha and The Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge mark the centenary of the 1918 Armistice with a new recording of choral works by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Many of the works were composed in the years immediately following the event, including O clap your hands, Lord, thou hast been our refuge and the Mass in G minor which leads the programme.

Vaughan Williams turned his attention to liturgical music following his service as a wagon orderly during the Great War. Ursula Vaughan Williams, his second wife and biographer, wrote that such work ‘gave Ralph vivid awareness of how men died’. It is perhaps unsurprising that in many of the texts to which he turned after the 1918 Armistice, the fragility and weakness of humanity becomes a recurrent theme. Despite being described as a ‘confirmed atheist’ by the philosopher Bertrand Russell, his heightened exploration of Christian texts, symbols, and images after the War might rather be understood both as an attempt to grapple anew with what might lie, as he put it, ‘beyond sense and knowledge’, and to search for consolation in religious and other inherited traditions amid a world irrevocably changed.

The fifth release in their series with Signum, the Choir of St John’s have received glowing praise for their previous releases, culminating in the choral prize at the 2017 BBC Music Magazine Awards for their debut release of works by Jonathan Harvey (Deo SIGCD456).

Joseph Wicks, organ
David Blackadder, trumpet
The Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge
Andrew Nethsingha, conductor

Andrew Nethsingha
Performing as a conductor and organist in North America, South Africa, Far East, and throughout Europe, Andrew Nethsingha has been Director of Music at St John’s College, Cambridge since 2007. His innovations at St John’s have included weekly webcasts and a termly Bach cantata series. His recordings for Chandos have been well reviewed.

Andrew Nethsingha received his early musical training as a chorister at Exeter Cathedral, where his father was organist for over a quarter of a century. He later studied at the Royal College of Music, where he won seven prizes, and at St John’s College, Cambridge. He held Organ Scholarships under Christopher Robinson, at St George’s Windsor, and George Guest, at St John’s, before becoming Assistant Organist at Wells Cathedral. He was subsequently Director of Music at Truro and Gloucester Cathedrals. Other recent positions have included Artistic Director of the Gloucester Three Choirs Festival and Musical Director of the Gloucester Choral Society.

He has served as President of the Cathedral Organists’ Association. He has worked with some of the UK’s leading orchestras. Andrew’s concerts with the Philharmonia Orchestra have included many of the major choral works: Mahler’s 8th Symphony, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Britten War Requiem, Brahms Requiem, Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius and The Kingdom, Walton Belshazzar’s Feast, Poulenc Gloria and Duruflé Requiem. He has also worked with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the London Mozart Players, Britten Sinfonia, the Aarhus Symfoniorkester and the BBC Concert Orchestra. Recent conducting engagements have included the BBC Proms, Amsterdam Concertgebouw and Tokyo Suntory Hall. He regularly runs choral courses in various countries, including France and the U.S.A.

The Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge
is one of the finest collegiate choirs in the world – known and loved by millions from its broadcasts, concert tours and over 90 recordings. Founded in the 1670s, the Choir is known for its rich, warm and distinctive sound, its expressive interpretations and its ability to sing in a variety of styles. Alongside this discipline, the Choir is particularly proud of its happy, relaxed and mutually supportive atmosphere. The Choir is directed by Andrew Nethsingha following in a long line of eminent Directors of Music, recently Dr George Guest, Dr Christopher Robinson and Dr David Hill.

The Choir is known for its consistent high standards of singing each day in Chapel and brings the 'St John's Sound' to listeners around the world each week through its weekly webcasts and SJC Live, our webcast archive service. For more information or if you are interested in becoming a member of the Choir, please click to read further about Choristers, Choral Scholars and Organ Scholars.

The Choir also maintains a busy schedule of concerts and events. The Choir tours internationally several times per year, with recent destinations including the USA, the Far East and the Netherlands. Additionally, there are some special services held through the year including the Advent Carol service, Ash Wednesday Evensong and the Bach Cantata Evensongs.

Booklet for Vaughan Williams: Mass in G Minor