This Is The Day: Music On Royal Occasions - Rutter, Cambridge Singers

This album recollects and celebrates some of the choral music heard on royal occasions during the lifetime of HM Elizabeth II. The music chosen reflects the personal choices and commissions by the Royal Family for weddings, funerals, and anniversaries.

Featuring John Rutter’s celebratory royal wedding anthem This is the day, written for the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in 2011. Orchestrated specially for this recording, it reminds us of an event that captivated the attention of the nation.

The album also includes an arrangement for unaccompanied choir of the much-loved Air from County Derry to the text I would be true, and an orchestration of Schubert’s beautiful Psalm 23—The Lord is my Shepherd by John Rutter for this recording.

1
This is the day[4'24] John Rutter (b1945)
with Aurora Orchestra
2
Laudate Dominum (Movement 5 of Vesperae solennes de Confessore, K339)[4'00] Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
with Elin Manahan Thomas (soprano), Aurora Orchestra
3
Psalm 23 D706 The Lord is my shepherd[5'05] Franz Schubert (1797-1828) & John Rutter (b1945)
with Aurora Orchestra
4
How lovely are thy dwellings (Movement 4 of Ein deutsches Requiem, Op 45)[5'28] Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
with Aurora Orchestra
5
The Spirit of the Lord (Part 1 No 1, Prologue of The Apostles, Op 49)[7'38] Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
with Andrew Lucas (organ)
6
We wait for thy loving-kindness, O God[2'59] Sir William McKie (1901-1984)
with Simon Wall (tenor), Andrew Lucas (organ)
7
Ubi caritas[3'53] Paul Mealor (b1975)
with Alison Ponsford-Hill (soprano)
8
Ubi caritas et amor (No 1 of Quatre motets sur des thèmes grégoriens, Op 10)[2'30] Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986)
9
Holy is the true light[1'53] Sir William Harris (1883-1973)
10
Song for Athene Alleluia[5'43] Sir John Tavener (1944-2013)
11
These three If I speak with the tongues of men[5'24] Sir Richard Rodney Bennett (1936-2012)
12
Set me as a seal upon thine heart[3'14] Sir William Walton (1902-1983)
with Grace Davidson (soprano), Ben Alden (tenor)
13
God be in my head[1'38] Sir Henry Walford Davies (1869-1941)
14
I would be true[2'57] Anonymous - traditional, arr. John Rutter (b1945)
15
Touch her soft lips and part (No 2 of Two Pieces for strings from Henry V)[1'33] Sir William Walton (1902-1983)
with Aurora Orchestra
Choral dances from Gloriana 1954 version[9'17] Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
16
Time Yes he is Time[1'28]
17
Concord Concord, Concord is here[2'08]
18
Time and Concord From springs of bounty[1'17]
19
Country girls Sweet flag and cuckoo flower[1'05]
20
Rustics and fishermen From fen and meadow[0'56]
21
Final dance of homage These tokens of our love receiving[2'23]
22
Let the bright seraphim – Let their celestial concerts all unite (Movement from Samson)[6'10] George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
with Elin Manahan Thomas (soprano), Simon Cox (trumpet), Aurora Orchestra