Recordings
Nova! Nova! Joy to the World!
23 favourite carols arranged for choir by Louis Halsey
Hertfordshire Chorus
David Temple, conductor
Rufus Frowde, organ
‘What I love about Louis Halsey’s arrangements is that they are both tasteful and simple, allowing the beauty of each carol to shine through. We are thrilled to share these with a wider audience with this new recording.’
David Temple Musical Director
Christmas carols have a universal appeal stemming from the tradition of music being played, sung, rearranged and rewritten by different generations in many different countries and over a number of centuries. Louis Halsey’s Nova! Nova!, a collection of new arrangements of many of the most well-known and beautiful carols from as far back as medieval times, represents perhaps the largest collection of carols by a single composer for many years. Hertfordshire Chorus and David Temple have recorded 23 of these carols in this beautifully presented new collection, including English, German, French, Czech, Basque, Welsh and Irish melodies.
James McCarthy Codebreaker
Will Todd Ode to a Nightingale
Hertfordshire Chorus
Julia Doyle, soprano
BBC Concert Orchestra
David Temple, conductor
Recorded at Watford Colosseum in June 2016 and launched on 7th October 2017 at a concert in St Albans Cathedral.
Read more about these important Hertfordshire Chorus commissions
Having entered the Specialist Classical charts at number 7, this CD builds on our reputation for commissioning and performing some of the very best in contemporary choral music. In our first recording with Signum we are joined by the BBC Concert Orchestra for a two CD set featuring James McCarthy’s Codebreaker (an exploration of the life of the pioneering computer scientist and mathematician Alan Turing) and Will Todd’s Ode to a Nightingale (setting the famous poem by John Keats).
Michael Hurd
Choral Music (Volume 2)
& Complete Solo Songs
Recorded in 2016 at St Jude-on-the-Hill, London, with the London Orchestra da Camera and Marta Fontanals-Simmons, this CD was commissioned by The British Music Society and launched in April 2017.
‘Throughout their programme the Hertfordshire Chorus prove to be splendid advocates for Michael Hurd’s music’
John Quinn Music Web International
Choral Works
This Day to Man
A Song for St Cecelia
The Phoenix and the Turtle
Music’s Praise
A Choral Cantata
Solo Songs
Four Early Songs
The Night Swans
Carmina Amoris
The Day’s Alarm
Three Songs of Robert Graves
The Ride by Night
Will Todd
Mass in Blue
The original recording of this hugely popular work by contemporary young British composer Will Todd.
Hertfordshire Chorus
Bethany Halliday, soprano
Will Todd Trio (Will Todd piano, Gareth Huw Davies double bass, Jim Fleeman drums)
Members of Aurelian Symphony Orchestra
David Temple, conductor.
Price £10.
Mass in Blue was commissioned in 2003 by Hertfordshire Chorus and written for Will Todd’s wife, soprano Bethany Halliday. Since that time the work has become firmly established in the choral repertoire. Mass in Blue is an upbeat jazz setting of the latin mass text for soprano soloist and SATB chorus.
‘a complete triumph for all concerned with a truly memorable performance which filled the Abbey with tremendous sounds‘
John Manning Herts Advertiser
On Christmas Night
‘Christmas concerts are always a highlight of the Hertfordshire Chorus calendar. We are delighted to offer you a selection of our favourite Christmas music to enjoy at home throughout the festive season. Most of these beautiful carols will be familiar, but the last track – Hodie! – may be new to you. It was composed for Hertfordshire Chorus by one of our singers, Steve Block. It has already become a firm favourite with the Chorus – we know you will love it too’.
David Temple
Sacred Music
Bruckner
Locus Iste
Os Justi
Ave Maria
Tallis
Spem in Allium
Lassus
Missa Bell’ Amfrit’ altera
Rachmaninov
Bogoroditse Devo
Kvalite imya Godpodne
Carmina Burana
Carl Orff
Carl Orff’s own arrangement for two pianos and percussion of his popular work.
Recorded at BBC Maida Vale Studio
May 1999