This year we celebrate the anniversaries of significant figures in the story of Anglican church music and so we can look forward to a rich selection of musical treasures.  

Starting 500 years ago with the Italian Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (born 1525), who was just nine years old at the time of the Church of England’s foundation, and whose influence inspired Byrd, Tallis, Gibbons, Morley, Weelkes, Fayrfax, and the other Renaissance composers who helped establish the Anglican music liturgy.  

Italian influence was considerable at the time and affected many spheres of life – Shakespeare himself would not have existed as a playwright had it not been for the commedia dell’arte, not to mention the English architects of the period such as Inigo Jones, who brought Italian classical architecture into the UK. 

Then 400 years ago on June 5th 1625, Orlando Gibbons died. On this anniversary his music is performed during Evensong at King’s College, Cambridge where Gibbons was an undergraduate. Gibbons’ verse-anthem “This is the record of John” Is often selected; this and the 8-voice motet O clap your hands together are both well known in the Anglican musical repertoire.  

One of the most memorable performance of Gibbons’ anthem connects this ancient thread of music to modern choral groups and even to St Paul’s, Monaco. “This is the record of John” features a rather demanding solo which a dear friend of mine, Alastair Hume (founder member of the King’s Singers) had to perform. The then Director of Music, David Willcocks, waited until Al had finished before pronouncing his final verdict, “Mr. Hume, you are quite the worst alto we have ever had in this choir”. A claim to fame if ever there were one, which Al duly quotes in his autobiography.  

Just for the record, Al, who is also a professional double-bass player, has on two occasions driven all the way down through France from his home in Islington, trundling his double-bass, plus wife, in order to play in the orchestra for our Messiah at St. Paul’s – wife Di joining us in the choir. 

David Willcocks (died 2015) became a legendary figure during his time at King’s, not only for his abrasive comments about choristers, but equally for his punctilious attention to both intonation and diction, setting exemplary standards for all English choirs to follow, including the Bach Choir, from which several members have joined us singing Messiah over the years. 

Last, but not least on the list, John Rutter (born 1945) who collaborated with David Willcocks on Book 2 of the celebrated Carols for Choirs collection, contributing many of his own arrangements and original compositions. Our musical selections during St Paul’s Nine Lessons and Carols on 15 December celebrated this illustrious partnership. 

I look forward to sharing some of the Church’s most inspiring and important music during 2025.