News
September 2019
While on holiday in France, Chris has the privilege of playing both of the pianos that belonged to the great French composer Francis Poulenc in Le Grand Coteau, his country home in Noizay, Loire, France. A picture of Chris playing the grand piano is in the Gallery.
August 2019
Paraclete Press have accepted for publication...
Three carols: All and Some; Let Christians All with Joyful Mirth; Hurry to Bethlehem (both versions)
A communion anthem: Jesus, to your table led
And two major organ pieces: Prelude & Fugue on the name 'Durufle' and Suite for Organ
Three carols: All and Some; Let Christians All with Joyful Mirth; Hurry to Bethlehem (both versions)
A communion anthem: Jesus, to your table led
And two major organ pieces: Prelude & Fugue on the name 'Durufle' and Suite for Organ
August 2019
Chris has recorded a number of his organ pieces for YouTube.
Eleven Chorale Preludes (to be published by Paraclete Press)
Elegy (published by Paraclete)
Processional (published by Banks)
Toccata Nuptiale (published by Stainer & Bell)
Eleven Chorale Preludes (to be published by Paraclete Press)
Elegy (published by Paraclete)
Processional (published by Banks)
Toccata Nuptiale (published by Stainer & Bell)
June 2019
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Paraclete Press have now published two more of Chris's choral pieces:
Hark! Hark! Glad tidings charm our ears Love is... |
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April 2019
Paraclete Press have accepted for publication more of Chris's choral pieces: The World's Desire, The Linden Tree Carol, The Jolly Shepherd, A Little Child there is Yborn, and Ad Cantus Leticie; and also his Eleven Chorale Preludes for organ.
January 2019
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Paraclete Press have now published:
Three Pieces Founded on Welsh Hymn Tunes (organ) Jubilate (organ) I Sing of a Maiden (SATB a cappella) |
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September 2018
Paraclete Press have accepted for publication two more of Chris's organ pieces (Invocation and Paean and Prelude & Fugue).
September 2018
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Toccata Nuptiale has been commercially recorded for a fourth time. It is the final track on organist André de Jager's new disc, Musical Expressions, recorded in the Sankt Maria Magdalenakirche, Goch.
For information about all the commercial recordings of Toccata Nuptiale, please see the Discography. |
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August 2018
Chris has a new Composer page on the Stainer & Bell website. Click here to see it.
June 2018
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Paraclete have published Chris's Elegy for Organ. A synthesised performance of the piece may be heard on the website.
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May 2018
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In March of this year Chris was commissioned to compose six jingles (in the styles of various choral composers) for the new BBC Music Magazine podcasts. The jingles were duly composed and recorded, and they can now be heard in the podcasts.
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Forthcoming performances
Wednesday 11 December 2019 7.00pm
Giltspur Singers Christmas Concert at St Clement Danes.
29th-30th August 2020
Chris will conduct the St Teilo Singers, singing the services at Worcester Cathedral.
Some recent performances of Chris's compositions
1 August 2019
Baritone Roderick Williams OBE sang There is Sweet Music, (accompanied by Susie Allan, (piano) in a song recital at Cheltenham College as part of the Gloucester Three Choirs Festival.
13 July 2019
Altar Prayer at Petertide, to words by Adey Grummet, was premiered at the College of St Barnabas, Lingfield.
12 July 2019
Chris performed his Sonatina for Piano in a Giltspur Singers concert at St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside, London.
11 July 2019
Toccata Nuptiale was performed by Ian Pattinson (Organist of Lancaster Priory) in a concert given by the King's Men at St George's Church, Kendal. Reviewer Adrian Mullen wrote in the Westmorland Gazette that the piece 'proved very popular with the audience'.
28 April 2019
29 March 2019
Chris gave the first concert performance of four of his Chorale Preludes. They can be heard on YouTube:
Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein
Was mein Gott will, das g'scheh allzeit
Ach Gott, erhör mein Seufzen und Wehklagen
O Welt, ich muß dich lassen
Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein
Was mein Gott will, das g'scheh allzeit
Ach Gott, erhör mein Seufzen und Wehklagen
O Welt, ich muß dich lassen
11 March 2019
Dr Richard Dunster-Sigtermans (St Andrew's, Rugby) performed Toccata Nuptiale in a recital at Newcastle Cathedral.
2 February 2019
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16 December 2018
Chris's 2018 carol The World's Desire, together with several of his descants, were performed at the Christmas Carol Service at St Matthew's Bethnal Green. The performance of The World's Desire can be heard on YouTube.
16 December 2018
The choir of St Margaret's Lee (Director: Duncan Atkinson QC) performed Let Christians all with joyful mirth (score / YouTube performance).
12 December 2018
Giltspur Singers Christmas Concert included Chris's Felix Namque and the world premiere of his 2018 carol The World's Desire, plus his descants to 'O come, O come, Emmanuel', 'Come, thou long-expected Jesus' and 'Lo, He comes with clouds descending'. All the choral items in the concert may be heard on YouTube.
11 November 2018
The choir of St Mary's Catholic Church, Blackheath (Director: Tim Murray) performed Bring us, O Lord God (original version with divisions) at their Mass for the Centenary of the WWI Armistice.
21 October 2018
The choir of St Margaret's Lee (Director: Duncan Atkinson QC) performed Bring us, O Lord God at Choral Evensong.
26 August 2018
The St Teilo Singers sang Missa Sacerdotes Domini at Exeter Cathedral, marking 20 years since the premiere of the work, which also took place in Exeter.
4 August 2018
The Giltspur Singers performed a new commission (Two Doves) at the wedding of Mr Jonathan Stoneman and Ms Antonia Mott.
24 June 2018
The choir of St Margaret's Lee (Director: Duncan Atkinson QC) sang Chris's Third Service (composed in 1996) at Choral Evensong.
27 May 2018
Chris's Missa Sancti Teili was sung at Choral Eucharist at Llandaff Cathedral under the direction of Alex Thacker.
8 March 2018
Christine Wells performed Toccata Nuptiale in a recital at St Nicolas Church, Newbury.
10 December 2017
Chris's new setting of the Benedictus was premiered at the Christmas Carol Service at St Mary's Catholic Church, Blackheath. Conductor Tim Murray commissioned this piece.
3 December 2017
A transcription by Martin Cordner of Chris's arrangement of 'Winchester Old' was performed by the Cambridge Citadel Salvation Army brass band and Salvation Army Songsters, along with the audience the the 'Christmas Begins Here' concert at the West Road Concert Hall.
8 October 2017
Chris's Descant to 'Westminster Abbey' was sung at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, Portage, Michigan, USA.
14 September 2017
Andrew Caskie performed Toccata Nuptiale in a recital at Kidderminster Town Hall.
Week of 14 August 2017
Toccata Nuptiale was broadcast in the Pipedreams programme on United States radio. The episode was called Toccata, again! The version played was Michael Stairs' recording.
8 July 2017
Chris's setting for organ of Es spricht der Unweisen Mund wohl -- one of the chorale tunes that Bach would have set in his Orgelbüchlein (if he had got round to it) -- was played by Nick Morris in a concert on Saturday 8 July, at St George's Church, Hanover Square, having been chosen for the short list in the Royal College of Organists /Orgelbüchlein Project Chorale Prelude Competition. Chris's piece won the Audience Vote for Es spricht.
4 July 2017
Laurence Caldecote performed Toccata Nuptiale in Winchester Cathedral. His recording may be heard here.
