This disc presents a sumptuous musical celebration of St Peter’s Day – the Patronal Festival of York Minster – and one of the most important days in the life of this great church.

The music is tailored to the theme of the St Peter’s Day Celebration, and covers the three Sunday services: Matins (‘Morning Prayer’), the Eucharist or Holy Communion, and Evensong (‘Evening Prayer’).

Included is the first recording of David Briggs’ new Missa Brevis, commissioned by York Minster in 2013, together with music for St Peter, and all the Saints.

This recording places the listener in the huge nave of the Minster. The musical settings vary from contemplative to apocalyptic, demonstrating the full range of colours and dynamics that the acoustics of this truly magnificent building creates, when musical forces of the York Minster choir and organ are embraced by it.

This is the second disc in an on-going series of recordings featuring music for major festivals at York Minster. An Ebor Epiphany (music for Epiphany Sunday REGCD391) was released to great acclaim in 2013.

‘Discs by English Cathedral Choirs have been issued in apparently increasing numbers in the last few years but few are of the quality and imagination of this disc’ - MusicWeb (on REGCD391)

Track Listing
The Eucharist
1. Bell and Aisle Prayer (Cantor: Richard Shephard)
2. Hymn: Christ is made the sure foundation (tune: Westminster Abbey) — Henry Purcell
Missa Brevis (2012) (for York Minster) — David Briggs (1st recording)
3. Kyrie eleison
4. Gloria in excelsis Deo
5. Sanctus
6. Benedictus
7. Agnus Dei
8. Tu es Petrus — Maurice Duruflé
9. Psalm 150 (Chant: George Surtees Talbot)

Matins
10. Preces (for Salisbury Cathedral) — Richard Shephard (Cantor: Richard Shephard)
11. Venite (Chant: Samuel Arnold)
12. Psalm 71:1–6, 15–17 (Chant: Francis Jackson)
13. Te Deum Laudamus in C — Charles Villiers Stanford
14. Jubilate Deo — Philip Moore
15. Responses and Collects (for Salisbury Cathedral) — Shephard
16. And when the builders — Shephard

Evensong
17. Holy is the true light — William Henry Harris
18. Psalm 138 (Chant: Thomas Attwood)
Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis for New College, Oxford — Herbert Howells
19. Magnificat
20. Nunc Dimittis
21. O quam gloriosum — Moore
22. Coronation Te Deum — William Walton arr. Simon Preston and Mark Blatchly