His Master’s Voice
 The Cathedral Choir during their appearance at the 1998 Gramophone Awards. |
In the annual Music
Awards held on 5 October 1998 at the Royal Festival Hall - sponsored by
Gramophone, the prestigious classical music magazine - the Choir of Westminster
Cathedral, under its then Master of Music, James O’Donnell, won the
award in the Choral category (there are 16 categories) then went on to
win the greatest accolade - ‘Record of the Year’.
The Choir
eliminated over 5,000 other entries on its way to the top prize. In the
words of the magazine: "The prize of prizes, the ‘Record of
the Year Award’ goes, easily, to the Choral Award winner,a magnificent
coupling of two Masses by Martin and Pizzetti - the Westminster Cathedral
Choir on truly sensational form". In June 1997, Edward Perks, reviewing
the winning record for Oremus, wrote:
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"Anyone with
an interest in twentieth century liturgical music, as well as any lover
of the polyphonic repertoire, will find much to enjoy here. Both these
works and also the short De Profundis by Pizzetti are performed with the
combination of purity and passion which has become the hallmark of the
Westminster Cathedral sound. The disc includes a fine performance by James
O’Donnell of Martin’s Passacaille for organ, a performance that
reveals the inexorable strength and seriousness of the piece, as well
as showing off the excellent recording over a wide-range which is a feature
of the entire disc".
The news
that the Cathedral Choir has won yet more international recognition for
the excellence of its work is gratifying for the Master of Music, the
boys and men of the Choir, the many dedicated people at the Choir School
and all who support the Cathedral’s music. But it should also mean
a great deal to all who come regularly to the Cathedral and to Catholics
through the Diocese and in the rest of the country.
 Members of the Choir in joyful mood before the Award ceremony. |
For a church choir to win
the top prize in a fiercely competitive commercial market is astonishing
- recordings, concerts, and tours come second to the primary role of the
Choir, to provide music for the Mass and other liturgies at Westminster
Cathedral. The uniqueness of the Cathedral Choir has behind it a century
of development, growth and distinction.
The first Master of Music, Sir Richard Terry, revived some of the great
polyphonic works of Byrd, Taverner, Tallis and other English composers
- most of which had not been sung for centuries. George Malcolm developed
the unique ‘Westminster sound’ that radically affected the training
of boys’ voices in England.
 James O'Donnell received the Gramophone Award for best choral recording. |
The remarkable sound of
the Choir so impressed Benjamin Britten that he wrote his famous Missa
Brevis for the Cathedral. Today, it is thought to be the only choir in
the world which sings a fully-choral Mass every day. Many have said that
the Choir has entered a ‘Golden Age’ which will never be forgotten;
but, like many great contributors in the world of music, its future is
far from assured.
Only if vital support flows into the Music Foundation can the Choir face
the next century with peace of mind. At the very least, each of us is
able to support the Choir’s work by buying the CDs available on the
Hyperion label. They are good to hear and also make wonderful gifts!
Westminster Cathedral 42 Francis Street, London SW1P 1QW United Kingdom
Email us Tel: 020 7798 9055 Fax: 020 7798 9090 Registered Charity Number 233699
