Choirs in the Collection
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Choirs in the Collection
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Listening Post
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Chapel Choir of the Royal Wanstead School
Directed by Mr. Escombe

 I waited for the Lord  :  Mendelssohn 
Solo trebles, John Benwell and Douglas Campbell

A John King privately pressed 78rpm record, c1950

The various categories of choirs which have recordings in the collection are described on this page, together with a list of these choirs at the bottom of the page, giving their original and current vocal composition with brief notes where applicable.

  • Cathedral, Abbey, Priory and Minster Choirs
  • Collegiate Choirs
  • Royal Peculiar Choirs
  • Church Choirs
  • School Chapel Choirs
  • School Choirs
  • RSCM Choirs
  • Miscellaneous Choirs
  • Foreign Choirs
  • Solo Chorister Albums
CATHEDRAL CHOIRS
This category contains recordings from Cathedral, Abbey, Priory and Minster choirs.  As one would expect, recordings from these choirs form the largest part of the collection and there are very few choirs in this category which have not at one time or another made a recording.
The collection contains recordings from 111 different Cathedral, Abbey, Priory and Minster choirs.


COLLEGIATE CHAPEL CHOIRS
These are the Collegiate Chapel choirs of Oxford and Cambridge, which are amongst some of the finest choirs in the world.  From Cambridge, the collection has recordings from King's College, St John's College and Jesus College and from Oxford, Christ Church Cathedral, which is unique in being both a cathedral and collegiate chapel, together with Magdalen College, New College, Worcester College and Exeter College.

The great tradition of the all male choir continues to thrive at these Colleges, except for Exeter College who disbanded their boys choir in 1996.
The collection contains all known recordings from all the Oxbridge Collegiate Chapel Choirs


ROYAL PECULIAR CHOIRS
A Royal Peculiar is a church, chapel or place of worship that is not under the jurisdiction of the Church of England but is under the direct authority of the Crown.  The collection contains recordings from the choirs of Westminster Abbey, St Margaret's Church Westminster, the Temple Church, the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace and Hampton Court, the Queen's Chapel of the Savoy and St George's Chapel Windsor Castle.
The collection contains all known recordings from all the Royal Peculiar Choirs 

CHURCH CHOIRS
A vitally important part of this collection are the recordings of Church choirs, past and present. The collection contains many recordings of choirs which have ceased to exist, choirs before they changed to mixed trebles or fully adult, together with current choirs.

At the turn of the 20th century it is estimated that in the UK there were a staggering 10,000 Church choirs of gentlemen and boys.  Today, there are 43 church choirs which have an all boys treble line with the ATB parts being sung by men.

Many recordings of Church choirs were undertaken by small independent or private labels or by enthusiastic amateurs armed with a tape recorder and are amongst the most difficult recordings to track down.
The collection contains recordings from 219 different Church choirs. 


SCHOOL CHAPEL CHOIRS
A robed choir singing daily or weekly services in the School Chapel, whether open to the public or not.  These choirs tend to be a forgotten part of the English Cathedral tradition and the foundation of some School Chapel choirs are comparable in date with our ancient cathedrals. 

All of the one time boys' Public and Independent schools had superlative Chapel choirs; many still do, although most are now co-ed.

Why are these Chapel choirs so outstanding?  simply because most of the boys are ex-cathedral or collegiate choristers, going up at 13 years old to their senior schools.  These fully trained and experienced Choristers, in many cases still at their peak, join the Chapel choir as a treble, eventually moving to the back row once their voice has broken.

Many Boys' Prep Schools also had outstanding Chapel choirs and a few fine examples still remain.
The collection contains recordings from 129 different School Chapel choirs, of which 34 are Prep Schools 


BOYS' SCHOOL CHOIRS
A non-robed choir performing to a high standard from State, Independent or Public schools.  The collection, with one or two exceptions, contains only recordings from choirs whose repertoire is predominantly sacred.  Many of these choirs robe-up to participate in Cathedral holiday singing tours.
The collection contains recordings from 97 different Boys' School choirs, of which 21 are Prep Schools 


MISCELLANEOUS CHOIRS
These consists of Independent boys' choirs, specialising in sacred music; Freelance robed church choirs; Festival choirs and the various choirs of the School of English Church Music, later to become the Royal School of Church Music.
The collection contains recordings from 18 different Miscellaneous Choirs

TREBLE VOICE CHOIRS
A choir, robed or not, consisting of treble voices and whose repertoire is predominantly sacred. These choirs are either the treble section of a liturgical choir, a Prep school choir or a specially formed Treble Voice choir.
The collection contains recordings from 50 different Treble Voice choirs.


FOREIGN CHOIRS
A representative selection of foreign choirs singing in the English Cathedral tradition, particularly from the USA and Commonwealth countries are a part of the Collection
The collection contains recordings from 58 different foreign choirs singing in the English Cathedral tradition.


SOLO CHORISTER ALBUMS

The collection seeks to preserve the unique sound of the English style solo chorister, singing both sacred and secular music.  Recordings of boys singing in the 'pop' idiom are not included in the collection.
Many choristers over the years have recorded a Solo Recital Album, which the collection defines as singing solo in not less than 75% of the recording.

A unique feature of the Music Catalogue is the Chorister Index which catalogues every solo, of whatever length, to have been recorded by a chorister.
 
You can read more about the Chorister Index in the 'Discograpy' section.
The collection contains recordings from over 130 individual choristers singing a Solo Recital Album

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Choirs in the Collection -

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Listening Post
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Chapel Choir of Taverham Hall Prep School
directed by David Price

Ponder my Words O Lord  :  Walmisley 

Privately Pressed LP  :  1971

I am particulary keen to trace 78 rpm records, together with Private Recordings on any format.  These are the most difficult recordings to track down and the ones in most danger of being lost or discarded.

Whether for donation or briefly loaned for archiving onto CD, please do get in touch if you have any recordings which you think may be of interest.  Click for the Contact page