Parry: Judith: Long since in Egypt's plenteous land

Sir Hubert Parry composed some of the most masterful and moving choral music of the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

His magnificent coronation anthem for Edward VII, I was glad, and his setting of Blake’s mystical poem Jerusalem rightly remain famous, while his Magnificat and Nunc dimittis display his debt to Anglican musical traditions.

The Songs of Farewell draw psalms and English poetry together into a charming garland, and ‘Long since in Egypt’s plenteous land’ from his oratorio Judith sets the composer’s own prayerful text.

“Choir, director and organist have clearly enjoyed themselves… a very high standard throughout. The Manchester Cathedral organ comes over well throughout. Highly recommended.” The Organ on a previous release

“The choir sings with an unusually expressive tonal vocabulary as well as with dynamic variation which makes it distinctive from other choirs… The whole thing is very refreshing.” Cathedral Music on a previous release

A powerful and moving selection of Lent and Passiontide music for upper voices, including new works and arrangements written especially for the Ely Cathedral Girls’ Choir.

Concludes with Pergolesi’s perennial favourite setting for two-part upper voices of the Stabat Mater, here performed with intimate accompaniment of period-instrument string quartet and organ continuo, and with solo movements sung by members of the choir.

Ely Cathedral Girls' Choir was founded in September 2006. The 18 girls are in years 9 to 13 at the King's School Ely.

Since 2010, the choir has been directed by Sarah MacDonald, who is also Director of Music at Selwyn College, Cambridge.

No-one better captures the regal stature and sense of occasion than Hubert Parry, whose immortal anthem ‘I was Glad’, has featured in Coronations, Royal Weddings, Jubilees and other grand ceremonial occasions since the Coronation of Edward VII in 1902, for which it was written. His hymn ‘Jerusalem’ of 1916 has become a revered mainstay of English public life.

This collection features many of his other anthems, including the beautiful Blest Pair of Sirens. The performance on this collection is especially rousing and features the fully-scored version for orchestra and choir.