General:
| Aled Jones marks the beginning of the Advent countdown to Christmas with a visit to Hexham Abbey. Traditional Advent hymns including 'O Come, O Come Emmanuel' and 'Hills of the North, Rejoice' are sung by members of the Royal School of Church Music, currently celebrating its 80th anniversary. Find out why Aled gets on his bike to join in a song, meet the girl who faced incredible odds to pursue a musical career and enjoy seasonal Advent music from BBC Radio 2 Young Chorister of 2006, William Dutton; the Millennium Youth Choir and choirgirls All Angels.
Hexham Abbey Chamber Choir and Abbey Girls' Choir are conducted by the Abbey Director of Music, Michael Haynes. The organist for all congregation items is Hugh Morris, Hexham Abbey Assistant Organist. The Choirs making up the main congregation are all members of the Royal School of Church Music and are conducted by Gordon Stewart. The congregation were accompanied by Fine Arts Brass [please see 'Additional Information' for further details]. The Songs of Praise Music Advisor is Robert Prizeman. |
| ROYAL SCHOOL OF CHURCH MUSIC The RSCM is an educational Christian charity. Their aim is to enable the best use of music in Christian worship, church life, and in the wider community. For more information please visit their website: http://www.rscm.com/
Professor JOHN HARPER has been Director General of the RSCM since 1998 and will step down from his post at the end of 2007. ALL ANGELS All Angels are a female classical / pop group consisting of Charlotte Ritchie, Melanie Nakhla, Laura Wright and Daisy Chute. The group's style is classical crossover music including classical, choral, opera and pop music. Their first album was the UK's fastest-selling debut for a classical act, and won them a platinum disc. Their second album 'Into Paradise' was released on 26th November 2007. For further information please visit their website: www.allangelsofficial.com AMANDA MICHELL Amanda is a 2nd year Choral Scholar at Royal Holloway University, London. She has been singing since the age of 6, is a soprano in the RSCM Millennium Youth Choir and plays the French Horn. Amanda was born profoundly deaf and has battled a hearing problem all her life. SONGCYCLE SongCycle is a male voice quartet which was formed in 1996. Richard Baker, Brian Lynn, Nick Rayner and Duncan Kay raise money for charity by cycling from church to church and singing in a variety of styles at the churches. They are all members of St Thomas of Canterbury Church Choir, Brentwood. For more information please see their website: www.songcycle.co.uk WILLIAM DUTTON William Dutton, from St Mark's Church Harrogate, was Radio 2's Young Chorister of the Year 2006 |
| Music : 'SONGS OF PRAISE' SIG. TUNE
Composer : Robert Prizeman Performers : Robert Prizeman, Maurice Murphy, Steven Geraghty Sheet music for the Songs of Praise signature tune is published by Chester Music, catalogue no. CH55835. You can listen to the theme tune on CD 2 of the Songs of Praise Album BBC Songs of Praise Hymnbook Oxford University Press BBC Books 1997 ISBN 0 19 147325-1 this compilation © Oxford University Press 1997 Title: O COME, O COME EMMANUEL Tune: Veni Emmanuel Music: Melody from a 15th century processional arr J H Arnold [1887-1956] Words: Latin, 18th Cent. based on Advent Antiphons from 9th cent. [or earlier] tr. J M Neale [1818-66] and others Performed by: Verse one solo : William Dutton, remaining verses Hexham Abbey Chamber and Girls' Choirs conducted by Michael Haynes, Congregation conducted by Gordon Stewart with organist Hugh Morris and Fine Arts Brass Title: LONG AGO PROPHETS KNEW Tune: Personent Hodie Music: Melody from Piae Cantiones 1582 Words: F Pratt Green b 1903 Performed by: Hexham Abbey Chamber and Girls' Choirs conducted by Michael Haynes, Congregation conducted by Gordon Stewart with organist Hugh Morris and Fine Arts Brass Title: THE ANGEL GABRIEL Performed by: All Angels Title: LET ALL MORTAL FLESH KEEP SILENCE Performed by: Millennium Youth Choir conducted by David Ogden. Accompanied by : Oboe - Victoria Brawn, Harp - Ruth Potter, Flute - Rachel Skinner. Organ - Daniel Moult Title: HILLS OF THE NORTH, REJOICE Tune: Little Cornard Music: Martin Shaw [1875-1958] Words: Charles E Oakley [1832-65] and compilers of English Praise altd Performed by: Hexham Abbey Chamber and Girls' Choirs conducted by Michael Haynes, Congregation conducted by Gordon Stewart with organist Hugh Morris and Fine Arts Brass Title: THIS IS THE TRUTH SENT FROM ABOVE Performed by: William Dutton accompanied by organist Michael Haynes Title: LIKE A CANDLE FLAME Music: Graham Kendrick [b.1950] arr. Christopher Norton Words: Graham Kendrick [b.1950] Performed by: Hexham Abbey Chamber and Girls' Choirs conducted by Michael Haynes, Congregation conducted by Gordon Stewart with organist Hugh Morris Title : AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD Composer: G F Handel Words: compiled from Holy Scripture by Charles Jennens from: Messiah Arranger: Watkins Shaw Performed by: Hexham Abbey Chamber and Girls' Choirs conducted by Michael Haynes, Congregation conducted by Gordon Stewart with organist Hugh Morris and Fine Arts Brass Title: HE CAME ALL SO STILL Performed by: SongCycle Title: THE CAROL SINGERS Performed by: SongCycle with Aled Jones INCIDENTAL MUSIC: commercially available Title: Bicycle Race Performers: Queen CD: Queen Greatest Hits CDPCSD 141 Label: . Parlophone Track 5 Featured under Aled and SongCycle cycling Title: The Pushbike Song Performers: The Mixtures CD: Blockbuster! The Sensational 70's CTV CD 209 Label: . Castle Communications Track 14 Featured under Aled and SongCycle cycling |
| MUSIC: HEXHAM ABBEY
We recorded the music sung by the RSCM choirs and by All Angels and William Dutton at Hexham Abbey, Beaumont Street, Hexham, Northumberland NE46 3NB Tel: 01434 602031 www.hexhamabbey.org.uk AMANDA MICHELL was interviewed at: Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX The Choral Scholars' rehearsal took place in the University Chapel with Rupert Gough, Director of Choral Music and College Organist SONGCYCLE were filmed: Taking refreshments at : All Saints Church, Church Lane, Hutton, Brentwood, Essex CM13 1SA Contact: Fathers Bob and Brenda Wallace - Rector and Curate Parish office tel: 01277 262864 Singing to congregation at: St Thomas of Canterbury, St Thomas' Road, Brentwood CM14 4DB Vicarage tel: 01277 225700 Church Centre tel: 01277 201094 Contact: Father Bob White Asst. Curate : Father Matthew Bemand Meeting with Aled at: The Rising Sun Public House, 144 Ongar Road, Brentwood, Essex CM15 9DJ Tel: 01277 213749 Contact: Colin and Dawn Smith MILLENNIUM YOUTH CHOIR were filmed at Ladywood ARC, St John's and St Peter's Church, Darnley Road, Ladywood, Birmingham B16 8TF Tel: 0121 4540973 Contacts: Revd. Richard Tetlow : Vicar, Revd. Jo Mason : Asst. Priest For more information please visit website: http://www.stjohnpeter.org.uk |
| Further information about Aled Jones can be found on his website
www.aledjones.co.uk FINE ARTS BRASS Fine Arts Brass accompany the congregation at Hexham Abbey. The Ensemble was established in 1980 and their repertoire contains a diversity of styles. For further information please visit their website : www.fineartsbrass.co.uk RSCM MILLENNIUM YOUTH CHOIR Conducted by David Ogden The RSCM Millennium Youth Choir is a chamber choir founded in 2000 at the suggestion of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Membership of the RSCM Millennium Youth Choir offers special opportunities to young singers aged between 16-23 years to sing the widest and most exciting range of sacred music to the highest standards. Residential courses are held during school and university holidays, and include individual musical and vocal tuition, as well as participation in services and performance in public concerts. For further information please visit their website : www.davidogden.co.uk/myc The RSCM MYC were accompanied by: Oboe - Victoria Brawn, Harp - Ruth Potter, Flute - Rachel Skinner. Organ - Daniel Moult |