This recording presents music typically heard at Westminster Abbey on the Feast of the Ascension, one of the most important Christian holidays. The musical program is based on the three central services of the Anglican tradition and reflects their sequence. The Morning Prayer begins with Sir Charles Villiers Stanford's Caelos ascendit hodie, a vibrant work for unaccompanied double choir. This is followed by Psalm 24 in the traditional manner, and Benjamin Britten's Te Deum is given prominence. Compositions by Heinrich Schütz, including settings of psalms, are also part of the repertoire.
The Morning Prayer concludes with Ralph Vaughan Williams' psalm anthem O clap your hands, in which the composer treats the voices like a brass ensemble, creating a rhythmic punch. Sir William Walton, a native of Oldham, wrote the Missa brevis specifically for Coventry Cathedral; this a cappella mass impressively demonstrates his multifaceted musical abilities. Gerald Finzi's "God is Gone Up" provides a powerful finale.
The evening service begins with Peter Philips' "Ascendit Deus," followed by Psalm 93, the Magnificat, and the Nunc dimittis in settings by William Walton. Patrick Gowers' "Viri Galilaei" and Francis Pott's Toccata are also performed.
The works are presented through a captivating interplay of diverse interpretations and compositions by renowned composers.