Sudbury Choral Society and St Peter’s Singers in collaboration with the Catholic Church in Sudbury have recorded a CD of music to honour Our Lady of Sudbury called Salve Regina.

There has been a shrine to Our Lady in Sudbury since the 14^th Century and over the last few years there has been a revitalization of interest in the shrine. This CD celebrates that rekindling of devotion to Our Lady with twenty tracks of Marian Music from such composers as Faure, Byrd, Grieg and Vivaldi.  

The recordings were made over several sessions in St Peters in Sudbury. David Butcher, the Musical Director of Sudbury Choral Society, played musical hats as he alternated between conducting the choir and acting as sound engineer. David is the Broadcast Engineer with BBC Radio Suffolk so he is able to wave a microphone with the same expert alacrity as he does the baton. The recording sessions were constantly interrupted by the noise of passing lorries and motor bikes but the choirs battled on regardless. St. Peter’s Singers, led by Brian Swallow, include in their repertoire Victoria’s Ave Maria and Hassler’s Dixit Maria while Sudbury Choral Society include the title track, Salve Regina and Byrd’s Ave Verum. Local professional singers Julie Roberts (soprano) and Elaine Henson (mezzo soprano) sing the duets In Flammatus et Accensus by Pergolesi and Esurientes from Vivaldi. The two choirs come together to create a wonderful performance of Stanford’s Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis. The final track is one of note, it is a piece snappily entitled The Dance of the Pilgrims before the Shrine of Our Lady of Sudbury, written and recorded by Fr. Gerard Moir in 1937 when he restored the Shrine to its former glory.

 

1. Hail! Blessed Virgin Mary - arr. Charles Wood - St. Peter’s Singers

 

2. Ave Maria - T.L. de Victoria - St. Peter’s Singers

 

3. Ave Verum - William Byrd - Sudbury Choral Society

 

4. Esurientes - Vivaldi - Julie Roberts & Elaine Henson  acc Sara Whymark

 

5. Fugue on the Magnificat - J.S.Bach - David Butcher

 

6. Ave Maris Stella - Edvard Grieg - Sudbury Choral Society

 

7. Maria, Mater Gratiae - Gabriel Fauré - Sudbury Choral -  Society   acc Brian Swallow

 

8. Bogoroditsye Dyevo (Ave Maria) - Rachmaninov - St. Peter’s Singers

 

9. Magnificat in A - Stanford - Sudbury Choral Society and St Peter’s Singers acc David Butcher

 

10. Nunc Dimittis - Stanford - Sudbury Choral Society and St Peter’s Singers acc David Butcher

 

11. Salve Regina - Gregorian Chant - Sudbury Choral Society

 

12. Dixit Maria - Hans Leo Hassler - St. Peter’s Singers

 

13. In Flammatus et Accensus - Pergolesi - Julie Roberts & Elaine Henson acc Steve Browne

 

14. Ave Verum - Gabriel Fauré - Sudbury Choral Society acc Brian Swallow

 

15. Gabriel's Message - Arr. Pettman - Sudbury Choral Society

 

16. Stabat Mater Dolorosa - Pergolesi - St. Peter’s Singers acc David Butcher

 

17. There is no Rose - Benjamin Britten - Sudbury Choral Society acc Sara Whymark

 

18. I Sing of a Maiden - Benjamin Britten - Sudbury Choral Society  acc Sara Whymark

 

19. A Maiden Most Gentle - Andrew Carter - Sudbury Choral Society acc Brian Swallow

 

20. The Dance of the Pilgrims Before the Shrine of Our Lady of Sudbury - Fr. Gerard Moir (1937)