THE Salisbury Cathedral Choir is releasing its first Christmas album for over a decade this year.

Tomorrow (November 15) will see the release of Salisbury Christmas, a collection of carols old and new, sung by the choir, with John Challenger accompanying on organ, directed by David Halls.

It is being released on the group’s own Salisbury Cathedral record label and features the full choir, girl and boy choristers and adult singers, accompanied on the famous ‘Father’ Willis organ.

A number of pieces on the album have a Salisbury link, including several carol arrangements by the late Sir David Willcocks, organist at the cathedral in the 1940s and subsequently director of the choir at King’s College, Cambridge.

Herbert Howells, another former organist, is represented in the Sing lullaby, along with a new award-winning work, Toccata, on the Advent hymn ‘Wachet auf’, by David Halls, the cathedral’s current director of music.

The cover image has been supplied by Salisbury photographer and ICU consultant, Martin Cook.

Mr Halls said: “Christmas is a very special time of year at the cathedral, and we welcome thousands of worshippers and concert-goers over this very busy period.

“The selection of works on this album incorporates several old and well-known Christmas carols as well as newer works, and I’m delighted that, through this new album, we can share the joy of Christmas from Salisbury Cathedral with people at home.”

Salisbury Cathedral Choir. Picture: Max Willcock

Physical copies of Salisbury Christmas are available from the Salisbury Cathedral shop, or online via the cathedral website or streamed via this link.

Proceeds from sales of recordings released by Salisbury Cathedral continue to support cathedral music and projects.

Salisbury Christmas track listing:
1. God rest you merry (Traditional, arranged David Willcocks)
2. In the stillness (Sally Beamish)
3. Toccata: Wachet auf (David Halls)
4. I sing of a maiden (Patrick Hadley)
5. There shall a star (JL Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy)
6. Hymne à la Vierge (Pierre Villette)
7. Choral orné: Rorate cæli (Jeanne Demessieux)
8. Tomorrow shall be my dancing day (John Gardner)
9. Before the paling of the stars (Cecilia McDowall)
10. Candlelight Carol (John Rutter)
11. Choral Prelude: In dulci jubilo (Johann Sebastian Bach)
12. Salisbury Carol (Errollyn Wallen)
13. Sing lullaby (Herbert Howells)
14. Hark! the herald angels sing (JL Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy)
15. The Holy Boy (John Ireland)
16. Sussex Carol (Traditional, arranged David Willcocks)