The first recording from the newly-formed professional vocal group, The Proteus Ensemble, directed by Stephen Shellard. A beautiful and moving selection of music and readings for the commemoration of 1914, recorded in Worcester Cathedral.

The disc is launched at the group’s debut concert in this year’s Three Choirs Festival at Worcester. The Proteus Ensemble was founded by Stephen Shellard in late 2013 and consists of professional singers drawn from all over the UK. Named after the Greek Sea-God, Proteus, the group takes its musical raison d’être from the adjective ‘protean’ which means ‘versatile’ or ‘capable of assuming many forms’. With flexibility at its core the group is set upon a musical course from earliest times to the present day. The ensemble is directed by Stephen Shellard, who also directs the Worcester Cathedral Chamber Choir, which has made several acclaimed recording on the Regent label.

Includes the first recording of Quam dilecta, written for Stephen Shellard by former organist of Worcester Cathedral, Donald Hunt.

Readers are Gabrielle Bullock and the Dean of Worcester Cathedral, Peter Atkinson.

Contents:

1 Reading Ecclesiastes Chapter 3, Verses 1–8 (1:29)
2 Organ Elegy — Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (3:26)
3 Reading To His Love — Ivor Gurney (0:49)
4 Messe pour Notre Dame Kyrie — David Briggs (5:19)
5 Exhortation (They shall grow not old) — John Tavener (3:23)
6 Reading Still falls the Rain — Dame Edith Louise Sitwell (2:28)
7 And I saw a new Heaven — Edgar Bainton (5:48)
8 Reading Not to Keep — Robert Frost (1:53)
9 Quam dilecta — Donald Hunt (4:42)
10 Reading Everyone Sang — Siegfried Sassoon (0:42)
11 Messe pour Notre Dame Sanctus — Briggs (3:09)
12 Messe pour Notre Dame Benedictus — Briggs (3:31)
13 Organ Méditation — Maurice Duruflé (3:54)
14 Kohima (When you go home) — Tavener (1:46)
15 Reading The Veteran — Margaret P Cole (0:53)
16 Messe pour Notre Dame Agnus Dei — Briggs (6:07)
17 Serenity — James MacMillan (4:52)
18 Reading May 1915 — Charlotte Mew (0:57)
19 Jesu Dulcis Memoria — Pierre Villette (3:46)
20 Reading For the Fallen — Laurence Binyon (0:19)
21 O Lord, support us — Briggs (6:50)