Choral Works: SATB with Organ

Concert Programme

PREMIERES:

Veni Emmanuel (with brass ensemble)
15th December 1979
Hereford Choral Society, the Choristers of Hereford Cathedral
Birmingham School of Music Brass Ensemble (director Frank Downes) Conductor Roy Massey
Organist Robert Green
Hereford Cathedral

Holy Communion (also known as Mass for Trebles)
1980
Cottingham Parish Church, Bristol

I Will Lift up Mine eyes unto the Hills
27th April 1986
Choir of the Collegiate Church of the Holy Trinity
Director Andrew Downes
Organist Peter Summers
Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon

O Praise the Lord
17th September 1993
Choir of Birmingham Cathedral
Director Marcus Huxley
Birmingham Cathedral

O Sing Unto the Lord a New Song
11th June 2000
Chapel Choir of Royal Holloway, University of London
Director Lionel Pike
Church of the Assumption, Englefield Green

RUNNYMEDE MILLENNIUM CHORAL EVENSONG SERVICE
Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis  



Anthem: I was glad Setting of Psalm 122
29th November 2000
Chapel Choir of Royal Holloway, University of London
Director Lionel Pike
Royal Holloway Chapel

The Mercies of our Lord (with 2 optional trumpets)
8th May 2001
Princethorpe College Chapel Choir
Director Sue Francis
Princethorpe College Chapel

"Wedding March" from the Opera Far from the Madding Crowd
30th July 2005
Wedding Choir
Director Stefan Reid
Trinity Chapel, Cambridge

O be Joyful in the Lord all Ye Lands
26th October 2013
Callington Singers of Cornwall
Director Graham Williams
Organist Simon Brett
Soprano Soloist Paula Downes
Menheniot Parish Church

More information SATB with Organ Choral Works

Follow Cynthia Downes on Instagram to keep up-to-date with her blog posts.

An account by Andrew's wife and publisher, Cynthia Downes, posted on April 29th, 2021

VENI EMMANUEL (1979) 6'
Arrangement of 'O Come, O Come, Emmanuel' for SATB choir (also SSAB version), Organ and Brass Ensemble (2 trumpets, horn, 2 trombones, tuba).
More info

This inspired arrangement by Andrew was commissioned by the Choir of Hereford Cathedral and first performed there on 15th December 1979 by the Hereford Choral Society, the Choristers of Hereford Cathedral, Robert Green (organ) and the Birmingham School of Music Brass Ensemble (director Frank Downes), conducted by Roy Massey.  Our daughter Paula was born on December 13th. I write an account of the day of her birth and this premiere here.



21 years later the work resurfaced.  It was included in the Birmingham Festival Choral Society's 'Towards the Millennium' concert series, for their concert on 4th April 1998, featuring music of the 1970s.  In this performance, the BFCS were accompanied by Gemini Brass and Carleton Etherington (organ) and conducted by Anthony Bradbury.
 Andrew and I were at the performance, and I was reminded what a wonderful arrangement Andrew had created.


In December 2018 the arrangement was performed at the Meridian Singers' Christmas Concert in St Mary's Church, Bluntisham, and Holywell Church, Cambridgeshire, with Hextura Brass, Olga Elbourn on the organ, and conducted by our daughter Paula.  This performance can be heard here.  Andrew was not well enough to travel to Cambidge by this stage, so, leaving him with his carer, I took a train to Cambridge and was picked up by Paula.  We ate in a delightfully Christmassy rural pub on the way to the concert and I then stayed at Paula's afterwards, travelling back next morning on the first train, which was so overcrowded I was rammed against the door all the way to London.  Such pre-Covid scenes soon became a thing of the past.   

That same December I conducted my Hagley Community Orchestra in a performance of Andrew's arrangement in St Saviour's Church, Hagley, Worcestershire.  Andrew himself played an amazing rendition of the brass parts on keyboard and our vicar, Reverend Newton, gave a dynamic performance of the intensely moving organ part.  Anna and our grandsons Oscar and Max also played in the service.

Meridian Singers Christmas Concert

The instrumental arrangement by me, performed on 23rd December 2018, by Hagley Community Orchestra, with Rev Richard Newton (organ) and Andrew (keyboard), at the Christmas Carol Service in St Saviour's Church, Hagley, Worcestershire, can be watched here.

Paula created a stunning multitrack recording and music video in 2020/21 with her husband David Trippett, as part of Andrew's 70th birthday year.

HOLY COMMUNION (1980) 

Setting for Church congregation with organ accompaniment.
Also known as Mass for Trebles
More info

This setting of the Holy Communion service was commissioned by Cottingham Parish Church, Bristol.

A concert performance of the Holy Communion setting was given by the Meridian Singers, accompanied by Paul & Isabelle Galluzzo (violins), Claire Stevenson (cello) and Sinon Kirk (organ), directed by our daughter Paula, in March 2019 in their Spring Soiree concert at St John the Baptist Church, Somersham, Cambridgeshire.

Paula Downes conducting the Meridian Singers performing Andrew Downes' Holy Communion

In 2020/21, Paula created an online multitrack recording and music video of this Mass for Trebles.

I WILL LIFT UP MINE EYES UNTO THE HILLS Opus 35 (1986) 5'

Setting of Psalm 121 for SATB choir and organ.


More info

Andrew was thrilled to be commissioned by Peter Summers and the Choir of the Collegiate Church of the Holy Trinity, Stratford-upon-Avon, to compose an Anthem for Shakespeare Sunday!  True to form, he created a masterpiece for them.  The exciting first performance took place on April 27th 1986 at Holy Trinity Church (the actors' church), with Peter Summers, organ, and directed by Andrew himself.

A lot of prima donna actors where in the congregation!

Letter from Peter Summers to Andrew Downes, asking him to write an Anthem for Shakespeare Sunday

Commission for Downes to write an Anthem for Shakespeare Sunday

The Anthem was afterwards performed by the Clent Hills Singers (Worcestershire), conducted by Andrew, who at the time was the choir's Director, in St John's Church, Hagley, in May 1991.  Anna, Paula and I sang in the choir and Paula sang the solo at the end as a duet with another young singer.

The Chapel Choir of Royal Holloway, University of London, directed by Lionel Pike, then sang the Anthem in the Chapel of Royal Holloway in January 1995.

In May 1995, the Joint Chamber Choirs of South Hampstead High School and University College School, directed by Paula, performed the work at the Hampstead and Highgate Festival in May 2005.

Advertising and programme for performance at the Hampstead and Highgate Festival in 2005

In January 2001, the Anthem was recorded for CD, together with other sacred choral music by Andrew, entitled The Lord is my Shepherd (CPVP014CD), by the Chapel Choir of Royal Holloway, University of London, with Brian Moles, organ, directed by Lionel Pike, in Arundel Cathedral.  Andrew and I were present at the recording and had a wonderful time getting to know the choir of that time, particularly as I had been a member of the choir in my student days at London University.  Andrew loved the sincerity and devotion with which they sang.  All the tracks from this CD have been broadcast many times on Musicians Page Radio, Los Angeles, USA.


I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, together with O Sing unto the Lord a New Song from the CD were shared online in July and September 2020 during Andrew's 70th birthday year.

O PRAISE THE LORD Opus 51 (1993) Duration 4'  

Setting of Psalm 150 for SATB choir and organ.
More info

Andrew was immensely excited to be commissioned to compose this, his second Anthem, for performance by the Choir of Birmingham Cathedral, directed by Marcus Huxley, to celebrate the Restoration of the Cathedral in 1993.  I suggested he write a setting of the well known Psalm 150, O Praise The Lord, and he created another stunning work.  The commission came from the Provost of St Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham, the Very Reverend Peter Berry, with financial assistance from the Bank of Ireland, whose Birmingham Branch was situated in St Philip's House.  The first performance took place in a special service, attended by the Bishop of Durham, on 17th September 1993.

Listing in the Birmingham Post

Order of Service including the premiere of O Praise the Lord

Letter from The Very Reverend Peter Berry following the premiere

Letter from Andrew to The Very Reverend Peter Berry

The Birmingham Festival Choral Society, under the direction of Anthony Bradbury, who had originally typeset the Anthem and loved it, performed the work in Malvern Priory in a concert entitled ‘A British Celebration’ on 25th June 2005.

Concert programme

In 2020, our daughter Paula, with David Trippett, created a Music Video and Multitrack Recording of the Anthem, which Paula posted on YouTube on May 22nd 2020, during Andrew’s 70th birthday year.  Andrew loved their recording and listened to it many times.

O SING UNTO THE LORD A NEW SONG Opus 66 (1997) Duration 5'  

Setting of Psalm 96 for SSAATTBB choir and organ.



More info

Andrew composed this Anthem specially for Lionel Pike and the Chapel Choir of Royal Holloway, University of London, for their Millennium celebrations.  Royal Holloway Chapel Choir premiered it in their Thanksgiving Service at the end of the Academic Year on Sunday 11th June 2000, in the Church of the Assumption, Englefield Green.   They then performed it together with Andrew's Runnymede Service, which I describe next in this Blog post, on St Cecelia's Day in the Chapel of Royal Holloway on 29th November 2000.  I was particularly thrilled with these performances by the choir I belonged to when I was a student at Royal Holloway.

Letter of thanks from the Dean of students

The setting was wonderfully recorded for CD together with other sacred choral works by Andrew, entitled The Lord is my Shepherd (CPVP014CD) by Royal Holloway Chapel Choir, with Brian Moles, organ, directed by Lionel Pike, in January 2001 in Arundel Cathedral.  Andrew and I attended the recording.  We loved the sincerity and devotion with which Lionel and the singers performed all of Andrew's sacred music.  Andrew listened to their CD very often ever afterwards.

All the tracks from this CD have been broadcast many times on Musicians Page Radio, Los Angeles, USA.

Letter from Lionel Pike about recording the anthem

Premiere performance

During Andrew’s 70th birthday year, in September 2020, O Sing unto the Lord a new Song from the CD was shared online.

RUNNYMEDE MILLENNIUM CHORAL EVENSONG SERVICE Opus 65 (1997)

Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis (SSAATTBB & organ)  



Anthem: I was glad Setting of Psalm 122 (SSAATTBB & organ) 
More info

Small Choir versions (SATB) arranged by me are also available.



Our daughter Paula created an arrangement for SSAA in 2019.
Paula also created an SSAB version of I was glad in 2019.

Andrew's exquisite Runnymede Service was commissioned by the Runnymede Church Choirs Association with substantial help from St Mary's Trust, Thorpe, for the Association's 50th anniversary in 2000.

The full service was first performed at Evensong for the Festival of St Cecilia in the Chapel of Royal Holloway, University of London, by the Chapel Choir, conducted by Lionel Pike, on 29th November 2000.

Andrew and I were very excited to attend the amazing premiere by the superb Chapel Choir of Royal Holloway.  It was also very special for me, because, when I was a student, I sang in many services in Royal Holloway Chapel, as a member of the choir, under Lionel Pike.  After the service, we were invited to a splendid St Cecilia's Day dinner in the Royal Holloway Picture Gallery, and then to stay overnight at the grand and elegant Residence of the Principal of the college, Sir Drummond Bone.  I was particularly taken by the William Morris wallpaper and curtains all over the Pricipal's house!


In September 2002, the Canticles were performed in Bristol Cathedral by The New Birmingham Scholars, directed by Christopher Allsop. 

Service sheet for Evensong at Bristol Cathedral

In January 2003 Royal Holloway Chapel Choir, directed by Lionel Pike, sang the Canticles in Exeter Cathedral, St Jude's Church, Egham, and in Royal Holloway Chapel.

In November 2009 the Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge, directed by Sarah MacDonald, performed the Canticles in their Evensong Service.  Andrew was recovering from his spinal chord injury in Stoke Mandeville Hospital at the time, and so I went to the service with our daughter Paula.  Throughout the performance I had tears rolling down my face because Andrew was not able to listen to this beautiful performance of his music.  Fortunately, a recording was made, and so Andrew was able to listen to their performance afterwards in his hospital bed.  Selwyn Chapel Choir gave further performances of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in November 2010, February 2013, February 2014, October 2014, April 2016 and May 2017, all directed by Sarah MacDonald, and a performance directed by Christopher Robinson in Selwyn College Chapel (November 2011). Selwyn Chapel Choir visited Lincoln Cathedral in October 2010 and performed the Canticles there under Sarah MacDonald.

Service sheet for Selwyn Chapel Choir

In June 2020 our daughter Paula, created a Multitrack Video Recording of her high voice arrangement of the Canticles, which she posted on YouTube on June 3rd and 4th 2020, during Andrew’s 70th Birthday year.

The amazing anthem I Was Glad was later sung in Trinity College Chapel, Cambridge, by ex-Cambridge Choral Scholars, directed by Stefan Reid, at the wonderful wedding of our daughter Paula and David Trippett in July 2005.  The choir sang brilliantly.

The American premiere of I was Glad was given by the choir of Harvard University Memorial Church, directed by Edward E Jones, on 16th March 2008 and a further performance on 5th October 2008.  Both of these performances were broadcast live on WHRB radio, Cambridge, MA, USA.  Edward, whom we had met during our visits to see Paula and David (when David was studying for his PhD at Harvard, and he and Paula were Pastoral Tutors there) sent us recordings of Andrew's music, exquisitely performed by the choir.  We were enchanted.
 
In March 2019, The Meridian Singers, accompanied by Paul & Isabelle Galluzzo (violins), Claire Stevenson (cello) and Simon Kirk (organ), directed by Paula, performed I was Glad in their Spring Soiree concert in the church of St John the Baptist, Somersham, Cambridgeshire.  



The full Runnymede service was recorded for CD entitled The Lord is my Shepherd (CPVP014CD) by the Chapel Choir of Royal Holloway, with Brian Moles, organ, directed by Lionel Pike, in the wonderful accousics od Arundel Cathedral on 6th & 7th January 2001.  Andrew and I had an unforgettable weekend attending the rehearsals, meeting the choir, and seeing Arundel, where Andrew's ancestor, John Downes had been MP in the 17th century.  (John Downes was one of the signatories to the Death Warrant of King Charles I.  After the time of Oliver Cromwell, he was arrested by the army of King Charles II and spent the rest of his life in the Tower of London...)

All the tracks from Andrew's CD have been broadcast many times on Musicians Page Radio, Los Angeles, USA.

Letter to Friends of Royal Holloway Chapel Choir following the recording

Our daughter Paula created an arrangement for SSAA of the Runnymede Service in 2019, which can be heard here.

On January 2nd 2023, Andrew tragically died.  The day before his funeral Sarah MacDonald directed Selwyn College Chapel Choiir in performances of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in his memory.

ANDREW DOWNES: WEDDING MARCH from the Opera FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD Opus 87 (2005)
More info

The final chorus of this glorious opera by Andrew, based on the novel by Thomas Hardy, was arranged for SATB choir and organ by Andrew, and brilliantly performed in the Chapel of Trinity College, Cambridge, by ex-Cambridge Choral Scholars, directed by Stefan Reid and accompanied by Daniel Hyde, at the wonderful wedding of our daughter Paula to David Trippett in July 2005.  

The world première performances of Andrew’s full scale opera, Far from the Madding Crowd, commissioned by the Thomas Hardy Society for the 2006 Thomas Hardy International Festival in Dorchester, Dorset, were given to audience and critical acclaim on July 26th, 27th and 28th, at St Mary’s Church, Dorchester. 

Bride Paula Downes with father Andrew Downes, July 2005

THE MERCIES OF OUR LORD Opus 78b (2001) Duration 7'


Anthem for SATB choir, 2 trumpets (optional) and organ.  Setting of poem by Moira Weir.

More info

This work was specially commissioned by Princethorpe College for a special Mass to celebrate the Centenary of the College Chapel, designed by Paul Pugin.  The first performance took place in the Centenary Mass on 8th May 2001, sung by the Chapel Choir, with trumpeters and organist from the college, directed by Sue Francis.  Sue's son had studied composition at Birmingham Conservatoire with Andrew, and Sue was very taken with Andrew's music.   She had asked him initially to compose a mass setting, but eventually suggested he set a special poem by Moira Weir.

Order of Service for the premiere of The Mercies of our Lord

During Andrew’s 70th birthday year, in September 2020, our daughter Paula with her husband David Trippett made a multitrack recording and music video of the anthem.

O BE JOYFUL IN THE LORD, ALL YE LANDS Opus 102 (2012) 

Setting of the Jubilate for soprano solo, SATB choir and organ.

More info

This work also came about via one of Andrew's students, Graham Williams, who was the Musical Director of the Callington Singers of Cornwall.  Graham asked Andrew to compose a work to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the foundation of the Choir. 
The first performance took place at Menheniot Parish Church on 26th October 2013, with our daughter Paula as soloist, and Simon Brett organist, conducted by Graham Williams.

We had a lovely short holiday, driving down to Cornwall for the premiere in the wheelchair-friendly Menheniot Church.  Everyone gave us an extremely warm welcome and organised a party for us after the concert.

Concert programme

Letter to Andrew from the Callington Singers

Newsletter following the premiere

The Callington Singers, with soprano soloist, Dee Easton, directed by Graham Williams, subsequently performed the work in Exeter Cathedral (February 2014), in Gunislake Church, Cornwall (April 2014), in Truro Cathedral (August 2014), in Tavistock Parish Church, Cornwall (July 2018) and at St George's Chapel, Windsor (August 2018).

On a trip to Brittany, the Callington Choir, together with the Kantorei Barsbuettel from Germany, and the Chorale Chanterelle de Guipavas, France, directed by Graham Williams, gave the first French performance on December 13th 2014 in Notre Dame de Kerbonne, Brest, and a further performance in the Eglise Paroissiale, Guipavas, Brittany, on 14th December 2014.  The Callington Singers gave further performances in Guipavas Church in June 2018.  Dee Easton was the soprano soloist in these French performances.

In 2020, our daughter Paula created a Music Video and Multitrack recording of this work, which she posted online on May 30th 2020, during Andrew’s 70th birthday year.

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