John Goss
John Goss wrote English church music marked by graceful vocal lines and careful word-setting. His hymn tune for Praise, my soul, the King of heaven remains one of the most familiar congregational melodies in the Anglican repertory.
As organist of St Paul's Cathedral he composed anthems for state occasions, among them If we believe that Jesus died for the Duke of Wellington's funeral, music of quiet devotion that led straight into Handel's Dead March. Other sacred pieces such as O taste and see, The Wilderness and O Saviour of the world kept a place in English cathedral repertory for their balance, solid harmony and unaffected charm. He also wrote glees and solo songs valued for grateful vocal writing. Later hymnody fixed his name in congregational singing, not least See, amid the winter's snow.
Compositions by John Goss appear on
Psalms
Psalms and chants from the Anglican and Taizé traditions, with two hymns, directed by Peter Chapman. Cantus Choro’s recording shows his love of Anglican psalmody, lively musicianship, and care for phrasing and words.
When David heard that Absalom was slain
The Choir of Ormond College specialised in liturgical music of the 16th and 20th centuries. This recording also includes psalm settings, among them Allegri’s Miserere, a setting of the penitential Psalm 51 once reserved for the Sistine Chapel in Holy Week.
Sing Out With Joy
Cantus Choro, directed by Peter Chapman, sings seventeen favourite hymns from the Australian Hymn Book. Norman Kaye’s imaginative organ accompaniments give the well-known settings fresh dramatic shape and room for the choir to breathe.