St Mary's Singers and Abbey Brass join forces to present the world premiere recording of Paul Drayton's A Ceremony of Psalms (2016), alongside the piece which it was conceived as a companion to, John Rutter's much-loved Gloria. Also featured is the first recording of Drayton's Three Places in Old Cornwall, a vivid triptych celebrating the unique and beautiful Cornish landscape and played here by its dedicatee, Cornish trumpeter Paul Thomas and organist Joseph Wicks. Paul Drayton, after graduating from Oxford University, taught music at New College School, Oxford, then at Stowe School, Buckingham, and Truro College, as well as running many adult education classes. As a pianist his performances have ranged from concertos to jazz, while his composing has centered largely around vocal and choral music. A recent major work, The Passion of Christ as told by Mark the Evangelist, was performed in Truro Cathedral by the Three Spiresand again as a Good Friday broadcast by the BBC Singers on Radio 3.
