Music & the Choir at St Alfege
For musicians and music-lovers, the church of St Alfege has long been revered as the burial place of Thomas Tallis, the "Father" of English church music. At the Chapel Royal, he served under no less than four monarchs - from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I - composing, teaching, and "bringing up to music" younger generations. To this day, Greenwich's parish church, St Alfege, has maintained a fine reputation for music-making in the great tradition of the Church of England founded by Henry himself.
![[The choir of St Alfege, Greenwich]](../images/choir-01.jpg "[The choir wear red cassocks because St Alfege is a Crown living]")
The present church choir at St Alfege numbers about 30 - children, men, and women - who are currently brought up to music by Stephen Dagg, Director of Music (also Director of London's Centre for Young Musicians/London Schools Symphony Orchestra). (Philip Simms, who retired from St Alfege in July 2000 after 30 years of distinguished service, is Organist Emeritus).
![[RealPlayer]](../images/realplay.gif){kind=small}
Sanctus, from Josef Rheinberger Mass in Eb (962kb)
Psalm 23, from Herbert Howells Requiem (1406kb)
Haec Dies, by Herbert Howells (1302kb)
To hear these clips you will need to have the free RealPlayer program.
(These sound clips are taken from "Live in Concert", recorded by the choir of St Alfege at L'Abbatiale St Volusien on 25 August 2002. Copies of the CD can be bought from St Alfege, price £10.00 plus postage and packing.)
![[image of Steve Dagg]](../images/dagg.gif "[Steve Dagg, Director of Music]")
