‘He who sings, prays twice’ so said St Augustine of Hippo. The music of Gregorian Chant, or plainsong is the Church's most ancient form of chanted prayer, and perhaps its most haunting and beautiful. It can transport, delight and transform. This recording is a snapshot of how we use plainsong at Portsmouth Cathedral, from the simplest of psalms as sung at weekday Evensong, or a great hymn marking a major Feast Day such as Veni Creator for Pentecost, or through its use in simple choir motets as set here by the Cathedral’s Director of Music, David Price. Portsmouth Cathedral Choir is made up of 22 boy choristers and 12 gentlemen (including 6 Choral Scholars) who contribute to the pattern of daily cathedral worship. The choristers rehearse on weekday mornings at 8.00am before a normal school day in preparation for the week's music. In any normal week the Cathedral Choir sings for at least 6 services.

The Choir also sings at various special services and events both locally and internationally, and has toured Belgium, Holland, Sweden, France and more recently Estonia and Germany. At home in the UK they have also sung at St Paul's Cathedral, the Queen's private chapel at St George's in Windsor Castle and, most recently, at Westminster Abbey. The Choir was involved in the 70th Anniversary of D-Day in including two BBC Radio broadcasts and an International Drumhead Ceremony. The Cathedral Choir maintains strong links with the Royal Navy and takes part in a number of services for them such as the annual Royal Marines Band Remembrance Service and the Second Sea Lord’s carol service on HMS Victory.