Continuing Regent’s ‘A Year’ series we move to the US, and an unusual collection of music from the choir of Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church, Saint Louis, directed by William Aitken, in their first commercial recording.

Saint Peter’s Church in Saint Louis, Missouri, is renowned in the US mid-West for being a centre for music from the Anglican choral tradition, performed at the highest standards. The adult choir sings English cathedral-style services weekly and the church’s annual organ concert series regularly features distinguished British musicians such as Thomas Trotter, James O’Donnell, and John Scott.

This recording charts a journey through the church’s year from Advent to Pentecost. In addition to some perennial favourites, also included are first recordings of new works written for the Saint Peter’s choir by British composer, Sasha Johnson Manning, together with a selection of recent and contemporary American choral works by Ned Rorem, Leo Sowerby, Louie White, Joseph Goodman, Arthur Baynon, and director William Aitken himself – all of which will be new to British audiences.

The church’s fine main organ, built by British organ builder Mander, is featured extensively, and two of the tracks also feature the new Mander chamber organ.