The Church Music Society
Registered Charity No. 290309
President: The Most Reverend Bernard Longley, Archbishop of Birmingham
Welcome
The CMS exists to promote the use of church music of the highest quality for the diverse needs of the Christian Church.
We seek to enable performers and worship leaders, composers and scholars, by publishing church music, new and old, not otherwise commercially available, and by providing a platform for research and educational material.
New publishers for the CMS
The CMS is delighted to announce a major new partnership with the Royal School of Church Music. From Monday 2 March, the RSCM will become the exclusive publisher for all CMS titles. The CMS membership discount will be available online through the RSCM Music Shop: see ‘Catalogue’ page and 'Buying CMS editions' for details.
Pictured at the agreement signing are (l. to r.): Hugh Morris (RSCM Director), Prof. Patrick Russill (CMS Chairman) and Tim Ruffer (RSCM Head of Publishing).
News and Updates
The CMS is delighted to reveal its first four new publications under the new relationship with the RSCM, shown under New publications. Marking the centenary this year of the death of Charles Wood, his Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in A flat for SATB and organ appears in print for the first time, and a new edition has been issued of his early 8-part anthem O Lord, rebuke me not. Philip Moore's anthem The Soul's Desire is based on Wood's hymn tune 'Armagh'. Sally Dunkley has edited the motet Salva nos, Domine by Thomas Lupo (d. 1627), suitable for use at Compline or Evensong.
Forthcoming Publications
Plans include a collection of Restoration-period music for upper voices, edited by Myles Hartley, and two motets for Compline or evening use, settings of the Salva nos Domine by Italian composers active in England, Alfonso Ferrabosco and Thomas Lupo.
Free Music Downloads
Three settings of the Evening Canticles have now been added to Music Downloads: a new reconstruction of the The Sixth Service by Thomas Weelkes, a setting in E Major from 1812 by Exeter-based composer Lucy Moseley (currently the earliest-known Magnificat & Nunc dimittis by a female composer), and a recent Magnificat & Nunc dimittis for upper voices and organ by CMS member Norman Harper. Harper's Mass for Lower Voices (ATB & organ) has also been added.
Lectures and Papers
The Lectures and Papers section of the website now contains scans of nearly all the past lectures and papers issued by the society. The most recent addition to the collection is the second instalment of the General Editor's survey of the Alternative Canticles at Evensong: "David's Mystery and Mary's History", covering the period 1660-1750.
Please read our ‘Membership’ page and consider taking up the benefits of becoming a member of the Society.
Please visit our ‘Catalogue’ page, through which you can order our titles from our publisher, the Royal School of Church Music, and for information on 25% discount if a Society member.
