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 President, Honorary Patrons and Vice-Presidents
Following its AGM on 14 October, the Church Music Society is delighted to announce that The Most Reverend Bernard Longley, Archbishop of Birmingham has graciously agreed to become President of the Society, in succession to the Very Reverend Michael Tavinor, Dean of Hereford until January of this year, who has retired after sixteen years in his CMS role.
The CMS has similar pleasure in welcoming as Honorary Patrons The Right Reverend Guli Francis-Dehqani, Bishop of Chelmsford, The Lord Glenarthur and Sir James MacMillan CBE.
The Society has also elected three distinguished musicians to join the ranks of the CMS’s Vice-Presidents - Carl Jackson MVO, Dr Cecilia McDowall and Dr Philip Moore.
Publications
For full details of our new and recent publications, including the anthem Most glorious Lord of life by Francis Jackson, and the Trinity Respond Honor, virtus et potestas by Thomas Tallis, please see our New Publications page.
Forthcoming publications include the first modern edition of movements from one of the earliest known Short Services, the Magnificat, Nunc dimittis and Deus misereatur by Nicholas Strogers, the anthem How are the mighty fallen by Robert Ramsey, the Alternative Evening Canticles (Cantate Domino & Deus misereatur) by Frederick Ouseley, and a new setting of verses from Robert Herrick's Litany to the Holy Spirit by Christopher Ouvry-Johns.
A revised edition of the 'Tudor Responses' volume by Watkins Shaw is also in progress.
Free Music Downloads
In an important new development in the provision of its service to church music, the CMS is now making music submitted by members of the Society - original works, editions and arrangements - available on its website for downloading, free of charge, for liturgical use only.
Lectures and Papers
Our Lectures and Papers resource has been now been expanded by the addition of scans of several CMS lectures and papers from the last forty years. There is also a newly submitted paper by our General Editor - Psalms and Hymns in the early nineteenth century: the collections of Jane Clarke and Theophania Cecil – within which are examined the contents of two publications associated with the fashionable chapels-of-ease within the central London parishes of Marylebone and Holborn.
Resources for Returning to Singing
The CMS continues with the aim of offering critically-acclaimed, flexible and highly adaptable resources for singers and choirs planning a measured and careful return to singing when Coronavirus restrictions are lifted. View recommendations from our catalogue and from the new 'Music Downloads' page.
Please read our ‘Membership’ page and consider taking up the benefits of becoming a member of the Society.
Please visit our ‘Catalogue’ through which you can order our titles from our publishers, Oxford University Press, or from Banks Music Publications (with 25% discount from Banks if a Society member).
