Andrew Downes: A St Luke Passion and Sacred Choral Works

Featuring

Morgan Pearse
David Trippett
Paula Downes
Hannah Cooke
Philharmonia Voices
Philharmonia Orchestra

Andrew Downes

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Composer Biography

Herbert Howells, a renowned composer and Downes's teacher at the Royal College of Music, described Downes as 'one of the most effective composers coming to me these days.'

Composition History

The St. Luke Passion was commissioned by the Civic Choir of Guildford Cathedral and premiered there in 1993.

Composer Biography

Andrew Downes, the composer, was a talented boy treble and later countertenor, who won a choral scholarship to St. John's College, Cambridge.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Downes expressed great admiration for Claudio Monteverdi, a Baroque composer, and sought to emulate his freer approach to orchestration, as seen in Downes's St. Luke Passion.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Downes admired the 'smooth, timeless quality' of plainsong and the choral works of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, finding they combined perfectly formed lines into grand, flowing musical structures.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Downes's compositional style incorporated diverse influences, including African drumming beat patterns, Rock harmonies, and modal scales from North Indian Classical Music.

Recording & Production

The A Saint Luke Passion was recorded in Alexandra Palace, London, in August 2024, while the unaccompanied sacred choral works were recorded in St Augustine's Kilburn, London, in April 2025.