Cecilia McDowall

Setting a fifteenth-century English text containing some short Latin passages, this is a joyful, dance-like carol with a medieval feel. Now may we singen was originally published in the New Horizons c...

This solemn work sets a traditional Latin prayer lauding the Virgin Mary, with intense melodic lines that reflect the mystery of the immaculate conception. McDowall combines modal writing with harmoni...

This jubilant carol sets an evocative fourteenth-century text celebrating the birth of Christ. With a lilting, medieval feel and changing metres, Of A Rose has been recorded by The Sixteen on their al...

A setting of one of the seven Advent 'O' Antiphons, O Oriens makes use of luxurious and exotic harmonies, creating a shimmering texture. The focus on human enlightenment in winter's darkness means the...

This jubilant carol sets an evocative fourteenth-century text celebrating the birth of Christ. With a lilting, medieval feel and changing metres, Of A Rose has been recorded by The Sixteen on their al...

This work is destined to become a classic of the repertoire. The contrasting movements (I Power of Dreams- II Kirchner's Ear) are superbly written and result in a substantial and powerful work and a m...

Commissioned by Ralph Woodward and the Fairhaven Singers in memory of Dora Kemp, one of the choir's sopranos, God is Light sets lines from Psalm 139, 1 Thessalonians, and 1 John. It moves from an unse...

Everyday Wonders: The Girl from Aleppo tells the extraordinary story of Nujeen Mustafa, a Kurdish teenager with cerebral palsy forced by war to flee her home and embark on an arduous journey to Europe...

This inventive work, composed in 2019, owes its title to that year's two great anniversaries connected to manned flight: the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing and the 500th anniversary of the...

Four Shakespeare Songs sets texts exploring different aspects of love. Using passages from various Shakespeare plays, McDowall's writing is beautiful and clever in how it reflects the moods and emotio...

Cecilia McDowall's fresh and appealing style is amply displayed in this cycle, subtitled 'Three Shakespeare Songs' and first performed by the BBC Singers. In total, six Shakespeare texts are used, and...

Traditionally sung on Christmas Eve, 'O Virgo virginum' is often described as the eighth ‘O' Antiphon and praises Mary, ‘O virgin of (amongst) virgins.' McDowall's setting is vigorous and joyful, with...

Experience the sublime beauty of sacred choral music with this magnificent edition of 'Regina Caeli', published by the renowned Oxford University Press. As a traditional Marian antiphon, this work emb...

With "I know that my redeemer liveth", Oxford University Press presents a deeply moving and expressive motet for unaccompanied mixed choir (SSA(A)TB). Originally conceived to be performed alongside Jo...

Make we joy now in this fest is a lively and vibrant setting of a 15th-century macaronic text. An eminently memorable and energetic chorus frames expressive verses that vividly illuminate the medieval...

For SSATB unaccompanied. New Horizons showcases the wealth of exciting, innovative, and occasionally challenging choral music being written today. It encompasses the whole gamut of small-scale choral...

This is the third in a trilogy of organ works inspired by the metaphysical poet, George Herbert. This piece and the first of the three, Sounding heaven and earth, draw their titles from George Herbert...

O Antiphon Sequence was conceived as a recital piece, although each of its individual movements would also work in a liturgical context. Each movement is a response to an extract of liturgical text fr...

Composed for performance at degree ceremonies at the University of Portsmouth, this work captures the joy and excitement of such occasions, partly through the incorporation of a quote from Thomas Rave...

Composed for performance at degree ceremonies at the University of Portsmouth, this work captures the joy and excitement of such occasions, partly through the incorporation of a quote from Thomas Rave...

for SSATBB unaccompanied A beautiful 6-part unaccompanied Marian motet written for the Marian Consort. The work combines reminiscences of Renaissance settings of this text with McDowall's distinctive...

SATB unaccompanied This set of Preces and Responses was commissioned by the London Festival of Contemporary Church Music for their 2010 festival. The work is uplifting, beautifully crafted, and perfec...

for SATB (divisi) with 2 soprano solos This engagingly written piece sets the Lamentations of Jeremiah. The overlapping passages of music passed between the soloists and the choir create a dramatic ef...

Setting a text spoken by Nurse Edith Cavell on the eve of her execution in 1915 and re-fashioned by the poet Sean Street, McDowall has created a work of haunting beauty. It is equally suitable for fun...

Setting a well-known poem by Percy Shelley, Love's Philosophy is a sweet and tender choral song reflecting on the idea of love with reference to nature and the interdependent relationships evident in...