HAVPCD388 – CAROLS AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE
There has been a worshipping community on the site of Ely Cathedral since St Etheldreda founded a double monastery for men and women in 673. The monastery was re-founded in 970 by King Edgar under the encouragement of Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury and Ethelwold, Bishop of Winchester according to the Benedictine rule as a monastic house for men. No trace now remains of the Anglo-Saxon monastery founded in 673 and re-founded in 970. After the Norman Conquest in 1066, and the putting down of the local rebellion of Hereward the Wake immediately after, the fi rst Norman Abbot began to rebuild the Abbey. From 1109 onwards the church was also the seat of a bishop of the new bishopric of Ely.
Major works began again in 1321, with the commencement of the Lady Chapel, and accelerated after the collapse of the central tower of the cathedral in 1322. During the next 30 years the octagon was built for which the building is now world famous, the Lady Chapel was finished, and some of the monastic buildings were substantially altered. This recording was made under the Octagon.
In 1539 the monastery was dissolved by Henry VIII. The bishopric remained, and the bishop continued to live in the medieval bishop’s palace (now part of King’s School Ely) until the early 20th century. In more recent years the Cathedral, affectionately known as ‘The ship of the fens’, has undergone much restoration. It remains faithful to its inheritance as a Foundation and House offering worship to God every day, serving its community and as Mother Church of the Diocese of Ely.
Paul Trepte has been Director of Music at Ely Cathedral for the last 23 years and during that time the musical life of the Cathedral has grown and developed to include four choirs: The Cathedral Choir, the Ely Cathedral Girls Choir, The Ely Cathedral Octagon Singers and The Ely Imps. During his time in Ely the Cathedral Choir has toured, broadcasted and recorded extensively.
Paul began is musical career when at the age of 10 he became a Chorister at Leeds Parish Church and began keyboard studies. At 12 he was taken on by Donald Hunt who taught him the organ. At the same age he became a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain where he began his composition lessons with Herbert Howells. He became Organ Scholar at New College Oxford and had lessons with Nicholas Danby after which he was appointed Assistant Organist at Worcester Cathedral. He then held the post of Director of Music at St Mary’s Collegiate Church, Warwick and at St Edmundsbury Cathedral in Suffolk before moving on to follow Arthur Wills at Ely. Paul has also conducted a number of other choirs including the Britten Pears Choir at Aldeburgh, Leamington Spa Bach Choir and Ipswich Bach Choir.
He has had many compositions published and during a sabbatical in 2006 he was commissioned to write a song cycle entitled ‘Songs for Mendham’ which was first performed by Lita Manning with members of the Britten Sinfonia.
