The Planets (2024)
Available from 18 September 2024. Salisbury Cathedral’s Assistant Director of Music, John Challenger, releases his fourth solo album on the Cathedral’s famous Father Willis Organ. John’s arrangement of Holst’s Planets Suite, made specially for the organ here at Salisbury Cathedral, will be available in two recorded formats – audio album, and YouTube film. More details of how to order, and where to watch, coming soon.
Salisbury Christmas (2023)
Released in November 2023, this is a new collection of carols, seasonal songs and music, performed by Salisbury Cathedral Choir, with Director of Music, David Halls and Assistant Director of Music, John Challenger (organ).
Music includes God rest you merry (Willcocks), Candlelight Carol (Rutter), Sing Lullaby (Howells) and Tomorrow shall be my dancing day (Gardner). The album also includes the first recording of Errollyn Wallen’s Salisbury Carol, commissioned by Salisbury Cathedral in 2022.
Organ Prom (2020)
Salisbury Cathedral’s Assistant Director of Music, John Challenger, releases his third album on the Cathedral’s famous Father Willis Organ, bringing the thrill of the popular Organ Prom to your own home.
Music includes Orb and Sceptre March (Walton), Toccata and Fugue in D minor (Bach), Nimrod (Elgar) and Pomp and Circumstance March No.1 (Elgar).
Salisbury Meditation (2021)
John Challenger, the Cathedral’s Assistant Director of Music, and award-winning classical music recording producer and engineer Andrew Mellor of AJM Productions Ltd recorded Salisbury Meditation – Music for the NHS, a digital album of classics played during the COVID-19 vaccination sessions at Salisbury Cathedral.
Funds raised go to NHS Charities Together, the membership body for 241 NHS charities that give £1 million every day to help our hospitals do more.
Salisbury Meditation features sixteen tracks played by John on the Cathedral’s renowned Father Willis Organ, including Sheep may safely graze, Salut d’amour, The Swan (Carnival of the Animals) and Jesu, Joy of man’s desiring.
Stream Salisbury Meditation on Spotify
Salisbury Meditation CD available to purchase from the Cathedral Gift Shop
Cesar Franck (2019)
John Challenger, Assistant Director of Music, plays the major organ works of the nineteenth-century composer and founder of the French Symphonic organ school, César Franck.
The programme includes Franck’s Pièce Heroïque, the Prelude, Fugue and Variation, and the Cantabile, along with the gigantic Three Chorals for Organ, which Franck composed in 1890, immediately prior to his death. The romantic sounds of Salisbury’s iconic organ, along with the glorious acoustics of Salisbury Cathedral, are a perfect match for this repertoire.
