THE community are invited to get involved in a virtual premiere to mark the 800th anniversary of the founding of Salisbury Cathedral.

Originally planned as a performance in the cathedral on Foundation Day on April 28, the premiere was cancelled due to lockdown and has since been re-imagined as a virtual performance.

It will be led by the Cathedral Choir with Salisbury Cathedral director of music, David Halls. The performance will be done remotely. And anyone can record themselves singing and join the chorus.

The Salisbury Anthem will be released online on May 31 as part of the Salisbury 2020 Big Weekend, a special programme of online activities created by the Salisbury 2020 partners.

Salisbury Cathedral liturgy and music manager and the project coordinator, Andrea McDermott, said: “The process of taking part is relatively simple. All you need is a device that can record video, like a phone, iPad, tablet or computer, then follow the instructions that have been uploaded to the Cathedral website along with a guide soundtrack and words. You don’t have to be a fabulous singer, just someone who wants to celebrate our Cathedral, past, present and future. Every voice counts.”

The Salisbury Anthem was composed by James Morgan and Juliette Pochin, using extracts from a poem by Henry D’Avranches that was written at the time the cathedral was being built. The refrain that the Anthem chorus will sing is:

Happy the one who lives to see this done!

This church completed, finished with such care;

A shining effort, built for everyone;

Though built by kings, a place that all may share.

Salisbury Journal:

The poem was originally composed in medieval Latin but has been translated into modern English by Dr Francis Young, a specialist translator of medieval and early modern Latin texts.

Anyone can join the virtual anthem chorus. The deadline for contributions is May 17. Sign up to sing along at salisburycathedral.org.uk/news/join-our-virtual-choir-celebrate-our-cathedral-and-city