Morston: All Saints

There are few more fitting places in which to hear great choral music than a beautiful old village church, and on Sunday 23rd August 2026, All Saints Church, Morston provided a wonderfully atmospheric setting for an outstanding evening of music from the Ralph Allwood Singers.

Entitled 'The Cloud Capp’d Towers', (as a nod to Prospero), the concert brought together some of the finest young choral voices in the country for a programme that ranged from the Renaissance to the twentieth century, from the serene Palestrina to the rich, romantic harmonies of Bruckner and Rheinberger, and the distinctive English choral tradition of Stanford, Tallis and Vaughan Williams.

The Ralph Allwood Singers combine members of the Old Royal Naval College Trinity Laban Choir, The Royal College of Music and the Rodolfus Choir and are some of the most excellent young singers in the UK. Individually, the voices were beautiful; collectively, they produced a sound of remarkable warmth and precision.

The choir were conducted by Ralph Allwood, MBE, who was Director of Music at Eton College for 26 years and is now a freelance choral director, teacher and conductor. His direction brought an impressive combination of discipline, sensitivity and musicality to the performance. From the opening 'Beati Quorum Via' by C. V. Stanford, the choir sang the intricacies of the repertoire with emotional depth and joyous sensitivity.

The title work, Vaughan Williams's 'The Cloud Capp’d Towers', was a natural centrepiece. The setting of Shakespeare's famous words resonated around in the church, while the final works, including Rheinberger's 'Abendlied' and William Harris's 'Bring Us, O Lord God', brought the concert to a wonderful conclusion.

The acoustics of All Saints were quite fantastic and the old pump harmonium organ also sounded wonderful, adding another distinctive colour to the musical landscape.

The church itself was splendidly decorated for the occasion, creating a warm and welcoming setting for what was, in every respect, a very special evening. It was also particularly pleasing that the concert served a purpose beyond the music itself. Proceeds were in aid of All Saints PCC, helping to raise funds to keep this beautiful church in Morston watertight, maintained and open to all. In a village church, the building is not simply a place of worship but a vital part of the community, and an evening such as this demonstrated beautifully what can happen when music, place and community come together.

A huge thank you is therefore due to all the members of the Morston community who helped to organise the event and made the evening such a success. To those who made and served the delicious canapés, served drinks, welcomed visitors, prepared the church, helped behind the scenes and gave their time and energy so generously: thank you.

'The Cloud Capp’d Towers' was more than simply an excellent concert. It was a celebration of music, young talent, an extraordinary conductor, a beautiful village church and the community that cares for it.

'The Cloud Capp'd Towers' - Photos and text (c) Richard Longley

Morston: All Saints

The Cloud Capp'd Towers

PCC Stall at Langham Street Fayre

Mary's Crab Supper and Seal Trip 2026

Crispian Steele-Perkins comes to Morston