Lost cathedral choir recording from 1926 found

The recording of Rochester Cathedral choir was made in 1926

A recording of a choir made inside a Kent cathedral almost a century ago has been uncovered.

The record was made in 1926 when Columbia Records sent technicians to Rochester Cathedral.

It is the earliest known recording of a live choir inside a cathedral, according to Rochester Cathedral.

Adrian Bawtree, director of music at the cathedral, said they were "delighted to be sharing this historic recording".

The choir recording was released on vinyl in 1927

The chance discovery was made by a member of the City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society, the cathedral said.

The recording features the Magnificat in B flat by Charles Standford on one side and the Old Hundredth hymn, All People That On Earth Do Dwell, on the other.

Mr Bawtree said: "To hear the choir in such good heart back in 1926 is just simply fantastic.”

The recording - on 1 November 1926 - was made using electronic microphones and transferred live by telephone lines to the Columbia studio in Westminster.

These were then cut into a 12 inch, 80 revs-per-minute, vinyl record.

It was issued commercially by Columbia Records in February 1927.

The recording was played at a special evensong in the cathedral on Sunday.

The very first electrical recording was from Westminster Abbey, at the burial of the Unknown Soldier, on 11 November 1920.