For those who love lists, or who are curious about what the choir has been singing all these years, or who may simply want to remember where or when we first or last sang that lovely earworm.
MILESTONES IN 2026
During the week, Durham overtook Chichester (17), Truro (21), and Gloucester (22) to move up to 5th place for most services sung in a cathedral (23), behind York (24), Wells & Hereford (32 each) and Winchester (63).
By the end of the week, 432 services had been sung (297 Evensong, 86 Eucharist, 49 Matins) bringing the totals to 1387 performances of 374 pieces of music by 149 composers. 204 different psalm chants, by 117 composers, have been sung.
Monday Evensong:
17th was the earliest date in August that Ex Collegio had sung evensong.
Psalm 128 reached joint 2nd position (16 times) in the list of psalms sung most often, behind Psalm 115 (17 times).
This was the 6th time Byrd’s Sing joyfully featured in a service, drawing level with Gibbons’s O clap your hand together at the top spot for a renaissance anthem.
Tuesday Evensong:
The St Martin’s Service was the 73rd setting of the Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis and the first by a female composer to be sung by Ex Collegio.
Insanae et vanae curae was only the 2nd piece sung by the Austrian composer Josef Haydn.
Wednesday Evensong:
Psalm 133 was the only psalm this year which had never been sung by Ex Collegio before; the chant was also a new one.
Daniel Roseingrave was arguably the only ‘new’ composer this year, although the Gloria of the Nunc Dimittis of Purcell in G minor, sung 10 times, has been attributed to him.
Thursday:
20th August was the earliest Ex Collegio cathedral ‘dumb day’.
Friday Evensong:
This was the 18th service at which Ex Collegio was not conducted by Tim Venvell, whose place at the desk was taken, as ever, by Peter Smith instead.
F1 was one of 5 triple chants sung by Ex Collegio; its first appearance, also to this psalm, was in 1993.
Saturday Evensong:
The Great Service marked the 87th time a piece by William Byrd has been sung.
With Lift up your heads, music by Orlando Gibbons was sung for the 33rd time, bringing him level with Henry Purcell in 7th place.
Sunday Eucharist:
The Missa Assumpta est Maria was the 31st different setting of the Mass sung by Ex Collegio, and the 5th by Palestrina.
Spiritu santo amore was the first sacred madrigal by Palestrina to be sung by Ex Collegio.
Sunday Evensong:
The hymn ‘Saints of God’ was sung for the 5th consecutive year, and for the 16th time since 2004.
The Lord’s Prayer from the Rose Responses ended the week as the most often sung music by Ex Collegio (40 times), ahead of the Rose Responses themselves (39 times: at one eucharist, in Llandaff, the Lord’s Prayer was sung without the Responses) and the William Smith Responses (35 times).
The Westminster Service was the 80th time a piece by Howells has been sung; only Byrd lies ahead.
