Waltham Abbey Music

Music at the Abbey Church

Photograph of Waltham Abbey Choir singing at a service. Waltham Abbey has a rich musical heritage dating back to the foundation of the monastery. One of England’s most famous composers, Thomas Tallis, was a young organist here when the foundation was dissolved. More recently it was the church where Cummings rearranged Mendelssohn’s music to fit the words of Charles Wesley’s Hark! The herald angels sing for the first time.

Today music enriches our worship through three specific groups: the choir, the choristers and the music group. The choir is a group of about 25 adults who sing around six services a month with a repertoire stretching back even earlier than Tallis and forward to the present day. The choristers sing for two services each month and occasionally join with the adult choir; they are a mixed-sex group aged 7-14 drawn from a variety of local schools. The Music Group enhances the worship at our Family Service with a more informal style of music.

In addition, there are numerous concerts and recitals at the church. Music for Lunch is presented on many Saturdays through the year and is free of charge. Other concerts are given from time to time by the choir and the choristers, and the church also serves as a venue for other organisations seeking a wonderful place to make music.

Waltham Abbey Music Headlines

Waltham Abbey Church Heritage Organ Appeal

Read all about our organ appeal.

Waltham Abbey 950

A commemorative CD recorded by the Abbey Choir and Choristers is available for £7 from the Visitor Centre in the crypt.

Concerts Diary

The concert diary for January to March 2012 is now available.