John Hosking has spent his life in the organ loft (St Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster Abbey and the cathedrals of Lincoln, Truro and, currently, St Asaph). All that practical experience has given him a deep knowledge both of what works in a liturgical setting and of the choral tradition’s rich repertoire. The ghost of Duruflé is evident in his beautiful Chester Service (with a cheeky reference to Messiaen’s La Nativité du Seigneur along the way); Herbert Howells hovers over his Bangor Service, while A Royal Blessing could be by John Rutter. Yet for all these influences Hosking maintains his own distinctive voice, particularly in his impressive Requiem.
