Music

at Our Lady of the Assumption & the English Martyrs, Cambridge

Sacred Music for the Glory of God and the Sanctification of the Faithful

Listen now to our Parish Choir now using the music player to the right:

Welcome…

…to the music website of the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and the English Martyrs, one of the largest Catholic churches in the UK, situated in the historic university city of Cambridge. Since the end of the 19th century, the praises of God have resounded here in the Prayer of the Church and the celebration of the sacraments, chiefly the Mass – the Memorial of the Lord, the ‘source and summit’ of our life in Christ. Music plays an integral role here in the Sacred Liturgy as all who come to lift up their hearts in praise of Almighty God are invited to join their voices to the one sacrifice of praise ‘in the presence of the angels’.

“…sacred music surpasses merely religious music when it is joined to the liturgical rite to become ‘a necessary and integral part of the solemn liturgy’ whose purpose is ‘the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful.’ ”
- Sacrosanctum Concilium

The Rt Revd Mgr Canon E Harkness OSB Obl, Rector

An Introduction to Music at Our Lady & The English Martyrs

With its huge spire and sturdy tower, the Church of Our Lady & The English Martyrs – known affectionately as OLEM – is one of the landmarks of the city of Cambridge and one of the largest Catholic Churches in the country. The Church was founded as a result of a bequest given by Yolande Lyne-Stephens, a former Parisian ballet dancer, who married a rich East Anglian landowner. Consecrated in 1890, the Church today serves a large, diverse congregation.

Over the years a rich liturgical and musical tradition has been established. Music plays a vital part it our liturgical celebrations. The musical treasury of the Church is preserved and cultivated here in the regular singing of Gregorian chant and renaissance polyphony as well as music from the classical and romantic periods, through to the best of the contemporary. What follows is a description of the work of our various choirs and instrumentalists, our Music Trust that provides funding for our Choral and Organ Scholarships, as well as a wide range of related activities such as concerts and recitals. If you would like to become involved in the musical life of our church then do get in touch with us.