All Saints Church in Tooting, London, has a distinguished recording history. In the 1970s,80s and 90s it was a famed classical recording venue, its long, clear acoustic attracting the likes of Sony Classical & Deutsche Grammophon.

In fact, it was once so busy as a recording venue that a dedicated ‘control room’ outbuilding was constructed, with pipes into the main hall for microphone cables.

In recent years it has fallen out of favour with the classical industry. But Dan, through a friendship with a Sony recording engineer, had always been aware of this forgotten gem, languishing in the depths of South London.

In the summer of 2018 we went to All Saints to make a test recording of the huge pipe organ there. The sheer size of the hall bowls you over as you enter – it doesn’t look so big from the outside. In fact, if this church were in any other city than London, it would be a cathedral. The acoustic is also immediately apparent. Sparkly, open and clear, yet with a long rich tail if excited.

We completed a recording of the pipe organ in a day, and made plans to return in the spring of 2019 with a full choir.

The New London Chamber Choir joined us at All Saints in May 2019, recording basses, tenors, altos and sopranos – 32 voices in all – in different sessions over 4 days.

The results were stunning, and will be available April 2020 as ALL SAINTS CHOIR, a full virtual instrument for Kontakt.