A NORTH Lancashire choir is reviving 18th century Cumbrian church music with the launch of its third CD next month.

The Gladly Solemn Sound, a Lancaster-based choir formed in 1992, will be giving people a sneak preview of their new album when they perform for free at Nab Cottage, Rydal, on October 19.

Choir director Paul Guppy said much of the music is florid and lively, reflecting the Baroque period. He said that he had high hopes that the concert will help feed the listeners' imagination into how church music would have sounded in the past.

The choir consists of 25 members and they sing West Gallery Music, a genre from the 18th and early 19th centuries.

"Perhaps we can give some idea of what might have been heard in north west England's country churches before West Gallery music became unpopular," said Mr Guppy. "West Gallery music is comprised mostly of metrical psalms and anthems; most comes down to us in manuscript painstakingly copied out by choir members, often by candlelight after a hard day's work."

Mr Guppy is wanting to bring West Gallery music back to life with his choir.

"One of the ways we can remember our history is through singing, to sing the music that was once written by ordinary church folk," he said. "We don't aim to reproduce exactly the sound of 1739 or even 1850 – indeed this would probably be impossible for a 21st century choir; but we hope we haven't strayed too far from the path of authenticity."

The CD, called "A Different Lore", will be on sale for £10 at the concert and also online via their website, www.gladlysolemn.co.uk