ON Saturday night, York Minster will ring out with music first performed in the cathedral building in 1644 when the city was under siege.

At 7.30pm, The Ebor Singers will present The Sound Of Drums, a selection of music and readings that trace the fortunes of Charles I during the English Civil War, and in particular over the 12 weeks that summer when the loyal city of York was surrounded by the joint army of Scotland and Parliament.

Sacred music by Byrd, Tomkins and Purcell will be set against pieces by lesser-known composers, such as Jeffreys, Child and William Lawes, who wrote a remarkable set of psalms that were performed in the Minster during the siege.

"The city was teeming with residents and billeted soldiers; food and fresh water was in short supply, and the population was being bombarded by gun emplacements surrounding the city," says Paul Gameson, director of The Ebor Singers. "But during this time there was music specially composed for services in the Minster that reached out to the different social, political and religious factions within the city."

One notable event during the siege was the mining of the city walls near St Mary’s Tower when, in the skirmish that followed, 300 attackers were killed. "The attack was on Trinity Sunday and was possibly timed to coincide with the Sunday service in the Minster, when the military leaders and officers were in attendance’," says Gameson. "One account tells of how cannon balls were bouncing round the pillars of the Minster while everyone was singing psalms."

This Music For A Besieged City project is of particular interest to The Ebor Singers, whose director has specially researched the repertoire. "We've returned to it regularly over the two decades since our formation, and it's the focus of our next two CDs," says Gameson. "The first of these, Music For Troubled Times, will be launched at Saturday’s concert and is being released on Resonus Classics."

Other events will take place during the day, starting with Gameson's choral workshop of this repertoire at 10am in the Minster School. Admission is by pre-booking only; please contact info@eborsingers.org for details.

At 4pm, Gameson will be joined in the Minster Library by Professor Jonathan Wainwright, from the University of York’s music department, to discuss musical perspectives on the English Civil War; admission will be free.

Tickets for The Sound Of Drums concert in The Quire of York Minster cost £12, concessions £10, students £5 student, on 01904 623568, at the York Theatre Royal box office or on the door.