He was a chorister already at Highgate School, taking part in the first recording of Benjamin Britten's War Requiem, conducted by the composer in 1963.

[7][1] The text of the first movement is "Gloria in excelsis Deo" (Glory to God in the highest), the angels' song from the Annunciation to the shepherds, as narrated by Luke.

[6][9] Reviewer Malcolm Riley of Gramophone notes the movement's "incisive, punchy, syncopated brass opening" which sets the scene.

[11] The text of the third movement is the conclusion, "Quoniam tu solus sanctus" (For you alone are Holy), ending in a doxology.

The brass treatment in Rutter's work shows similarities to Walton's cantata Belshazzar’s Feast.

[12] A reviewer notes as Rutter's hallmarks: "an unfailing knack to get to the root of the text, exquisitely balanced vocal writing, melting harmonies, intensely sweet turns of phrase (sometimes overtly saccharine), short ecstatic climaxes, but also a willingness to be astringent, and rhythmically powerful.

[10] The composer conducted the Cambridge Singers, the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble and organist John Scott in the first recording in 1984.

[15][3] A 1995 recording combines Gloria with Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms and works by Francis Poulenc, including Quatre petites prières de saint François d’Assise[16] and Litanies à la Vierge Noire.

[11] Timothy Brown conducted the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge, The Wallace Collection and organist Richard Pearce.

[11] The Mormon Tabernacle Choir recorded the work in 1997 in a collection A Christmas Gloria with the Canadian Brass.

[5][14] A 2011 recording of the brass version by the choirs of St Albans Cathedral, combines Gloria with Rutter's Magnificat and Te Deum.