RES10113 This Christmas Night Stephen F The ofW arr orcester College, Hafliði Hallgrímsson (b. 1941) Mark-Anthony Turnage This Christmas Night 11. Claremont Carol * Contemporary Carols 1. Joseph and the Angel * [3:43] [4:08] Anthony Piccolo (b. 1946) Howard Skempton (b. 1947) 2. I look from afar [6:19] 12. There is no rose * [2:39]

Thomas Hyde (b. 1978) Gabriel Jackson (b. 1952) 13. Hush! my dear * [3:30] The Choir of Worcester College, Oxford 3. Sweet was the song * [2:07] (b. 1934) 1, 3, 5-7, 9-10, 12-15, 18-19 2, 4, 8, 11, 16-17, 20 Mark-Anthony Turnage (b. 1960) Stephen Farr conductor and organ 4. Christmas Night * [2:45] 14. Fleecy Care Carol * [2:58] Edward Turner conductor 2, 4, 11, 16, 17 and organ 7, 9, 13, 19 John McCabe (b. 1939) Cecilia McDowall (b. 1951) 6 Nicholas Freestone organ 5. Mary laid her child [2:21] 15. Of a Rose * [2:48]

Malcolm Williamson (1931-2003) Geoffrey Bush (1920-1998) 6. This Christmas Night [3:06] 16. ‘Twas in the year that King Uzziah died [3:05] Matthew Martin (b. 1976) 7. I sing of a Maiden * [2:29] (1906-1983) 17. Nativity [5:55] About Stephen Farr: Thomas Hyde 8. Improvisation on ‘Puer Natus’ * [5:16] Edmund Rubbra (1901-1986) ‘[Farr’s]breadth of vision, intense sense of purpose and brilliant technique 18. Let us securely enter [2:18] combine to make this a recording which [...] deserves repeated listening’ Judith Bingham (b. 1952) Gramophone 9. Tu creasti Domine * [4:02] Kenneth Leighton (1929-1988) 19. O leave your sheep [4:14] ‘[Farr] brought an inventive flair to his choice of registers, Richard Allain (b. 1965) 20. Veni Redemptor – A Celebration [10:16] offering a reading of notable light and shade’ 10. Balulalow * [1:50] Tempo Total playing time [75:59]

* world premiere recording This Christmas Night securely enter, Op. 93, was written in 1924, with the harmonisation completed some The theme of the Christmas story continues to years later in 1956, along with a dedication inspire composers the world over, with more to the Elizabethan Singers. Rubbra himself choral music written for this particular season translated the original French text (Entrez-y than any other in the Church’s calendar. The tous en sureté) by the seventeenth-century tradition is perhaps strongest in the British writer, Christin Prost. Isles, with its long-established and flourishing choral tradition that includes the creation It was during his time as a student of Classics of the ubiquitous service of Nine Lessons at The Queen’s College, Oxford that Kenneth and Carols, which dates from 1880. This Leighton (1929-1988) first came into contact programme of works for the Christmas with Rubbra. As student and lecturer, they period, either by British composers or those began at Oxford during the same year, with who have lived in Britain, attempts to bring Rubbra (along with Bernard Rose) providing together some lesser-known works from guidance to Leighton during his subsequent the latter half of the twentieth century B.Mus. studies. Following study in Rome with and the beginning of the twenty-first the avant garde composer Goffredo Petrassi century, with a selection linked with and university appointments in Leeds and Worcester College, Oxford. Edinburgh, it was ultimately as Rubbra’s successor that Leighton returned to Oxford No fewer than three of the composers as a Fellow of Worceseter College in 1968. represented in this recording have strong Just two years later in 1970, Leighton was connections with Worcester College, the tempted back to Edinburgh to become the earliest of these being Edmund Rubbra Reid Professor, a post which he held until (1901-1986), who was a fellow of the his untimely death in 1988. college and lecturer at the newly formed Faculty of Music from 1947 until his Both Veni Redemptor – A Celebration, Op. 93 retirement in 1968. A composer largely and O leave your sheep take their inspiration known for his work as a symphonist (he from existing themes. The solo organ work wrote eleven works in the genre), he also Veni Redemptor is based on the plainsong composed a substantial body of – mostly Advent hymn Veni, redemptor gentium The Choir of Worcester College, Oxford recording in the chapel of Keble College, Oxford sacred – choral works. The tune for th (Come, thou redeemer of the earth) – a short and relatively simple carol, Let us hymn thought to have been written by St Ambrose of Milan (340-397) – while O underlies an expressive and exquisitely bringing light to the world in the dead of of paradise remains unresolved. leave your sheep is an arrangement of a crafted setting of this well-known text by night. Composed for the Claremont School French carol. The earlier of these two works, William Ballet, taken from the early- in Tunbridge Wells, Claremont Carol is a Born and brought up in , Australia, O leave your sheep, was written in July of seventeenth century manuscript Lute book setting of the familiar Joseph Mohr text Malcolm Williamson (1931-2003) spent much 1962 at the request of the publisher Novello in Trinity College, Dublin. In contrast to the Silent Night. Treated strophically, each verse of his life in England, eventually becoming for inclusion in the volume Sing Nowell. calm of Sweet was the Song, is the intricate goes through a variation before the the first non-British holder of the title of toccata-like Improvisation on ‘Puer natus’, syncopated opening theme becomes Master of the Queen’s Music, a post he held Veni Redemptor – A Celebration was Op. 12 No. 1, for solo organ. It was written augmented accentuating the luxurious from 1975 until his death. This Christmas commissioned by William Mathias for the in 2010 for a Christmas broadcast on BBC harmony. Night is a setting of a text by Mary Wilson, 1985 North Wales International Music Radio 3 and the EBU and first performed a poet perhaps more well-known for being Festival and was first performed in by Stephen Farr in St Paul’s Church, A member of the BBC Singers for many the wife of former British Prime Minister, September 1985 by the organist John Scott Knightsbridge. Subsequently incorporated years and subsequently their composer-in- . A rich and sumptuous setting in St Asaph Cathedral. Leighton described into his Suite on Plainchant Themes, Op. 12, association from 2004 to 2009, Judith of the text, Williamson captures the warmth the hymn as a ‘celebration of Christmas the work builds gradually and almost Bingham (b. 1952), has returned regularly of the Christmas story. which gives expression to awe and majesty relentlessly in intensity towards an ebullient to the choral medium. Born in Nottingham as well as to joy and brightness’, which is statement of the plainsong in the closing and raised in Mansfield and Sheffield, she Successor to Malcolm Williamson as Master reflected in the concentrated introduction stages of the work. studied singing and composing at ’s of the Queen's Music, Sir Peter Maxwell that gives way to a resplendent Allegro. , where her tutors Davies (b. 1934) trained at the then Royal The piece continues to grow in stature As one of the most prolific living British included Alan Bush and Eric Fenby, with Manchester College of Music and was part until the final cadenza statement of the composers, Mark-Anthony Turnage (b. 1960) further lessons from Hans Keller. A winner of the influential New Music Manchester plainsong. has written only a handful of choral works. of many awards – including no fewer than Group along with Harrison Birtwistle, The two settings here for upper voices and four British Composer Awards – Bingham Alexander Goehr and the pianist . Thomas Hyde (b. 1978) – the most recent organ – Christmas Night and Claremont has also written for diverse groups including Dedicated to HM The Queen and HRH The composer to have an association with Carol – lack nothing of the unique and orchestral, instrumental, concertos, Duke of Edinburgh for Christmas 2010, Fleecy Worcester College – was a student at idiomatic style found in many of his larger chamber, and brass groups, in addition to Care Carol was premiered on 12 December both Oxford and London's Royal Academy scores. The immense variety of genres her considerable choral output. Tu creasti in the same year by the Choir of the Chapel of Music, before being appointed a lecturer that influence Turnage’s work – including Domine was written in 1989 and later Royal, St James’s Palace, conducted by in music at Worcester College in 2008. The jazz and blues as well as popular styles – revised in 2011. A setting of a text by the Andrew Gant. It was the latest in a series first of his two works in this recording, are clear from the opening of Christmas Anglo-French writer and poet Hilaire Belloc of carols that Maxwell Davies has composed Sweet was the song, was composed in Night, which was written for Reverend (1870-1953), the influence of the French each year since his appointment as Master 2003 to a commission from the Hampstead Joseph Hawes and All Saints, Fulham. The organ school on Bingham’s music is clear, of the Queen’s Music as a personal gift to Chamber Choir and dedicated to the text by The Right Reverend William Ind – with a keen sense of harmony that often the sovereign, and is a setting of an English composer's sister. A gently rocking lullaby a former Bishop of Truro – speaks of Christ borders on exotic, while the closing image folk song. In a fairly straightforward strophic carol Maxwell Davies combines a folk-like Richard Allain (b. 1965) has written in a melody with his own distinctive musical diverse number of musical genres including language. choral and music theatre, while maintaining a career in music education, and is an Like Maxwell Davies, John McCabe (b. 1939) innovative and creative voice in contemporary was also a student at the Royal Manchester music. The Scots text of Balulalow – attributed College of Music – in the generation to the sixteenth-century poets and brothers following the New Music Manchester Group – James, John, and Robert Wedderburn from and is well-known as both a pianist and a Dundee – is a gentle yet luxurious lullaby composer. Studying under Gordon Green for the infant Christ. and Thomas B. Pitfield, McCabe was a prolific writer of music from an early age Currently a rising star in British music, and has since written a wide range of Matthew Martin (b. 1976) has been genres. Mary laid her child is a setting of commissioned to write for most of the major a text by the Cumbrian poet, Norman in the UK as well as further afield. Nicholson (1914-1987). McCabe echoes Also well known as an organist and choir the unequivocal writing of Nicholson in director – having held positions at Magdalene his accessible yet uncompromising carol. and New Colleges in Oxford, and in Canterbury and Westminster Cathedrals – Martin studied Born in Chester, and a pupil of Cornelius in Oxford and at the Royal Academy of Music Cardew, the music of Howard Skempton in London and is currently organist and (b. 1947) is immediately identifiable through composer-in-residence at the London Oratory its refined economy and stillness, often Church. I sing of a maiden was first performed tranquil but deceptively simple. The in December 2010 by the Choir of Merton uncluttered quality of many of Skempton’s College Oxford under their director Benjamin works is typified by There is no rose – a Nicholas, and is a setting of a fifteenth-century setting of an anonymous fifteenth-century English hymn to the Blessed Virgin Mary. carol, which focuses on the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary – the virtuous rose Another established figure in British choral that brought Jesus into the world. music is Gabriel Jackson (b. 1962), whose output for the genre is quite prolific. Currently A former composer-in-association with the composer-in-association with the BBC Singers National Youth Choir of Great Britain, in succession to Judith Bingham, Jackson was born in Bermuda, was a chorister at Uzziah died characterise the remainder of Born and raised in New Jersey, Anthony Piccolo Canterbury Cathedral, and studied at the the piece, along with the bold unison melody (b. 1946) trained as a pianist and composer Royal College of Music in London. With a text ‘in the 5th Mode: a metrical form of the in the USA, and subsequently in Britain where by Isaac Watts, Hush! my dear is a simple Sanctus’, the text from The Book of Isaiah, he lived for nine years. Piccolo served as a lay lullaby which typifies Jackson’s unique speaking of Isaiah’s vision of Heaven. clerk in a number of British cathedrals including harmonic language, with instructions that Canterbury, Lichfield and St Paul’s in London. the scoring and dynamics for each verse can The pioneering serial composer Elisabeth Among the works he wrote while in the UK is be varied freely. Lutyens (1906-1983) was perhaps always an I look from afar, which was commissioned outsider to a cautious musical establishment for the Royal School of Church Music St Albans Known as a composer of accessible yet in Britain, although her music is now more Diocesan Choirs Festival in 1982. Using the uncompromising music in a number of appreciated and understood than ever before. familiar words of the Advent Matins Responsory, genres Cecilia McDowall (b. 1951) composes In Nativity Lutyens provides a lyrical setting Piccolo provides a detailed response to the music that is particularly expressive and of a text by W.R. Rodgers. An extended text in an expressive work of great variety, communicative. Written for Alan Lloyd soprano then baritone solo gives way to often coloured by obvious influences of jazz Davies and the Goodworth Singers, Of a Rose an urgent and almost sinister mood for and blues. is an energetic folk-inspired setting of this unison sopranos and tenors, before a paean to the Blessed Virgin Mary. While return to the calm of the baritone solo. © 2012 Andrew Benson a contemporary flavour colours the score as a whole, there is a prevailing modal Hailing from Iceland, Hafliði Hallgrímsson quality to the melodic and harmonic (b. 1941) has spent the largest part of his material throughout, while the brisk pace career living and working in the UK, firstly is combined with a slightly irregular metre. as a cellist with the English Chamber Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and The composer Geoffrey Bush (1920-1998) latterly purely as a composer. Written studied at Balliol College, Oxford, and for specially for this recording by Hallgrímsson, much of his life taught music at university Joseph and the Angel sets a text from level, firstly at Oxford and then at the the Sloane Manuscript (1396), often known . He wrote some six as the ‘Cherry Tree Carol’. It begins with a operas, two , concertos and a simple melody from the sopranos, with good number of songs in addition to his another voice part being added each contribution to the choral repertoire. The subsequent verse, leading to the dramatic cascading organ semiquavers uncomplicated warmth of the full choir. Stephen Farr that open 'Twas in the year that King Texts (excluding texts in copyright) As Joseph was a-walking Thomas Hyde He came all so still He heard an Angel sing: 3. Sweet was the song To his mother’s bower Hafliði Hallgrímsson “This night there shall be born As dew in April 1. Joseph and the Angel Our Heavenly King; Sweet was the song the Virgin sang, That falleth on the flower. He neither shall be christened When she to Bethlem Juda came, As Joseph was a-walking In white wine nor in red, And was delivered of a son, He came all so still He heard an Angel sing: But in the fair spring water That blessed Jesus hath to name: Where his mother lay “This night there shall be born As we were christened.” Lulla, lulla, lullaby. As dew in April Our Heavenly King; Noel, Noel, Noel. Sweet Babe, sang she, ‘my Son, That falleth on the spray. He neither shall be born And eke a saviour born, In housen nor in hall, From the Sloane MS. (1396) Who hast vouchsafed from on high Mother and maiden Nor in the place of Paradise, To visit us that were forlorn: Was never none but she: But in an ox’s stall.” Anthony Piccolo Lulla, lulla, lullaby.’ Well may such a lady Noel, Noel, Noel. 2. I look from afar And rocked him sweetly on her knee. Godes mother be.

As Joseph was a-walking I look from afar: William Ballet Fifteenth-century English He heard an Angel sing: and lo, I see the power of God coming, (from the MS. Lute book, early-seventeenth century “This night there shall be born and a cloud covering the whole earth. Trinity College, Dublin) Richard Allain Our Heavenly King; Go ye out to meet him and say: 10. Balulalow He neither shall be clothed Tell us, if thou art he who shall reign Matthew Martin In in purple nor in pall, over the people of Israel? 7. I Sing of a Maiden O my deare hert, young Jesu sweit, But all in fair linen All ye inhabiters of the earth, prepare thy credil in my spreit, As wear babies all.” and ye children of men, I sing of a maiden and I sall rock thee in my hert Noel, Noel, Noel. rich and poor, one with another, That is makeless; and never mair from thee depart. Go ye out to meet him and say: King of all kings As Joseph was a-walking Hear, O thou shepherd of Israel, To her son she ches. But I sall praise thee evermoir He heard an Angel sing: thou that leadest Joseph like a flock, with sanges sweit unto thy gloir; “This night there shall be born Tell if thou art he. He came also still the knees of my hert sall I bow, Our Heavenly King; Lift up your heads O ye gates, Where his mother was and sing that richt balulalow. He neither shall be rocked and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors As dew in April In silver nor in gold, and the king of glory shall come in That falleth on the grass. Wedderburn (1567) But in a wooden cradle who shall reign over the people Israel. That rocks on the mold.” Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, Noel, Noel, Noel. and to the Holy Ghost.

Advent Matins Reponsery Mark-Anthony Turnage Soft and easy is thy cradle, To save us from eternal death The secunde braunche sprong to helle, 11. Claremont Carol Coarse and hard thy Saviour lay The great Messiah came to earth. The fiendes power doun to felle: When his birthplace was a stable Then let us all with united voice Therein myht non soule dwelle; Silent night, holy night, And his softest bed was hay. Sing Alleluia, all rejoice. Blyss’d be the time the rose sprong! All is calm, all is bright, Alleluia. Round young virgin mother and child, See the kindly shepherds round him, English folk poem from Napton, Warwickshire Holy infant so tender and mild, Telling wonders from the sky! The thredde braunche is good and swote, Sleep in heavenly peace, Where they sought him, there they found him, Cecilia McDowall It sprang to hevene crop and rote, Sleep in heavenly peace. With his Virgin Mother by. 15. Of a Rose There to dwell and ben our bote; Ev’ry day it schewit in prystes hond. Silent night, holy night, May’st thou live to know and fear him, Listen, lordynges, old and yonge, Alleluia. Shepherds quake at the sight, Trust and love him all thy days; How this rose began to sprynge; Glories stream from heaven above, Then go dwell for ever near him, Such a rose to mine lykynge Fourteenth-century English Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia, See his face, and sing his praise! In all this world ne knowe I non. Christ the Saviour is born, Alleluia. Geoffrey Bush Christ the Saviour is born. Isaac Watts 16. ‘Twas in the year that King Uzziah died The aungel came from hevene tour Silent night, holy night, Peter Maxwell Davies To greet Marye with gret honour, ‘Twas in the year that King Uzziah died, All is calm, all is bright, 14. Fleecy Care Carol Seyde she should bere the flour A vision by Isaiah was aspied: Round young virgin mother and child, That should breke the findes bond. A lofty throne the Lord was set thereon; Holy infant so tender and mild, As Shepherds tend their fleecy care, Alleluia. And with his glory all the temple shone. Silent night, holy night, A heav’nly angle does appear, Bright Seraphim were standing round about. Son of God, love’s pure light. “Shepherds, attend, to you I bring The flower sprong in heye Bethlem, Six wings had every of that quire devout. Glad tidings of a new-born King. That is both bryht and schen: With twain he awesome veil’d his face, and so Joseph Mohr In Bethlem’s town this blessed morn The rose is Mary hevene qwene, With twain he dreadful veil’d his feet below, A saviour of mankind is born, Out of here the blosme sprong. With twain did he now hither, thither fly: Gabriel Jackson Born of a spotless virgin pure, Alleluia. And thus allowed did one to other cry: 13. Hush! my dear Free from all sin and guile secure.” “Holy is God, the Lord of Sabaoth, The ferste braunche is ful of myht, Full of his glory, earth and heaven, both.” Hush! my dear, lie still and slumber; “In swaddling clothes this babe behold, That sprong on Chrystemesse nyht, And at their cry the lintels moved apace, Holy angels guard thy bed! No costly garb his limbs enfold. The sterre schon over Bethlem bryht And clouds of incense fill’d the Holy Place. Heavenly blessings without number Laid in a manger; there you’ll find That is bothe brod and long. Gently falling on thy head. The great redeemer of mankind. Alleluia. Isaiah 6: 1-4 Arise, your tender care forsake, Adapted by G.R. Woodward With hasty steps your journey take To David’s city there you’ll see The pattern of humanity.”

Kenneth Leighton The Choir of Worcester College, Oxford Soprano 19. O leave your sheep Zoe Bonner Sharing its duties with one of the few boys’ Rebecca Field O leave your sheep, choirs remaining in the Oxbridge choral Angelika Ketzer Your lambs that follow after, tradition, the Choir of Worcester College, Rachel Knight O leave the brook, Oxford typically sings two services a Eleanor Pettit The pasture and the crook, week in the eighteenth-century college Jennifer Snapes No longer weep, chapel, providing opportunities for Hannah Thomas Turn weeping into laughter, choral and organ scholars. The choir is Klementyna Zastawniak O shepherds, seek your goal. Your Lord, who cometh to console. made up primarily of students from Worcester College together with members Alto You’ll find him laid from other colleges and from outside Jake Barlow within a simple stable, the student body. Kay Douglass A babe new born, Claire Eadington in poverty forlorn, The mixed choir sings a broad variety of Giles Pilgrim Morris In love array’d, music, from contemporary works by Hannah Stout A love so deep ‘tis able composers associated with the college to To search the night for you, medieval English polyphony and a range Tenor ‘Tis he! The Shepherd true. of music in between. As well as making Guy Cutting frequent recordings The choir performs Michael Hawkes O kings so great, concerts in and outside of Oxford on a Stuart McKerracher a light is streaming o’er you, regular basis as well as undertaking foreign Edward Saklatvala More radiant far than diadem or star, or home tours and making day trips to sing Forego your state, services in cathedrals throughout England. Bass A baby lies before you Jonathan Arnold Whose wonder shall be told: Matthew Cheung Salisbury Bring myrrh, bring frankincense and gold. Robin Culshaw David Kennerley French carol Alan Ross English translation by Alice Raleigh Alan Sheldon

Junior Organ Scholar: Nicholas Freestone Senior Organ Scholar: Edward Turner Stephen Farr More titles from Resonus Classics He has a particular commitment to Stephen Farr is Director of Music at St Paul’s contemporary music, and has been involved In The Dark Church, Knightsbridge, and at Worcester in premieres of works by composers including Platinum Consort College, Oxford, posts which he combines Patrick Gowers, Francis Pott and Robert Saxton; Scott Inglis-Kidger with a varied career as soloist, continuo he also collaborated with Thomas Adès in a RES10110 player, and conductor. He was Organ Scholar recording of Under Hamelin Hill, part of an ‘This intimate music-making draws you in of Clare College, Cambridge, graduating with extensive and wide-ranging discography. gently but ineluctably’ a double first in Music and an MPhil in BBC Music Magazine musicology. He then held appointments at His concerto work has included engagements Christ Church, Oxford, and at Winchester with the Bournemouth Orchestra, and Guildford Cathedrals. Ulster Orchestra and the London Mozart Players; he made his debut in the Amsterdam Judith Bingham: The Everlasting Crown A former student of David Sanger and a Concertgebouw in 2005. He has also worked Stephen Farr prizewinner at international competition with many other leading ensembles including RES10108 level, he has an established reputation as the Berlin Philharmonic (with whom he one of the leading recitalists of his generation, appeared in the premiere of Jonathan Harvey’s ‘Farr is utterly outstanding, tracing the music and has appeared in the UK in venues Weltethos under Sir Simon Rattle in October across the seven movements with a kind of including the Royal Albert Hall (where he 2011), Florilegium, the Bach Choir, Holst inexorable inevitability’ gave the premiere of Judith Bingham’s Singers, BBC Singers, Polyphony, The English Gramophone The Everlasting Crown in the BBC Proms Concert, London Baroque Soloists, City of 2011); Bridgewater Hall; Symphony Hall, London Sinfonia, City of Symphony Birmingham; ; King’s Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, College, Cambridge, St Paul’s Celebrity Wallace Collection, Endymion Ensemble, © 2012 Resonus Limited Series and : he also the Philharmonia, Academy of Ancient Music, è 2012 Resonus Limited Recorded in the Keble College Chapel, Oxford, on 17-19 June 2012 appears frequently on BBC Radio 3 as both Britten Sinfonia and Orchestra of the Age of by kind permission of the Warden and Fellows of the College. performer and presenter. Enlightenment. Producer, Engineer and Editor: Adam Binks Session photography © 2012 Resonus Limited www.stephenfarr.co.uk Recorded at 24-bit / 96kHz resolution He has performed widely in both North and Cover image: Detail from the Polyptych of San Pancrazio: Predella panel (before 1338) South America (most recently as guest by Bernardo Daddi (1290-1350) soloist and director at the Cartagena International Music Festival), in Australia, DDD – MCPS and throughout Europe. RESONUS LIMITED – LONDON – UK

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