The Rose in the Middle of Winter Carols by Bob Chilcott

Commotio Matthew Berry Bob Bob Chilcott (b. 1955) CHILCOTT The Rose in the Middle of Winter (b. 1955) I sang for eight years in the choir of King’s College, as Angels from the realms of glory was written in 2006 for 1 Song of the Crib (2012) 5:42 Cambridge – five years as a boy chorister and three years the BBC Singers at the suggestion of the Singers’ as a choral scholar. One of the highlights of the year was producer Michael Emery. Two lovely texts by women 2 Les anges dans nos campagnes (2006) 2:50 the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols on Christmas poets were introduced to me – the first, The night he was Eve. Here, alongside the more traditional music, we born, from the poem The Thorn by Helen Dunmore was 3 The Advent Candle (2011) 2:59 generally sang a newly composed carol. It was always requested by Ben Nicholas in 2007 for his choir from 4 The Rose in the Middle of Winter (2009) 2:51 exciting to sing something new, but it would usually divide Dean Close School and Tewkesbury Abbey. Philip opinion and sometimes cause controversy not only Barnes, the conductor of the St Louis Chamber Choir, 5 The Heart-in-Waiting (2008) 3:45 amongst the singers but also amongst the many loyal came up with the idea of combining the beautiful Emily followers of Christmas music. For many choirs the music Dickinson poem Before the ice with the Latin responsory 6 The shepherds sing (2011) (Laurie Ashworth, Soprano) 3:45 they sing at Christmas is that with which they most closely for Christmas Day O magnum mysterium and I wrote this 7 The Shepherd’s Carol (2000) 3:30 identify themselves, so a lot of energy is given to their setting for his choir in 2012. choices of Christmas repertoire. This means that many Two of the carols were commissioned as presents – On Christmas Night (2010) 23:10 choirs are very open to the new, and the challenge for the the first, The shepherds sing, to a text by George Herbert, 8 1. This is the truth (I) 3:02 composer is to create pieces which sit happily alongside was written for Libby Buchanan and first performed in 9 2. Adam lay ybounden 1:47 the traditional. December 2011 in Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St I have written my fair share of Christmas pieces and a James’s Palace, London. What sweeter music, using 0 3. A spotless Rose 3:48 number of them are recorded here for the first time by extracts from the poem by Robert Herrick, was written for ! 4. The Cherry Tree Carol 1:56 Commotio. I have always enjoyed looking for new and Libby’s daughter, Elizabeth, and first performed in @ 5. O little town (Paul Thomas, Bass) 3:33 more recently written texts to set, texts that sometimes Westminster Abbey in May 2012 by the Abbey Choir. # 6. Sweet was the song (Laurie Ashworth, Soprano) 3:52 come in at an angle on the well-known Christmas story. On Christmas Eve 2012 Alan Greaves, a church Four poems by Charles Bennett are specially written – organist from Sheffield, was attacked as he walked to $ 7. Rejoice and be merry 1:55 Song of the Crib and Gifts for the Child of Winter were church for Midnight Mass. Sadly, he died a few days later, % 8. This is the truth (II) 3:17 both composed in 2012, the first for the Micklegate and soon after we heard of this I happened to come Singers in York and the second for The South Bend across a poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins, The ^ What sweeter music (2012) (Victoria Thomas, Soprano) 4:16 Singers in South Bend, Indiana. The two other texts by Bethlehem Star, that affected me in the light of this & Mid-Winter (1994) 3:54 Charles are Advent carols – The Advent Candle was tragedy. I decided to set it in his memory. written in 2011 for a consortium of ten choirs in the North Of the remaining single carols, Mid-Winter began life * The Bethlehem Star (2013) 2:33 West of England as part of an auction to raise money for in 1994 as a carol for the Toronto Children’s Chorus. the Association of British Choral Directors, and The Rose Silent night was arranged in 2011 for Carols for Choirs 5, ( Silent night (2011) 3:52 in the Middle of Winter was written for David Hill and The the fiftieth anniversary tribute to the famous Carols for ) The night he was born (2007) 5:27 Bach Choir in honour of the 90th birthday of Sir David Choirs series published by Oxford University Press. The Willcocks. Shepherd’s Carol was one of the many new carols ¡ Gifts for the Child of Winter (2012) (Tim Ambrose, Tenor) 3:46 Several of the texts of carols here were suggested – mentioned earlier written for the choir of King’s College, The Heart-in-Waiting by Keven Crossley-Holland was Cambridge. I wrote this in 2000 for the televised service of ™ Before the ice (O magnum mysterium) (2012) 7:09 requested by the commissioner, the distinguished that year. American conductor Philip Brunelle, and I wrote the piece On Christmas Night, the central carol sequence on in 2008 for his church choir in Plymouth, Minnesota. Les this recording, was written in 2010 for the choir of the anges dans nos montagnes, known in its English version University Christian Church in Austin, Texas. The idea was to write a set of pieces that outlined the Christmas Thanks must also go to Will Brown for sensitive and Bob Chilcott story and, in the original performance, the movements collaborative work as the sound engineer. I am delighted were interspersed with appropriate readings. In this piece to have my music represented by this distinguished choir, Photo: John Bellars Bob Chilcott, described by The Observer as ‘a I have tried to do what I alluded to earlier, by combining which is based in Oxford, near to where I have lived for contemporary hero of British Choral Music’, has new settings alongside traditional carol melodies. more than thirty years. I shall never forget the wintry become one of the most widely performed I am grateful to Matthew Berry and Commotio for their recording days in April in Keble Chapel – it certainly felt composers of choral music in the world. He has a hard work in bringing this recording to life, and to my like Christmas! large catalogue of works published by Oxford former King’s Singers colleague, Nigel Short, himself now University Press which reflects his wide taste in a renowned conductor, who produced the recording. Bob Chilcott music styles and his commitment to writing music that is both singable and communicative. From his catalogue of larger works, Salisbury Vespers, written in 2009, was first performed by over 600 singers and players in Salisbury Cathedral. His Requiem of 2010 has now been performed in sixteen countries, and his large-scale cantata, The Angry Planet, had its première in the 2012 BBC Proms with 550 adult and young singers. In March 2013 his St John Passion was first performed in Wells Cathedral by the Cathedral Choir conducted by Matthew Owens. Most recently he wrote The King shall rejoice for the service at Westminster Abbey to celebrate the Sixtieth Anniversary of the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Of his smaller works, A Little Jazz Mass remains a favourite with choirs around the world as do many of his pieces for children’s choir, including the piece with sign language, Can you hear me?, which was performed at the 2004 Song Festival in Estonia by over 7000 children. Between 1997 and 2004 he was conductor of the chorus of the Royal College of Music in London and, since 2002, he has been Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Singers. He has been privileged to conduct many choirs in some thirty countries over the last ten years. There are recordings of Chilcott’s music by the BBC Singers, the King’s Singers, The Sirens, and the NFL Wrocław Philharmonic Choir. His Requiem is recorded by the Choir of Wells Cathedral, who also record his St John Passion in 2014. This Christmas album is the second disc of his music on the Naxos label. In spring 2013 Everyone Sang was released by the Wellensian Consort (8.573158). His music has been recorded by many other choirs and groups including Tenebrae, the Cambridge Singers, the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, and the Choir of Westminster Abbey.

Photo: Kevin Jones Laurie Ashworth Soprano Alto Tenor Bass Sue Chamberlin Amy Cowan Tim Ambrose Hugh Conway Morris Soprano Laurie Ashworth began her studies in 2002 at the Royal Northern College of Music Lucy Cox Catherine Gabriel John Duggan Kevin Jones under the tutelage of Caroline Crawshaw, with whom she continues to study. She graduated Pernille Hanehøj Katie Hillier Philip Fine Graham Lunn with first class honours in 2006 and was awarded the RNCM Gold Medal, the college’s Chloe Martindale Kate Saunders Michael Hosking Martyn Matthews highest accolade for performance. Awards from The Arts and Humanities Research Council Griselda Sherlaw-Johnson Helen Swan Neil Malcolm Daniel Rollison and The Countess of Munster Musical Trust enabled her to complete her Masters in Vocal Kate Smith Heather Thomas Tim Nightingale Michael Rowley Performance at the Royal College of Music, where she studied with Patricia Rozario and Janis Victoria Thomas Jutta Walcher Paul Thomas Kelly, graduating with distinction in 2008. In 2010, following an acclaimed performance of May Turner Emily West Jonathan Dove’s song Full Fathom Five, she was awarded the Song Prize at the Kathleen Anna Williams Alice James, Flute Ferrier Awards. In the same year she was a finalist and runner-up in BBC Radio 2’s Dame Kiri Tim Elton, Oboe Te Kanawa Prize, a nationwide search by Dame Kiri and the BBC to find a new operatic star. Josie Simmons, She is an experienced recitalist and a highly sought-after concert artist with an extensive Soprano saxophone Photo: CT Images repertoire, and has performed at many of the major British venues. Tanya Houghton, Harp Richard Pearce, Organ Commotio Matthew Berry Matthew Berry, the conductor and joint- Commotio was formed in August 1999 to Photo: Dawn Washburn Photo: Philip Taylor founder of Commotio, studied music at promote neglected contemporary choral University College, Oxford, where he was repertoire. Performances have included Organ Scholar and then Assistant the second UK performance of Alfred Organist. He studied organ under David Schnittke’s mighty Requiem and other Sanger, David Goode, and Ian Curror. rarely heard works including Paul After conducting the Oxford Chamber Hindemith’s Mass and Kenneth Leighton’s Choir for two years as a student, he Mass for Double Choir, the world première founded Commotio in 1999. On completion of Pierre Villette’s Inviolata, and Peter of his degree, he studied post-graduate Klatzow’s uplifting Prayers and Dances choral direction with Patrick Russill for two from Africa. Commotio also promotes and years at the Royal Academy of Music in performs the works of a younger London. His expertise lies in the research generation of composers including, most and promotion of little-known contemporary recently, Richard Allain, Jonathan Bridcut, choral repertoire, principally from the Andrew Cusworth, James Davy, and John United Kingdom, Scandinavia, South Duggan. Their début CD of South African Africa, the United States, and Slovenia. In choral music was released in February 2006, followed by a CD for choir and cello in February 2008. A track from the fourteen years working with Commotio he latter disc, Richard Allain’s Ubi caritas, was chosen to feature on the Classic FM core playlist and appears in the has initiated many British and World compilation CD Smooth Classics – the Ultimate Collection. The choir recorded a disc of the music of James Whitbourn Premières. In February 2013 the Governing which was released on the Naxos label (8.572103) in February 2010 and reached No. 2 in the Specialist Classical Chart. Body of the Royal Academy of Music elected Their second Naxos CD, In the Heart of Things (8.572739), the choral works of Francis Pott, was released on the Naxos Matthew Berry an Associate of the Royal label in February 2012. In August 2013 Commotio featured as a gala choir at the Association of British Choral Directors’ Academy of Music (ARAM), an award to Convention. Recent commissions include works by John Duggan, Richard Allain, Edward Cowie, and Francis Pott. former students who have made a significant contribution to the music profession. 1 Song of the Crib 2 Les anges dans nos campagnes Saints before the altar bending, 4 The Rose in the Middle of Winter Watching long in hope and fear, We have made a crib and brought it into the church, Les anges dans nos campagnes Suddenly the Lord, descending, There’s a rose in the middle of winter With an ox and a donkey, with sparrows and angels singing; Ont entonné l’hymne des cieux, In his temple shall appear: a rose which has no thorn, To show how Christmas happens wherever we are. Et l’écho de nos montagnes into the garden it comes Lullay, lullay, lullay. Redit ce chant mélodieux: Gloria in excelsis Deo! like a child who is waiting to be born.

There are sparrows round the crib that we have made: Angels, from the realms of glory, Dans l’humilité profonde And while he waits for the rose to bloom We fashioned nests from straw we found in a manger. Wing your flight o’er all the earth; Où vous paraissez à nos yeux, the gardener sings – O let us be warm, like the sparrows. Ye who sang creation’s story Pour vous louer, Dieu du monde, and the clouds all dance to his tune. Lullay, lullay, lullay. Now proclaim Messiah’s birth: Nous redirons ce chant joyeux: There’s a bird in the middle of winter There are oxen round the crib that we have made: Gloria in excelsis Deo! Though an infant now we view him, a bird whose song is a prayer, We are silent because a child was born in our manger. He shall fill his Father’s throne, into our dreams it comes O let us be calm, like the oxen. Bergers, pour qui cette fête? Gather all the nations to him; like a child who is almost here. Lullay, lullay, lullay. Quel est l’objet de tous ces chants? Ev’ry knee shall then bow down: Quel vainqueur, quelle conquête And while he waits for the bird to sound There’s a donkey round the crib that we have made: Mérite des cris triomphants? Gloria in excelsis Deo! the gardener sings – I have come to be ridden by the child in the manger. and the stars all dance in a round. O let us find purpose, like the donkey. Shepherds, in the fields abiding, (Text: Trad. French. English text Lullay, lullay, lullay. Watching o’er your flocks by night, by J. Montgomery, 1771–1854) There’s a child in the middle of winter God with man is now residing; a child like a flower in the snow, There are angels round the crib that we have made: Yonder shines the Infant Light: into our days he comes We sang to the shepherds and also to Mary. 3 The Advent Candle the child who is with us now. O let us give voice, like the angels. Gloria in excelsis Deo! Tonight we are lighting a candle, And while he listens to the song of a rose By making a crib we have brought the nativity home. Ils annoncent la naissance a candle to burn until the gardener sings – With an ox and a donkey, with sparrows and angels singing; Du Libérateur d’Israël; you come to bring light to darkness and the child is a dance in his soul. To show how Christmas happens wherever we are, Et plein de reconnaissance, and warm us with goodwill. To show how Christmas is here. Chantent en ce jour solennel; (Text: Charles Bennett, b. 1954) Tonight in the sky there’s a star (Text: Charles Bennett, b. 1954) Sages, leave your contemplations; we’ve never seen before, Brighter visions beam afar; a star to lighten our darkness Seek the great Desire of Nations: and bring us to your door. Ye have seen his natal star: Tonight there’s a window inside us, Gloria in excelsis Deo! a window you’ll open wide. We are lighting a candle to guide us. Cherchons tous l’heureux village Soon we’ll be by your side. Qui l’a vu naître sous ses toits; Offrons-lui le tendre hommage (Text: Charles Bennett, b. 1954) Et de nos coeurs et de nos voix: 5 The Heart-in-Waiting 7 The Shepherd’s Carol On Christmas Night Blessed be the time That apple taken was; Jesus walked through whispering wood: We stood on the hills, Lady, 8 1. This is the truth sent from above, Therefore we moun singen: ‘I am pale blossom, I am blood berry, Our day’s work done, The truth of God, the God of love; Deo gratias! I am rough bark, I am sharp thorn. Watching the frosted meadows Therefore don’t turn me from the door, This is the place where you will be born.’ That winter had won. But hearken all, both rich and poor. (Text: 15th century)

Jesus went down to the skirl of the sea: The evening was calm, Lady, Once in royal David’s city 0 3. A spotless Rose is blowing, ‘I am long reach, I am fierce comber, The air so still, Stood a lowly cattle shed, Sprung from a tender root, I am keen saltspray, I am spring tide’. Silence more lovely than music Where a mother laid her baby On ancient seers’ fore-showing, He pushed the cup of the sea aside Folded the hill. In a manger for his bed: Of Jesse promised fruit; Mary was that mother mild, And heard the sky which breathed-and-blew: There was a star, Lady, Jesus Christ her little child. Its fairest bud unfolds to light ‘I am the firmament, I am shape-changer, Shone in the night, Amid the cold, cold winter, I cradle and carry and kiss and roar, Larger than Venus it was The first thing that I will relate, And in the dark midnight. I am infinite roof and floor’. And bright, so bright. That God at first did man create; The next thing which to you I tell, The Rose which I am singing, All day he walked, he walked all night, Oh, a voice from the sky, Lady, Woman was made with him to dwell. Whereof Isaiah said, Then Jesus came to the heart at dawn. It seemed to us then Is from its sweet root springing ‘Here and now’, said the heart-in-waiting, Telling of God being born Thus we were heirs to endless woes In Mary, purest Maid; ‘This is the place where you must be born’. In the world of men. Till God the Lord did interpose; And so a promise soon did run: For through our God’s great love and might, (Text: Kevin Crossley-Holland, b. 1941) And so we have come, Lady, That he’d redeem us by his Son. The Blessed Babe she bare us Our day’s work done, In a cold winter’s night. Our love, our hopes, ourselves, (Text: Trad. English) 6 The shepherds sing We give to your son. (14th-century German melody, text translated 9 2. Adam lay ybounden, by Catherine Winkworth, 1827-1878) The shepherds sing; and shall I silent be? (Text: Anonymous) Bounden in a bond; My God, no hymn for thee? Four thousand winter Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming My soul’s a shepherd too: a flock it feeds Thought he not too long. From tender stem hath sprung! Of thoughts, and words, and deeds. Of Jesse’s lineage coming The pasture is thy word; the streams, thy grace And all was for an apple, As seers of old have sung. Enriching all the place. An apple that he took, It came, a blossom bright, Shepherds and flock shall sing, and all my powers As clerkes finden Amid the cold of winter, Out-sing the day-light hours. Written in their book. When half-spent was the night. Then we will sing, and shine on our own day, And one another pay. Ne had the apple taken been, (14th-century German melody, text translated His beams shall cheer my breast, and both so twine, The apple taken been, by Theodore Baker, 1851–1934) Till ev’n his beams sing, and my music shine. Ne had ne’er our Lady A-been heaven queen. (Text: George Herbert, 1593–1633) ! 4. Joseph was an old man, and an old man was he How silently, how silently $ 7. Rejoice and be merry in songs and in mirth! God grant to all within this place, true saving faith, When he married Mary in the land of Galilee. The wondrous gift is giv’n! O praise our Redeemer, all mortals on earth! God grant to all within this place, that special grace So God imparts to human hearts For this is the birthday of Jesus our king, Which to his people doth belong; Joseph and Mary walked through an orchard good, The blessings of his heav’n. Who brought us salvation: his praises we’ll sing! And thus I close my Christmas song. Where was cherries and berries, so red as any blood. No ear may hear his coming; But in this world of sin, A heavenly vision appeared in the sky; (Text: Trad. English) O then bespoke Mary, so meek and so mild: Where meek souls will receive him, still Vast numbers of angels the shepherds did spy, ‘Pluck me a cherry, Joseph; for I am with child’. The dear Christ enters in. Proclaiming the birthday of Jesus our King, And our eyes at last shall see him, Who brought us salvation: his praises we’ll sing! Through his own redeeming love, ‘Go to the tree, Mary, and it shall bow to thee, (Text: Phillips Brooks, 1835-1893) For that child so dear and gentle And the highest branch of all shall bow to Mary’s knee.’ Likewise a bright star in the sky did appear, Is our Lord in heav’n above; # 6. Sweet was the song the Virgin sang, Which led the wise men from the east to draw near; And he leads his children on Then bowed down the tallest tree, it bent to Mary’s hand; When she to Bethlem Juda came They found the Messiah, sweet Jesus our King, To the place where he is gone. The she cried: ‘See, Joseph, I have cherries at command’. And was delivered of a Son Who brought us salvation: his praises we’ll sing! That blessed Jesus hath to name. Not in that poor lowly stable, ‘O eat your cherries, Mary, O eat your cherries now! Lulla, lulla, lulla, lullaby, And when they were come, they their treasures unfold, With the oxen standing by, O eat your cherries, Mary, that grow upon the bough.’ Lulla, lulla, lullaby. And unto him offered myrrh, incense, and gold. We shall see him but in heaven, ‘Sweet babe, sweet babe’, sang she, ‘My son So blessed for ever be Jesus our King, Set at God’s right hand on high, Then Mary plucked a cherry, as red as any blood; And eke a Saviour born, Who brought us salvation: his praises we’ll sing! When like stars his children crowned And she did travel onward, all with her heavy load. Who has vouchsafed from on high All in white shall wait around. To visit us that were forlorn.’ (Text: Trad. English) (Text: Trad. English) Lalulla, lalulla, lalullaby (Melody by Henry John Gauntlett, 1805–1876, lulla, lalulla, lalullaby. On Christmas night all Christians sing, text by Mrs Cecil Frances Alexander, 1818–1895) @ 5. O little town of Bethlehem, ‘Sweet babe’, sang she, To hear the news the angels bring, How still we see thee lie! And rocked him sweetly on her knee. On Christmas night all Christians sing, Above thy deep and dreamless sleep To hear the news the angels bring. ^ What sweeter music The silent stars go by. (Text: from William Ballet’s Lute Book, 16th century) News of great joy, news of great mirth, Yet in thy dark streets shineth News of our merciful King’s birth. What sweeter music can we bring, The everlasting light; Silent night, holy night, Than a carol, for to sing The hopes and fears of all the years All is calm, all is bright (Text: Trad. English) The birth of this our heavenly King? Are met in thee tonight. Round yon virgin mother and child, Holy infant so tender and mild, % 8. And at this season of the year Dark and dull night, fly hence away, O morning stars, together Sleep in heavenly peace, Our blest redeemer did appear, And give the honour to this day, Proclaim the holy birth, Sleep in heavenly peace. And here did live, and here did preach, That sees December turned to May. And praises sing to God the King, And many thousands he did teach. And peace to men on earth; (Melody by Franz Xaver Gruber, 1787–1863; We see Him come, and know Him ours, For Christ is born of Mary, original German text by Joseph Mohr, 1792–1848, Thus he in love to us behaved, Who, with His sunshine, and His showers, And gathered all above, translated by John F. Young, 1820–1885) To show us how we must be saved; Turns all the patient ground to flowers. While mortals sleep, the angels keep And if you want to know the way, Their watch of wond’ring love. Be pleased to hear what he did say. The darling of the world is come, And fit it is, we find a room To welcome Him. What sweeter music can we bring, To welcome Him?

(Text: Robert Herrick, 1591–1674) The plough-blade is for cutting, which comes before & Mid-Winter * The Bethlehem Star ) The night he was born the seed. The blackbird sings at eventide and then she falls asleep. In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, Moonless darkness stands between. There was no berry on the bramble only the thorn, The raindrop falls just once and then is swallowed by Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; Past, O Past, no more be seen! there was no rose, not one petal, the ground. Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, But the Bethl’em star may lead me only the bare thorn, the night he was born. O come to be our summer, our summer without end. In the bleak midwinter, long ago. To the sight of Him who freed me From the self that I have been. There was no voice to guide them, only the wind’s whistling, (Text: Charles Bennett, b. 1954) Our God, Heav’n cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain; Make me pure, Lord: Thou art holy; there was no light in the stable, only the starshine Heav’n and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign. Make me meek, Lord: Thou were lowly; and a candle guttering, the night he was born. In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed Now beginning, and always: ™ Before the ice (O magnum mysterium) The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ. Now begin on Christmas day. From nowhere this couple came, at every border their papers were wrong Before the ice is in the pools, Angels and archangels may have gathered there, (Text: Gerard Manley Hopkins, 1844–1899) but they reached the city and begged for a room. Before the skaters go, Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air; Or any cheek at nightfall, But only His mother, in her maiden bliss, There was no berry on the bramble Is tarnished by the snow. Worshipped the beloved with a kiss. ( Silent night no rose, not one petal, only the thorn, and a cold wind whispering, the night he was born. Before the fields have finished, What can I give Him, poor as I am? Silent night, holy night, Before the Christmas tree, If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; All is calm, all is bright; (Text: Helen Dunmore, b. 1952) Wonder upon wonder, If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part; Round yon virgin mother and child. Will arrive to me. Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart. Holy infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace. ¡ Gifts for the Child of Winter What we touch the hems of (Text: Christina Rossetti, 1830–1894) On a summer’s day; Silent night, holy night, I give to you a plough-blade made of snow What is only walking Shepherds first saw the sight: To run a furrow down the field and make the winter grow. Just a bridge away. Glories stream from heaven afar, Its flowers will be white as frost, bright as stars in heaven: heavenly hosts sing Alleluia: O bring us the winter softly, and let our hearts be open. That which sings so, speaks so, Christ the Saviour is born. When there’s no-one here, I give to you a blackbird’s song, a song of sweetest breath Will the frock I wept in Silent night, holy night, To hang in ev’ry branch and tree and purify the earth. Answer me to wear? Son of God, love’s pure light; It floats in clouds of wonder, it comes to do no harm: Radiance beams from thy holy face, O bring us the winter gently, and let our hearts be warm. O magnum mysterium et admirabile sacramentum, With the dawn of redeeming grace, ut animalia viderent Dominum natum, jacentem Jesus, Lord, at thy birth. I give to you a raindrop, frozen like a tear in praesepio. To quench your thirst for ever and taste the winter air. Beata virgo, cujus viscera meruerunt portare (Text: Josef Mohr, 1792–1848, It flows to bring the blossom, to water the field: Dominum Christum. translated by John F Young) O bring us winter quietly, and let our hearts be healed. Alleluia, alleluia!

(Text: Emily Dickinson, 1830–1886) Song of the Crib by Bob Chilcott, words by Charles Bennett. On Christmas Night by Bob Chilcott Music by Bob Chilcott © Oxford University Press 2013. © Oxford University Press 2010. All rights reserved. Text by Charles Bennett © Charles Bennett. Reproduced by permission of the author. All rights reserved. What sweeter music by Bob Chilcott © Oxford University Press 2013. All rights reserved. Les anges dans nos campagnes by Bob Chilcott © Oxford University Press 2007. All rights reserved. Mid-winter by Bob Chilcott © Oxford University Press 1995. All rights reserved. The Advent Candle by Bob Chilcott and Charles Bennett. Music © Oxford University Press 2012. Text © Charles Bennett. The Bethlehem Star by Bob Chilcott Used by permission of the author. All rights reserved. © Oxford University Press 2013. All rights reserved.

The Rose in the Middle of Winter by Bob Chilcott. Silent night by Franz Gruber, words by Josef Mohr, Music © Oxford University Press 2010. Text © Charles Bennett. translated by John F Young, arranged by Bob Chilcott for Reproduced by permission of the author. All rights reserved. Carols for Choirs 5 © Oxford University Press 2011. All rights reserved. The Heart-in-Waiting by Bob Chilcott. Music © Oxford University Press 2009. The night he was born by Bob Chilcott. Text © Kevin Crossley-Holland, from his Selected Poems, Music © Oxford University Press 2008. published by Enitharmon Press in 2001. The words of The Thorn are set to music and reproduced by Used by permission. All rights reserved. permission of AP Watt, on behalf of Helen Dunmore. All rights reserved. The shepherds sing by Bob Chilcott © Oxford University Press 2012. All rights reserved. Gifts for the Child of Winter by Bob Chilcott and Charles Bennett. Music by Bob Chilcott © Oxford University Press 2013. The Shepherd’s Carol by Bob Chilcott Words by Charles Bennett © Charles Bennett. © Oxford University Press 2001. All rights reserved. Reproduced by permission of the author. All rights reserved.

Before the ice (O magnum mysterium) by Bob Chilcott © Oxford University Press 2013. All rights reserved.

Commotio would like to thank Language Coach Jennifer Higgins, and both Oxford University Press and Choral Connections for advice and assistance in the recording and creation of this CD. Bob Chilcott has been described by The Observer as ‘a contemporary hero of British Choral Music’, and his music is commissioned and sung by choirs throughout the world. His Christmas pieces, a number of which are heard here in première recordings, reveal his enthusiasm for recently written texts, to which he responds with acute verbal sensitivity. Commotio is one of the UK’s foremost chamber choirs, hailing from Oxford, where they have performed choral music of the 20th and 21st centuries since 1999. THE ROSE IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER Carols by Bob Chilcott 1 Song of the Crib (2012)* 5:42 8-% On Christmas Night (2010)* 23:10 2 Les anges dans nos ^ What sweeter music (2012)* 4:16 campagnes (2006) 2:50 & Mid-Winter (1994) 3:54 3 The Advent Candle (2011)* 2:59 * The Bethlehem Star (2013)* 2:33 4 The Rose in the Middle ( Silent night (2011)* 3:52 of Winter (2009) 2:51 ) The night he was born (2007) 5:27 5 The Heart-in-Waiting (2008) 3:45 ¡ Gifts for the Child of Winter (2012)* 3:46 6 The shepherds sing (2011)* 3:45 ™ Before the ice 7 The Shepherd’s Carol (2000) 3:30 (O magnum mysterium) (2012)* 7:09 *WORLD PREMIERE RECORDINGS Laurie Ashworth, Soprano 6 # • Richard Pearce, Organ 28-%( ) Alice James, Flute 8-%&• Josie Simmons, Soprano saxophone 6 Tim Elton, Oboe 8-% • Tanya Houghton, Harp 3 6 8-%& Commotio • Matthew Berry

Recorded in Keble College Chapel, Oxford, UK, from 5th to 7th April, 2013 Producer: Nigel Short • Engineer: Will Brown • Publisher: Oxford University Press Booklet notes: Bob Chilcott • Cover photograph © T. Tulik (Fotolia.com)