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1 I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In Simon Preston 2.05 15 I Sing of a Maiden Arnold Bax 4.19 Soloists: Emilia Morton soprano, Christopher Watson tenor 16 No Small Wonder Paul Edwards 2.42 2 There Is No Rose Simon Preston 2.54 17 There Is No Rose Jonathan Lane 2.39 3 Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day John Gardner 2.31 18 Come Rock His Cradle Richard Knight 4.27 4 Love Came Down at Christmas Richard Lloyd 2.32 Soloist: Stephen Kennedy baritone 5 Rejoice and Be Merry Christopher Robinson 1.55 19 I Sing of a Maiden Alec Redshaw 2.10 6 The Birds Richard Hickox 1.55 20 Balulalow John Gardner 2.37 Soloist: Grace Davidson soprano Soloist: Katie Trethewey soprano 7 Benedicamus Domino Peter Warlock 1.21 21 Mary Walked Through a Wood of Thorn Philip Radcliffe 2.01 Soloists: Grace Davidson soprano, Christopher Watson tenor 8 Adam lay ybounden Peter Warlock 1.20 22 A Gallery Carol John Gardner 2.13 9 I Saw a Fair Maiden Peter Warlock 3.47 10 Balulalow Peter Warlock 2.05 Total Timing 55.35 Soloist: Grace Davidson soprano 11 As Dew in Aprylle Peter Warlock 1.52 12 Adam lay ybounden Philip Ledger 2.01 Soloist: Nicholas Madden tenor 13 On Christmas Day Simon Preston 3.49 Soloist: Joanna Forbes L’Estrange soprano 14 On Christmas Night Philip Ledger 2.16 www.tenebrae-choir.com www.tenebrae-choir.com 2 3 Introduction from Nigel Short Love is always at the heart of the Christmas message the length and breadth of the country by either and it became clear to all of us involved with this providing beautiful music for choirs to sing My love of Christmas music stems from my own recording that all of the composers represented or by devoting themselves in some way to experience as a chorister, singing all the traditional had/have a deep felt love for both their subject choirs singing beautifully. congregational carols, their descants, many new matter and the beautiful, transporting sound of arrangements of well-known tunes and of course a fine choir. After I had come to London to study Singing this collection of Christmas music an ever increasing number of new compositions. in 1983, I started to meet and work for a variety was such a fun and rewarding experience and At a lunch with one of Tenebrae Patrons, Richard of people, some of whose names when uttered in together with my wonderful team of singers Baker (himself a former chorister and choral the company of anyone who has been involved who so positively embraced this project we scholar at King’s College, Cambridge), a discussion with our glorious heritage of Cathedral and would like to thank Richard Baker who so was taking place regarding repertoire for a future Church music were met with an almost reverential kindly supported this recording. Tenebrae recording. Rather rashly I said that having affection. One such was Simon Preston, for whom already done two Christmas recordings, I wasn’t I have an enduring admiration and was fortunate entirely sold on the notion of doing another one, enough to sing for in the choir of Westminster but Richard began asking me if I knew this or that Abbey when I was just 20 years old. His music carol: the list seemed endless. I knew the names making was incredibly exhilarating and perhaps of many of the composers and arrangers he was a little terrifying too, maybe that was part of the Nigel Short mentioning, but some only as choir masters or excitement! In more recent years we have sadly lost organists, not as composers. Eventually we decided John Gardner, Philip Ledger and Richard Hickox. I there was more than enough wonderful repertoire had the pleasure of singing for Richard as a soloist that would provide a musical breath of fresh air on several occasions and was always struck by come Christmas time and also give us a chance his convivial manner, whilst managing to make to herald the extraordinary talents of some of the everyone realise they had to give him everything. most dedicated and less well-known individuals Christopher Robinson was Director of Music at from the world of English choral music in the 20th the other great shining beacon of choral music in century, thus ‘A Very English Christmas’ came to be. Cambridge, St John’s College, and is another whose name will for ever be associated with English choral music at its very best. All the other names on the disc have played their part too in inspiring choirs 4 5 1. I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In Simon Preston And all the angels in Heaven shall sing, The angels sungen the shepherds to: Betwixt an ox and a silly poor ass, On Christmas day, on Christmas day, Gloria in excelsis deo: To call my true love to my dance: I saw three ships come sailing in And all the angels in Heaven shall sing, Gaudeamus. Sing O my love ... On Christmas day, on Christmas day, On Christmas day in the morning. I saw three ships come sailing in Leave we all this worldly mirth, Then afterwards baptized I was; On Christmas day in the morning. And all the souls on earth shall sing, And follow we this joyful birth; The Holy Ghost on me did glance, On Christmas day, on Christmas day, Transeamus. My Father’s voice heard from above, And what was in those ships all three? And all the souls on earth shall sing, To call my true love to my dance. On Christmas day, on Christmas day, On Christmas day in the morning. Alleluia, res miranda, Sing O my love ... And what was in those ships all three? Pares forma, gaudeamus, On Christmas day in the morning. Then let us all rejoice amain, Transeamus. Words: Anonymous On Christmas day, on Christmas day, Our Saviour, Christ, and His Lady, Then let us all rejoice amain, Words: Anonymous, c.1420 4. Love Came Down at Christmas Richard Lloyd On Christmas day, on Christmas day, On Christmas day in the morning. Our Saviour, Christ, and His Lady, 3. Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day John Gardner Love came down at Christmas, On Christmas day in the morning. Words: Anonymous, c.17th century Love all lovely, Love divine, Tomorrow shall be my dancing day: Love was born at Christmas, Pray, whither sailed those ships all three? 2. There Is No Rose Simon Preston I would my true love did so chance Star and angels gave the sign. On Christmas day, on Christmas day, 17. There Is No Rose Jonathan Lane To see the legend of my play, Pray, whither sailed those ships all three? To call my true love to my dance: Worship we the Godhead, On Christmas day in the morning. There is no rose of such virtue Sing O my love, O my love, my love, my love; Love incarnate, love divine, As is the rose that bare Jesu; This have I done for my true love. Worship we our Jesus, O, they sailed to Bethlehem, Alleluia. But wherewith for sacred sign? On Christmas day, on Christmas day, Then was I born of a virgin pure, O, they sailed to Bethlehem, For in this rose contained was Of her I took fleshly substance; Love shall be our token, On Christmas day in the morning. Heaven and earth in little space; Thus was I knit to man’s nature, Love shall be yours and love be mine, Res miranda. To call my true love to my dance: Love to God and all men, And all the bells on earth shall ring, Sing O my love ... Love for plea and gift and sign. On Christmas day, on Christmas day, By that rose we may well see And all the bells on earth shall ring, That he is God in persons three, In a manger laid and wrapped I was, Words: Christina Rossetti (1830-1894) On Christmas day in the morning. Pares forma. So very poor this was my chance, 6 7 5. Rejoice and Be Merry Christopher Robinson And when they were come, A dove settled down upon Nazareth, In hoc festo determino 22. A Gallery Carol John Gardner they their treasures unfold, Tsucroo, Eya, nobis annus est! And unto him offered And tenderly chanted with all his breath, Benedicamus Domino! Rejoice and be merry Myrrh, incense and gold. Tsucroo: Gloria... In songs and in mirth! So blessed for ever ‘To you,’ he cooed, ‘so good and true, O praise our Redeemer; Be Jesus our King, My beauty do I give to you A boy comes forth, All mortals on earth! Who brought us salvation, Tsucroo, Tsucroo, Tsucroo.’ Eya, this is our time, For this is the birthday His praises we’ll sing! From the womb of a virgin. Of Jesus our King, Words: Percy Dearmer (1867-1936) Glory! Praise! Who brought us salvation, Words: Anonymous God is made man and immortal. His praises we’ll sing! 7. Benedicamus Domino Peter Warlock 6. The Birds Richard Hickox Without the seed of a man A heavenly vision Procedenti puero Eya, this is our time, Appeared in the sky; From out of a wood did a cuckoo fly, Eya, nobis annus est! He is born of a virgin. Vast numbers of angels Cuckoo, Virginis ex utero Glory! ... The shepherds did spy, He came to a manger with joyful cry, Gloria! Laudes! Proclaiming the birthday Cuckoo; Deus homo factus est et immortalis. Without the means of a man, Of Jesus our King, He hopped, he curtsied, round he flew, Eya, this is our time, Who brought us salvation, And loud his jubilation grew, Sine viri semine He is born of Mary His praises we’ll sing! Cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo.