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A WINTER’S NIGHT FOREWORD Winchester College is very fortunate to have on its staff composer Oliver Tarney. His two 1 I saw three ships come sailing in English traditional arr. Philip Marshall [2.11] The addition of a brass ensemble to Christmas arrangements of popular Christmas hymns use concerts and carol services, combining with the the full forces to great and novel effect, and serve Christmas cantata: A winter’s night Cecilia McDowall more traditional sounds of choir and organ, has to compliment the much-loved David Willcocks 2 I. In dulci Jubilo [5.15] become increasingly popular in recent years. arrangement of O come, all ye faithful. Two 3 II. O little one sweet [3.02] This recording brings together a number of works works already in circulation have been especially 4 III. Noël nouvelet [3.09] for the specific forces of choir, brass quintet, arranged for our forces and premiered on this 5 IV. Still, still, still [3.41] organ and percussion, some of which have been disc: Jonathan Willcocks’s The holly and the ivy 6 V. Sussex carol [3.39] arranged specially for this release. and Mack Wilberg’s Ding dong! merrily on high. 7 Adam lay y’bounden Philip Ledger [2.22] 8 O little town of Bethlehem Ralph Vaughan Williams arr. Oliver Tarney [3.47] As I began exploring repertoire for this Interspersed amongst these works are a selection 9 Puer natus in Bethlehem Samuel Scheidt [2.15] combination, Cecilia McDowall’s wonderful of popular Christmas carols which have formed 0 See amid the winter’s snow John Goss arr. David Willcocks [5.10] Christmas cantata (the title track of this disc) an integral part of Winchester College Chapel q In the bleak midwinter Gustav Holst arr. Timothy Jackson [2.13] became an obvious central work to record. This Choir’s core repertoire for many years. I hope you w Away in a manger W. J. Kirkpatrick arr. Robert Quinney [3.08] contemporary take on five well-loved Christmas will enjoy listening to the disc as much as we e What sweeter music John Rutter [4.44] carols receives its first complete recording with enjoyed making it. r Tomorrow shall be my dancing day English traditional arr. David Willcocks [2.19] the original scoring. t O come, all ye faithful John Francis Wade arr. David Willcocks [3.38] Howard Ionascu y Past three o’clock Traditional, arr. Roger Harvey [2.34] u The holly and the ivy Jonathan Willcocks [4.17] i Mater ora, filium Charles Wood arr. Harrison Oxley [3.34] o Hark! the herald angels sing Felix Mendelssohn arr. Oliver Tarney [3.49] p Ding dong! merrily on high French traditional arr. Mack Wilberg [2.40] Total timings: [67.36] Winchester College Chapel Choir • Onyx Brass Benjamin Cunningham organ • Sebastian Guard Percussion Howard Ionascu director www.signumrecords.com - 3 - The traditional carol I saw three ships come of these carols, both harmonic and rhythmic, However, the best-known setting in the UK is hymnal in 1906. (Harold Darke’s setting of five sailing in is believed to have come from are preceded by, and interspersed with, an the English hymn-tune known as Forest green, years later is widely popular, even preferred to the Derbyshire, its first appearance in print dating introduction and decorative “commentary” for adapted by Vaughan Williams from an English Holst setting by many choirs). This instrumental from as long ago as the 17th century. This brass, organ and percussion. The peace and folk ballad called The ploughboy’s dream. arrangement is by Timothy Jackson, composer, arrangement for SATB, organ and brass is tenderness of O little one sweet and Still, still, arranger and principal horn in the Royal Liverpool by Philip Marshall (1921-2005). Marshall’s still ideally offset the vigorous, extrovert Puer natus in Bethlehem by Samuel Scheidt Philharmonic Orchestra. distinguished career included positions as character of movements 1, 3 and 5. (1587-1654) was first published in 1620 as Organist of Ripon and Lincoln Cathedrals. number 15a in the collection of 31 pieces The text of Away in a manger, derived from Adam lay y’bounden, believed to date from entitled Cantiones sacrae. The text is a hymn passages in St Luke’s Gospel, was believed to be Born in London in 1951, Cecilia McDowall read c.1400, originated as a macaronic text based on for Christmas morning. With its attractive the work of Martin Luther, but later scholarship music at Edinburgh University before studying at Genesis Chapter 3 and relating to the Fall of Man. rhythmic swing, Scheidt’s setting conveys the has found it to be probably of American origin. Trinity College of Music, London. Her composition The British Library speculated that the text may joy of Christ’s birth. The melody itself originates One of the two most frequently performed teachers included Joseph Horovitz and Robert have belonged to a wandering minstrel. According in the 13th century. musical settings is by the Irish-born William Saxton. Short-listed many times for the British to medieval theology, Adam remained in bonds James Kirkpatrick, whose family settled in Composer Awards, she has also received with other patriarchs in the limbus patrum (or See amid the winter’s snow has words by Edward America when he was still an infant. The carol is diverse commissions. One such request from limbo) from the time of his death until released Caswall and music by John Goss. The text of the generally considered to be among the two or three the Portsmouth Festival Choir resulted in The by Christ’s death four thousand years later. No original hymn was first published in 1858 in most popular ever composed. The arrangement shipping forecast (2011), which gained wide musical settings from the 15th century have The masque of mary and other poems. Caswell recorded here is by Robert Quinney, Organist of circulation. One music journal remarked on “a survived, but several 20th-century composers wrote these verses soon after converting from the New College Oxford. communicative gift that is very rare in modern have written choral versions. The one recorded Church of England to the Roman Catholic Church. music”. Her composition list includes works for here is by Philip Ledger (1937-2012), who was Goss’s melody dates from 1871. Entitled “Hymn What sweeter music by John Rutter (born 1945) orchestra and chamber orchestra, chamber music Director of Music at King’s College Cambridge for Christmas Day”, it was included in 1871 was composed for the Festival of Nine Lessons and choral works. In the five movements of her from 1974-82. Christmas carols old and new by Henry Ramsden and Carols at King’s College Cambridge in Christmas cantata: a winter’s night McDowall Bramley and John Stainer. response to a commission by Stephen Cleobury. incorporates several popular carol melodies – The text of O little town of Bethlehem was written It was premiered during the 1987 service. The In dulci Jubilo, O little one sweet, Noël nouvelet by Phillips Brooks, a Philadelphia rector who was In the bleak midwinter, based on the celebrated text is adapted from a poem (published in 1648) (originally a traditional French carol, known in inspired by a visit to Bethlehem in 1865. He wrote poem by Christina Rossetti (published 1872 in by the poet Robert Herrick, while Rutter’s setting English as Now the green blade rises), Still, still, the poem for his church three years later and the the January issue of Scribner’s Monthly) was first – the first piece which he composed for this still and Sussex carol. McDowall’s re-creations melody was added by his organist Lewis Redner. set to music by Holst, appearing in The English choir – is typically engaging. As it followed the - 4 - - 5 - reading about the wise men, it provided an Past three o’clock is an English carol loosely are often blurred. Born in Armagh, Wood taught published in 1924 in his Cambridge carol-book. opportunity, he recalled, to emphasise the idea derived from the traditional call of the town crier. both Vaughan Williams and Herbert Howells. Mack Wilberg, music director of the Mormon of the gifts we can all bring. With words by George Ratcliffe Woodward (who Though best known for his church music, he also Tabernacle Choir since 2008, arranged the added some to the original refrain) combined composed six string quartets, a piano concerto, version sung here, with its brilliant organ part, The carol Tomorrow shall be my dancing day with the traditional tune London Waits, it was a wind quintet, a violin sonata, secular cantatas, and additional brass parts by Mark Jordan. is usually described as “traditional”. It first published in 1924 in A Cambridge carol book: solo songs, secular SATB settings and many other appeared in print in 1833, included in William B Being fifty-two songs for Christmas, easter instrumental and vocal works. The arrangement © Philip Borg-Wheeler Sandys’ Carols ancient and modern, though the and other seasons. Performed here is a brass of Mater ora, filium recorded here is by organist archaic language suggest a much earlier origin instrumental version by Roger Harvey, trombonist Harrison Oxley and is scored for 2-part treble – possibly a medieval mystery play. In addition with distinguished ensembles including the Hallé voices (with optional solos) and organ. to the David Willcocks arrangement recorded Orchestra, the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble and here, there are alternative versions by many other the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Charles Wesley’s text of what we know as Hark! composers including Stravinsky and Holst. the herald angels sing first appeared in 1739 The holly and the ivy by Jonathan Willcocks (born in the collection Hymns and sacred poems.