ADESTE FIDELES CHRISTMAS CAROLS FROM HER MAJESTY’S CHAPEL ROYAL t The Little Road to Bethlehem Michael Head [2.41] y 1 Sans Day Carol * English Traditional, Arr. John Rutter [3.13] Ding Dong! Merrily on High French Traditional, Harm. Charles Wood [1.47] u 2 Mary Had a Baby American Spiritual, Arr. Malcolm Sargent [1.58] A New Year Carol * Benjamin Britten [2.06] i 3 Jesus Christ the Apple Tree Elizabeth Poston [2.42] Blessed Jesu! Here We Stand Richard Popplewell [2.39] Soloists: Peter Heywood, Cedric Amamoo, Jayden Tejuoso, Matthew Davies Soloists: Harry Fetherstonhaugh, Maciek O’Shea o 4 Once in Royal David’s City * Henry John Gauntlett, Harm. Arthur Henry Mann, [4.30] Ave Maria Igor Stravinksy [1.49] Soloist: Oliver Davies Descant David Willcocks p Adeste Fideles * John Francis Wade, Descant David Willcocks [2.39] 5 Sussex Carol * English Traditional, Arr. David Willcocks [1.46] a Three Kings from Persian Lands Afar Peter Cornelius, Arr. Ivor Atkins [2.46] 6 The Lamb John Tavener [2.50] Soloist: Maciek O’Shea s 7 A Maiden Most Gentle * French Melody, Arr. Andrew Carter [3.01] De Virgin Mary American Spiritual, Arr. Malcolm Sargent [2.20] d 8 Hosanna to the Son of David Thomas Weelkes [1.49] The Holly and the Ivy * John Gardner [2.25] f 9 The Three Kings Jonathan Dove [4.40] A Spotless Rose Herbert Howells [3.07] Soloists: Harry Fetherstonhaugh, Michael Clayton-Jolly Soloist: Maciek O’Shea g 0 A Spanish Carol Spanish Traditional, Arr. Andrew Carter [1.59] Hark the Herald Angels Sing! * Felix Mendelssohn, Descant David Willcocks [3.02] Soloist: Michael Clayton-Jolly h We Wish You a Merry Christmas English Traditional, Arr. Andrew Gant [1.39] q Suo Gân * Welsh Traditional, Arr. George Guest [3.08] Soloist: Cedric Amamoo Total timings: [72.19] w When Jesus Our Lord * Felix Mendelssohn [6.37] Soloist: Matthew Davies Trio: Johnny Langridge, Andrew Tipple, Maciek O’Shea e O Little Town of Bethlehem * English Traditional, Harm. Ralph Vaughan Williams [3.22] Descant Thomas Armstrong CHOIR OF HER MAJESTY’S CHAPEL ROYAL MARTYN NOBLE SUB-ORGANIST * r I Saw Three Ships English Traditional, Arr. David Willcocks [1.39] HUW WILLIAMS DIRECTOR OF MUSIC Soloists: Peter Heywood, Johnny Langridge, Cedric Amamoo, Jerome Finnis, Jayden Tejuoso www.signumrecords.com INTRODUCTION ADESTE FIDELES brother James, both as Duke of York and later from 1685 as King, together with his Consort, This is a colourful and diverse selection of The emergence of a version of the Adeste Mary of Modena, at the Queen’s Chapel. MS carols with music from the Sixteenth Century Fideles in a manuscript from the Harmsworth Catherina R, 16712 details payment “to the to the present day. There are several pieces Library auctioned as Lot 1958 in 1946, with Syndick of our Fathers Arabadoes, to be spent with close Chapel Royal or Royal Family its internal royal prayer for “Regem nostrum for them the manner we have commanded 1000 connections: Thomas Weelkes was a Gentleman Jacobum” immediately preceding the Adeste l. Eleven Franciscan Friars”, and the Angliae of the Chapel Royal in the Sixteenth Century. Fideles, places the latter’s origins over fifty Notitiae of 1684 continues to make mention of Andrew Gant and Richard Popplewell were years earlier than the hitherto earliest copies them at Court. The 15th-century founder of the Organists, Choirmaster and Composers of the dated around 1740-60 bearing the name Order, Peter Garavita, influenced St Teresa Chapel Royal between 2000-2013 and 1979- William Francis Wade. Lot 1958 may refer to of Avila and was eventually canonized as St 2000 respectively. Felix Mendelssohn was a King James II rather than his son James Francis Peter of Alcantara in 1669 while members of close friend of Queen Victoria and Prince Edward who tried unsuccessfully to regain his the Order were serving at The Queen’s Chapel. Albert and was the music teacher for the Royal father’s Crown, and if so dates MS Lot 1958 It would have been a cause for much children. Recent evidence suggests that Adeste to between 1685 and 1688 (unless continuing celebration – and perhaps the occasion for a Fideles (O come all ye faithful) was written in the Jacobite stance of recognizing King James new musical composition ?! We should perhaps Latin for The Queen’s Chapel at St James’s II in exile nevertheless as rightful King after picture the origin and first rendition of the Palace (now part of the Chapel Royal). The 1688 until his death in 1701), and would Adeste Fideles amongst a group of friars each selection of music is from seven different place Wade as a later copyist rather than wearing a brown habit, hood and capuce with a countries (including Russia, Wales and Spain!). the composer. If this is so then the early seven decade rosary, a cord girdle, and sandals, Contemporary composers include Jonathan nomenclature of the Adeste Fideles as “The singing in The Queen’s Chapel. Dove, Andrew Gant, Andrew Carter, John Rutter, Portuguese Hymn” would stem from its Richard Popplewell and the recently late Sir composition by Arabadoes (Friars of the David Baldwin David Willcocks. Observance of the Order of St Peter of Serjeant of the Vestry Alcantara), who were summoned from Portugal Huw Williams in 1667 by Catherine of Braganza to live in Director of Music, Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace the Friary serving The Queen’s Chapel at St James’s Palace, and ended up serving both this Consort of King Charles II and also his - 4 - - 5 - PROGRAMME NOTES in 1848 and set to music a year later by Henry Thomas Weelkes’ glorious full anthem Hosanna (anonymous) first appeared in print in about John Gauntlett. Since 1919 this carol has to the Son of David is based on a paraphrase 1800, while the words were written down by The Sans Day Carol – a variant of The Holly and opened the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols of verses from the Gospels of Matthew and the folklorist Robert Bryan (1858-1920). George the Ivy - was first transcribed from the singing from King’s College Cambridge. Luke. Weelkes gained a reputation for drunkenness Guest’s arrangement was published as part of Thomas Beard, who lived in the Cornish and was eventually dismissed from his position of Two Advent Carols and a Lullaby. The song village of St. Day (named after a Breton saint). The now-familiar tune of The Sussex Carol of organist at Chichester Cathedral. His final book featured prominently in Spielberg’s 1987 film Its publication in the Oxford Book of Carols in the (On Christmas Night all Christians Sing) was of madrigals has on its title page “Gentleman Empire of the Sun. 1920’s led to its universal popularity. John Rutter discovered and notated by Ralph Vaughan of the Chapel Royal”, though as no records arranged his version while still an undergraduate. Williams when he heard it sung by Harriet exist it seems that he was at best a Gentleman Mendelssohn’s There shall a star from Jacob Verrall of Monk’s Gate, near Horsham (hence Extraordinary – i. e. unpaid supernumerary. come forth is from his unfinished oratorio Mary had a baby (sung here in Malcolm the “Sussex” of the title). The text dates back to Christus, of which he completed only thirteen Sargent’s arrangement) is believed to have 1684 when it was published by the Irish bishop Jonathan Dove (born 1959) set Dorothy L. movements in 1846, while he was working originated on St Helena Island, off the coast Luke Wadding. Vaughan Williams included Sayers’ The Three Kings in 2000 in response to on Elijah. This title Christus was attached by of South Carolina. It was collected by the The Sussex Carol in his Fantasia on a commission from King’s College Cambridge Mendelssohn’s brother Paul after the composer’s Sierra Leonean scholar and researcher of West Christmas Carols, but the arrangement sung for the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. death, but it is believed that Felix originally African music Nicholas G. J. Ballanta-Taylor. here is by David Willcocks. The three stanzas represent young, middle-aged planned this music for a work to be entitled and old kings respectively, with a surprising Erde, Himmel und Hölle (Earth, Heaven and Hell). Elizabeth Poston (1905-87) composed her John Tavener (1944-2013) composed his setting change to the major key for the old king’s golden beautiful version of Jesus Christ the apple of William Blake’s poem The Lamb (from Songs treasures (“many a gaud and glittering toy”). The text of O little town of Bethlehem was tree in 1967. The best-known previous setting of Innocence and of Experience) in 1982 for written by Phillips Brooks, a Philadelphia of this anonymous 18th-century poem is by his nephew Simon’s third birthday. Quietly An extrovert, celebratory contrast to its lullaby rector who was inspired by his visit to Bethlehem Jeremiah Ingalls (1764-1838). Ms Poston haunting, it has become one of the most companion-piece, A Spanish Carol is one of a in 1865. He wrote the poem for his church composed much choral and vocal music as popular of modern choral works. pair of traditional carols arranged by Andrew three years later and the melody was added by well as instrumental works (some for unusual Carter, several of whose carol compositions or his organist Lewis Redner. However, the combinations) and many scores for TV and For his setting of A maiden most gentle Andrew arrangements are among the most frequently best-known setting in the UK is the English radio productions.