1 The Rodolfus Foundation Christmas Celebration THURSDAY 17​th ​ DECEMBER 2020, 6pm ORDER OF SERVICE ORGAN - ‘​Es ist ein Ros’, Op. 122, No. 8 ​by Brahms (1833-1897) William Fairbairn is playing a virtual organ set-up (Hauptwerk) using a Dutch Schnitker organ, put through the acoustic of King’s College, Cambridge CAROL - Once in Royal David City by H J Gauntlett (1805-76) Arr. A H Mann (vs 1-3); descant David Willcocks Soloist – Charlie Trueman Rodolfus Choir Organist – Robert Scamardella at Bede’s School, Sussex. [SOLO] Once in Royal David City Stood a lowly cattle shed, Where a mother laid her baby In a manger for his bed: Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child. PLEASE JOIN IN AT HOME! He came down to earth from heaven Who is God and Lord of all, And His shelter was a stable And His cradle was a stall; With the poor and mean and lowly Lived on earth our Saviour holy. And our eyes at last shall see Him, Through His own redeeming love; For that child so dear and gentle Is our Lord in heaven above, And He leads His children on To the place where He is gone. Not in that poor lowly stable, With the oxen standing by, We shall see Him; but in heaven, Set at God’s right hand on high; Where like stars His children crowned All in white shall wait around. 2 The Rodolfus Foundation Christmas Celebration INTRODUCTION Alexander Armstrong CAROL – God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen (Trad. arr. Willcocks) Rodolfus Choir and Friends and Family Organist – Tom Winpenny playing the organ at St Albans Cathedral. PLEASE JOIN IN AT HOME! God rest you merry, gentlemen, Now to the Lord sing praises, Let nothing you dismay, All you within this place, For Jesus Christ our Saviour And with true love and Was born upon this day, brotherhood To save us all from Satan's pow’r Each other now embrace; When we were gone astray: This holy tide of Christmas O tidings of comfort and joy All others doth deface: Comfort and joy O tidings of comfort and joy O tidings of comfort and joy. Comfort and joy O tidings of comfort and joy. From God our heav’nly Father A blessed angel came, And unto certain shepherds Brought tidings of the same, How that in Bethlehem was born The Son of God by Name: O tidings of comfort and joy Comfort and joy O tidings of comfort and joy. But when to Bethlehem they came, Whereat this infant lay, They found Him in a manger, Where oxen feed on hay; His Mother Mary kneeling, Unto the Lord did pray: O tidings of comfort and joy Comfort and joy O tidings of comfort and joy. 3 The Rodolfus Foundation Christmas Celebration READING 1 - Eleanor Oldroyd The Shepherds Go to the Manger (Luke 2: 8-16)) CAROL – Away in a Manger (trad.) Verse 1 – Pimlico Music Foundation, conductor James Day. Verse 2 and 3 - Choristers of St John the Divine, Kennington, conductor Ben Vonberg Clerk. Both choirs have a close relationship with Rodolfus and several of their singers attend Rodolfus Choral Courses on a bursary. CAROL – ​Bethlehem Down​ by Peter Warlock (1894-1930) Rodolfus Choir READING 2 - Julian Ovenden, (Rodolfus Choir Alumnus) The Journey of the Magi​ by T S Eliot CAROL – ​The Three Kings​ by Peter Cornelius (1824-1874. arr. Ivor Atkins) Rodolfus Choir and Roderick Williams, Baritone (Rodolfus Choir Alumnus) CAROL – ​Lully Lulla​ by Kenneth Leighton (1929-1988) Rodolfus Choir Soloist – Verity Peterken, soprano Words: trad. 15th Century READING 3 – John Rutter The Three Sage Men Call Off Christmas (Private Eye) CAROL – ​Jingle Bells​ (Trad. arr. Ralph Allwood) Rodolfus Choir READING 4 – Barbara Flynn Excerpt from ​A Christmas Carol​ by Charles Dickens 4 The Rodolfus Foundation Christmas Celebration CAROL – Hark the Herald Angels Sing by Mendelssohn (1809-47) Arr. David Willcocks (vs.3) Rodolfus Choir and Friends & Family Organist – Oliver Walker, Repton College PLEASE JOIN IN AT HOME! Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the new-born King; Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled; Joyful, all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies, With th’angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem. Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the new-born King. Christ, by highest heav’n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, Late in time behold him come, Offspring of a virgin's womb: Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail th’incarnate Deity! Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel. Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the new-born King. Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Son of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, Risen with healing in His wings; Mild he lays his glory by, Born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the new-born King! FINAL WORD AND BLESSING Rev’d Lucy Winkett, Rector of St James’s Church, Piccadilly ORGAN VOLUNTARY – Organ Symphony No. 1, Op.14 by Louis Vierne (1870-1937) Organist David Goode from Eton College Chapel.. ******** 5 The Rodolfus Foundation Christmas Celebration BIOGRAPHIES We are extremely grateful to everyone who gave their time to this project. In order of appearance: William Fairbairn​ is Organist and Teacher of Music at St Paul’s School, London, and plays as a freelance organist across London. He also enjoys working on the Rodolfus Foundation choral courses each summer. Charlie Trueman​ is a chorister at Wakefield Cathedral and was a finalist in the BBC Chorister of the Year Competition 2020 Ralph Allwood MBE​ is Artistic Director of The Rodolfus Foundation. Robert Scamardella​ is a pianist, organist and teacher and is currently Director of Music at St Bede’s School, Sussex. Alexander Armstrong​ is an actor, television and radio presenter, known best for his TV series Pointless and his radio show on Classic FM. Tom Winpenny​ is Assistant Master of the Music at St Albans Cathedral. Eleanor Oldroyd​ is a sports broadcaster with BBC Radio. Julian Ovenden​ is an actor and singer best known for his work on Broadway and the TV series Downton Abbey and Foyle’s War. He was also a member of the Rodolfus Choir Roderick Williams​ OBE is an international opera singer, composer and broadcaster. He was also a member of the Rodolfus Choir. John Rutter CBE​ is a world-renowned composer and conductor. Barbara Flynn​ is an actor who first appeared on our TV screens in the 1970s in ​A Family At War​ and since then has rarely not been on our screens! Most recently Barbara has appeared in ​The Durrells, Death in Paradise​ and ​Killing Eve. Oliver Walker​ is Director of Music at Repton School. The Reverend Lucy Winkett​ is the Vicar of St James’s Church, Piccadilly. David Goode​ is an organist with an international concert career. He is also Head of Keyboard and Organ at Eton College. 6 The Rodolfus Foundation Christmas Celebration MEMBERS OF THE RODOLFUS CHOIR Conducted by Ralph Allwood MBE SOPRANO ALTO TENOR BASS Miriam Alsop Ade Amusa Oscar Bowen-Hill Tom Fesmer Grace Bale Helen Barker Nathaniel Gunn Matthew Fesmer Lingling Bao-Smith Amy Bolster Alex Kirkland Alex Hardy Katrina Bedford Emily Budgen Oliver Simpson Freddie Ingles Veronica Boyle Georgia Burr Luke Sitaraman Alex Karlsson Victoria Brain Lucy Che Alex Wallace James Macfarlane Constance Budgen Lisa Coates Peter Weatherley Edward Marshall Jocelyn Coates Kate Crellin Henry Montgomery Merel De Coorde Amy Goodsall Joseph Morris Anne Elizabeth Louisa Kataria Jack O'Donovan Garry Miranda Lechmere Ben Rice Beth Fitzpatrick Eleanor Petry Benjamin Cressida Gethin Georgi Pilz Staniforth Emily Kemp Sophie Powell Nick Stoner Sasha Lawrence Jessica Rollett Stephon Kizzy Jacquie Rollett Umashangar Lumley-Edwards Romi Sharp Edward Walters Fionnuala Marshall Eppie Sharp Peter Waters Rose Miller Olivia Skellern Edward Wenborn Imogen Miller Sophie Rosanna Milner Taylor-Denton Ciara Morris Phoebe Wakefield Erin Mullins Kate Webster Katerina Poulios Anna Williams Hope Rodenhurst Olivia Ryan Holly Smith Sophie Stringfellow 7 The Rodolfus Foundation Christmas Celebration PRODUCTION TEAM Audio Editors: David Eatch, Jack Byrne, Callum Lawrence, and Chrissy Williams Audio Mixing and Mastering: Matt Norriss, Jay Witsey, and Jack Byrne Video Compositing and Animation: Matt Norriss Titles and Subtitles: Sam Pearce RODOLFUS FOUNDATION TEAM Charlotte Mahony, Helen Bennett and Annabel Price RODOLFUS FOUNDATION BURSARY FUND Every year we support a number of singers attending our choral courses by offering generous bursaries. In 2021 we aim to award £40,000 in bursarial support which equates to approximately 100 young singers attending a course who would not otherwise be able to. If you are able to, please help us reach our target by donating. You can contact ​[email protected]​ if you are in a position to make a substantial donation, or follow this link to our ​Virgin Giving Campaign page​. With thanks, The Rodolfus Foundation, December 2020 .