JOURNEY INTO LIGHT Music for Advent, Christmas, 8 In the bleak midwinter Harold Darke (1888-1976) [4.28] Combined Choirs Epiphany and Candlemas Timothy Lambourn organ Alasdair Austin treble solo Jaliya Senanayake tenor solo 1 Jesus Christ the apple tree Elizabeth Poston (1905-1987) [3.05] 9 Tomorrow shall be my dancing day John Gardner (1917-2011) [2.06] College Choir Combined Choirs Emma Walton soprano solo Timothy Lambourn organ 2 We wait for thy loving kindness William McKie (1901-1984) [2.32] 0 The Shepherd’s Carol Bob Chilcott (b.1955) [2.54] Chapel Choir Combined Choirs Robert Dixon organ Alexander Beetschen baritone solo q I saw three ships Trad. arr. Simon Preston (b.1938) [2.03] Combined Choirs 3 I sing of a maiden Patrick Hadley (1899-1973) [2.43] Timothy Lambourn organ Choristers Nico Bryan treble solo Robert Dixon organ Edward Leach tenor solo 4 Advent Prose Judith Weir (b.1954) [1.43] w The little road to Bethlehem Michael Head (1900-1976) [3.00] College Choir Choristers Robert Dixon organ 5 There is no rose John Joubert (b.1927) [2.29] College Choir e Away in a manger W.J. Kirkpatrick (1838-1921) [2.56] Combined Choirs 6 Hymn to the Virgin Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) [3.18] Olympia Hetherington soprano r Sir Christèmas William Mathias (1934-1992) [1.28] Frances Burn alto Combined Choirs Edward Leach tenor Timothy Lambourn organ Matthew Smith bass t The Lamb John Tavener (b.1944) [3.26] 7 Bright star carol Nico Muhly (b.1981) [3.52] College Choir Combined Choirs Robert Dixon organ JOURNEY INTO LIGHT 2. We wait for Thy loving kindness William McKie (1901-1984) y Paean on ‘Divinum Mysterium’ John Cook (1918-1984) [4.20] Of the annual Christian seasons it is surely that Timothy Lambourn organ solo from Advent to Epiphany which inspires believer Australian-born William McKie was better-known and non-believer alike the most: the believer in Britain, his career culminating as Organist and u Epiphany Judith Bingham (b.1952) [3.37] College Choir celebrates Christ’s birth whilst the non-believer Choirmaster at Westminster Abbey, where he is Robert Dixon organ considers hopes for rebirth and renewal as a buried, and where he oversaw the music for the New Year approaches. The feast of Candlemas marriage of Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant i Here is the little door Herbert Howells (1892-1983) [4.00] which marks the end of the liturgical season Philip Mountbatten in 1947 and for Queen College Choir of Christmas, celebrates the presentation of Elizabeth II’s Coronation in 1953, in which year o Bethlehem Down Peter Warlock (1894-1930) [4.03] the infant Jesus to the old man Simeon, and he was knighted. McKie composed much church Combined Choirs is strongly associated with the gift of light. If music, including, for the 1947 Royal Wedding, aspirations surrounding the arrival of a new the anthem We wait for Thy loving-kindness, O p Nunc dimittis Geoffrey Burgon (1941-2010) [2.45] born child are universal, the Christmas music God, to words selected by the Abbey’s Precentor. Choristers chosen here reflects the season’s inspiration The work opens with a solo male voice, gradually Robert Dixon organ Rebecca Crawshaw trumpet through quite recent compositions, alongside music building to an impressive climax. from the early part of the 20th century. a Hymn to the Creator of Light John Rutter (b.1945) [7.22] 3. I sing of a maiden College Choir 1. Jesus Christ the apple tree Patrick Hadley (1899-1973) Elizabeth Poston (1905-1987) Total timings: [68.13] Patrick Hadley became a close friend and pupil of Elizabeth Poston was a composer, arranger, Vaughan Williams and colleague of many British pianist and arts administrator. Her best-known composers. An excellent conductor and lecturer compositions are based upon folk tunes, and her in music, Hadley’s shorter pieces – amongst setting of Jesus Christ the apple tree (the author several large-scale choral-orchestral works – THE CHOIR OF JESUS COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE of the New England poem is unknown), spread her especially the carol ‘I sing of a maiden’ (1936, ROBERT DIXON & TIMOTHY LAMBOURN ORGAN name across the English-speaking world. It is her to traditional words), perfectly encapsulate his REBECCA CRAWSHAW TRUMPET most famous composition, admirably displaying skill and originality. MARK WILLIAMS DIRECTOR her qualities as a sensitive creative figure. www.signumrecords.com - 5 - 4. Advent Prose 6. Hymn to the Virgin 8. In the bleak midwinter 10. The Shepherd’s Carol Judith Weir (b.1954) Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) Harold Darke (1888-1976) Bob Chilcott (b.1955) The text of Judith Weir’s a cappella setting, Although Britten composed many works for voices, From 1916 Harold Darke was Organist of St Bob Chilcott’s career began as a singer, and anticipating the Messiah’s coming, is from the music for Christmas rarely appears amongst Michael’s Cornhill for 50 years, initiating St he became one of The King’s Singers. With Book of Isaiah. The composer explains her piece them. A Ceremony of Carols (treble voices and Michael’s Lunchtime Organ Recitals, now the such practical experience, his vocal writing ‘was written in 1983 and first performed by harp) is the best known, but in 1930, aged 16 longest-running such series in the world. His is particularly fine, his many vocal the Choir of Trinity College Cambridge’. Based on and a pupil at Gresham’s School, he wrote this setting of Christina Rossetti’s In the Bleak compositions being welcomed by performers the mode i plainsong melody, the music swells magical setting of an anonymous 14th-century Midwinter is one of those rare English carols to and audiences alike. The Shepherd’s Carol is from unison to eight-part harmony and back again. text. It was slightly revised soon afterwards for achieve transcendence. In 2008, it was voted an excellent example of his work; a simple tune, two vocal groups – one large, one small – the greatest carol of all time in a poll of choral initially unaccompanied, it is woven into a rich 5. There is no rose becoming one of the earliest works published experts and choirmasters. vocal tapestry. John Joubert (b.1927) during his lifetime. 9. Tomorrow shall be my dancing day 11. I saw three ships Born in Cape Town, John Joubert has lived in 7. Bright star carol John Gardner (1917-2011) arr. Simon Preston (b.1938) England for many years, composing in many Nico Muhly (b.1981) genres – operas, concertos, symphonies, chamber Manchester-born John Gardner lived for most of his Some claim this traditional English carol tune and much choral music. His choral works Vermont-born, long-time New York resident, Nico life in the environs of London. A prolific composer is a variant of Greensleeves; at least 500 years remain his best known, although he dislikes Muhly is set to become one of America’s leading in almost all genres, the carol Tomorrow shall be my old, it exists in many arrangements, one of the being ‘pigeon-holed’ as a composer. Joubert’s 21st-century composers. A former boy chorister, dancing day, is Gardner’s most enduringly popular most successful in recent decades being that carol There is no rose of such virtue, Opus 14, much of Muhly’s work is choral, including notable work. It was written for the Choir of St Paul’s Girls by Simon Preston, who for several years was a written in 1954, continues to be among his music for Christmas, his commissions including School where, as a successor of Herbert Howells successor to William McKie as Organist and most-often performed shorter works, a classic of a carol for Tewkesbury Abbey alongside this and Gustav Holst, John Gardner was Director Choirmaster at Westminster Abbey. the modern Christmas repertoire. Advent carol for Jesus College, Cambridge, plus of Music in the 1960s, a post he held alongside seven organ preludes for Westminster Abbey teaching posts at Morley College and the Royal 12. The little road to Bethlehem based on the great “O” Advent Antiphons. Academy of Music. A much-loved teacher, lecturer, Michael Head (1900-1976) composer and musician, he died just a few months after the recording of this disc was completed. Michael Head, a gifted singer, possessed a genuinely gentle creative gift. His output, - 6 - - 7 - whilst not especially large, is concentrated sequence, a wondrously energetic setting, stands His best-known composition, Paean on Divinum 18. Here is the little door upon his distinguished song settings, of which aside from the religious aspect to concentrate Mysterium, written in 1956, is an organ fantasia Herbert Howells (1892-1983) the most famous and enduring example is The upon more secular seasonal matters. Full of on the 16th-century carol ‘Divinum Mysterium’, little road to Bethlehem. The words by Margaret excited energy, as the realisation that Christ’s often translated as ‘Of the Father’s heart Herbert Howells’s choral and organ music has Rose place the Nativity in any country: birth is upon us, the music grows superbly until begotten’, based on an ancient plainsong melody. long featured in the repertoire, his carols and the result is deeply touching in its masterly the final shouts of ‘Nowell’, with which ‘Rex short anthems ensuring his fame across the combination of text and music. Pacificus’ has certainly arrived. 17. Epiphany world. Howells was still composing in his 90s; Judith Bingham (b.1952) this famous early carol, Here is the little door 13. Away in a manger 15. The Lamb dates from his earliest period, published in 1918. W.J. Kirkpatrick (1838-1921) John Tavener (b.1944) Judith Bingham won the 1997 BBC Young arr.