trad.: Angelus ad virginem

The Australian Brandeburg Orchestra get together each year to celebrate Christmas and Artistic Director Paul Dyer has committed some of the music created to disc.

It contains the usual eclectic mix of repertoire, performed by these first class musicians in their unique way.

Their previous release was universally critically acclaimed and we expect this one to generate similar reviews.

Here is a lovely collection of Christmas Carols from the ever-improving cathedral choir in Chester. A varied selection of old and new carols is interspersed with some short organ interludes.

Volume 2 of David Hill’s Noël! series is an exciting new collection of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany music for mixed voice choirs. This recording captures the essence of the collection in a fine new recording by the stunning choir Ikon.

The King’s School has its roots in the sixth century and its pupils live and work within the inspirational and ancient Precincts of Canterbury Cathedral and the grounds of St Augustine’s Abbey. Music has played a central role in the school’s life from its monastic foundations. The Crypt Choir, under the direction of Howard Ionascu, is the school’s senior choir. Its primary purpose is to provide music for weekly School services in Canterbury Cathedral, where the King’s School is part of the Foundation.

The choir also performs at outside venues, most recently St Paul’s, Knightsbridge, The Temple Church, St John’s, Smith Square and Westminster Abbey. It has toured extensively, including a number of European countries, New York, Boston, New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong. The Choir reached the final stage of the 2005 BBC Choir of the Year at the Lowry Centre in Salford. In July of that year the Choir was invited to perform Tallis’ Spem in alium alongside The Sixteen and Harry Christophers in Canterbury Cathedral. The Choir has been particularly active in performing contemporary music.

It has performed in the Sounds New Festivals, featuring works by James Macmillan, Paul Patterson and Gabriel Jackson. In December 2005 it gave the first performance of a commission by Howard Goodall, Of the dark past, in Canterbury Cathedral.

A programme of music spanning a thousand years of Christmas celebrations, from the evocative medieval plainchant of the Sarum Rite to the warmth and joy of modern Christmas carols. Ethereal choirs from Oxford and Cambridge contrast with robust organ music and some famous and well-loved carols such as 'Away in a manger'.

This Christmas CD was recorded in April 2007 and it is the first CD in a series of four. It is the first CD produced since the choir resumed its musical ambitions under its present conductor, Christoffer Holgersson, in 2001.