Prices shown exclude VAT. (UK tax is not payable for deliveries to United States.) See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
Lessons: Genesis 3: God tells sinful Adam that he has lost the life serpent’s head. Genesis 22: God promises to faithful Abraham that in his seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Isaiah 9: The prophet foretells the coming of the Saviour. Isaiah 11: The peace that Christ will bring is foreshown. Luke 1: The angel Gabriel salutes the Blessed Virgin Mary. Luke 2: St Luke tells of the birth of Jesus. Luke 2: The shepherds go to the manger. Matthew 2: The wise men are led by the star to Jesus. John 1: St John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation.
Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury & Peter Stevens Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Celebrates The 80th Anniversary Broadcast of Its Christmas Eve Service and The 800th Anniversary Of Cambridge University. The 2008 Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, recorded live by BBC Radio 3 in "the magnificent recording studio that is King’s College Chapel.” The service marked the 80th anniversary of its first BBC broadcast and the start of a year-long celebration of the 800th anniversary of Cambridge University. The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, is conducted by its Director of Music, Stephen Cleobury. The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, founded in the 15th century, has been described as “a crowning glory of our civilisation.” It is famous the world over for its quintessentially English sound and, in particular, for its iconic Christmas Eve service, A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, introduced in 1918 as a more imaginative approach to worship. The choice of carols varies each year. Held in King’s College Chapel and broadcast by the BBC since 1928 (with the exception of 1930), the service is currently broadcast internationally. Thus, every year, millions of listeners around the world, from adventurers at the foot of Everest and the middle of desert to families making their own Christmas preparations at home, are able to share the traditional English Christmas Eve service with those seated in the pews at King’s College Chapel. When Stephen Cleobury became Director of Music at King’s in 1982, he added a “new” tradition to the service. Eager to embrace contemporary music and incorporate it into the existing format, Cleobury began commissioning a new carol each year for inclusion in the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. The 2008 programme includes Illuminare Jerusalem by Judith Weir (1985), What sweeter music by John Rutter (1987) and Mary, commissioned from Dominic Muldowney for the 2008 service. Another “new” composer represented in the 2008 service is Peter Tranchell (1922-1993), former University of Cambridge lecturer in Music, whose contribution is If ye would hear the angels sing. The other carols are traditional, some well known (O come, all ye faithful; God rest ye merry, gentlemen; Hark! The herald-angels sing), others less so (Angels from the realms of glory; Infant holy, Infant lowly; A spotless rose). The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge consists of sixteen choristers and fourteen choral scholars. It was founded in response to King Henry VI’s desire for daily sung services in his magnificent chapel and this remains its primary purpose. Its international reputation, established by the radio broadcast of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, has been consolidated by regular international tours and by the critical and commercial success of its EMI Classics releases. “King’s College, Cambridge, is a byword for the very best in Christmas music”. BBC Music Magazine “I would happily sit in King’s College Chapel listening to this choir sing for the rest of my days.” The Times “…what's specially striking is the intimacy of these performances, the choir under Stephen Cleobury excelling in the difficult art of dynamic restraint and truly gentle singing. Vaughan Williams's 'Wither's Rocking Hymn' is a fine example, and includes some lovely solos.” BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2009 ***** “Judith Weir’s thrilling Illuminare Jerusalem is the most welcome novelty here, virtuosically sung.” Sunday Times, 20th December 2009 *** | 
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| |  | Christmas from York
John Scott Whiteley (organ) The Choir of York Minster, Robert Sharpe (director) A varied programme of Christmas music, including familiar and some unfamiliar items, recorded in the largest mediaeval church in Northern Europe with its spectacular acoustic. First recordings of new carols by Richard Shephard and John Scott Whiteley. Robert Sharpe’s first recording with the Minster Choir since taking up the appointment of Director of Music at the Minster in September 2008. “Rutter's 'Shepherd's pipe carol' and Poulenc's 'Hodie Christus natus est' show the Minster choir at its extrovert best.” BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2009 *** | 
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| |  | Classic Christmas Carols - 50 Favourite Carols
Bach, J S: | O Jesulein süß, BWV493 Chorale Prelude BWV729 'In dulci jubilo' | Cornelius: | The Three Kings | Darke: | In the Bleak Midwinter | Ebeling: | All my heart this night rejoices | Gauntlett: | Once in Royal David's city | Grüber, F: | Silent Night | Hadley, P: | I sing of a maiden | Howells: | A Spotless Rose | Kirkpatrick: | Away in a Manger | Mendelssohn: | Hark! the herald angels sing | Niles: | I wonder as I wander | Ord: | Adam lay y-bounden | Poston: | Jesus Christ the Apple Tree | Ravenscroft, T: | Remember O thou Man | Rutter: | Sans Day Carol Dormi, Jesu | Scheidt: | A Child is born in Bethlehem | Tavener: | The Lamb | Terry, R: | Myn lyking | trad.: | Ding dong! merrily on high The Holly and the Ivy (arr. Walford Davies)) While Shepherds Watched God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen Angels from the Realms Of Glory I saw a maiden Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing? Quem pastores laudavere Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day A maiden most gentle Cherry Tree Carol Gabriel's Message ('The angel Gabriel from heaven came') Personent hodie The First Nowell In Dulci Jubilo O little town of Bethlehem I saw three ships It came upon the midnight clear Sussex Carol O come, o come, Emmanuel Riu, riu, chiu The Shepherd's Cradle Song How far is it to Bethlehem Up good Christen folk Quittez, pasteurs The Lord at first did Adam make The Infant King And all in the morning Of the Father's heart begotten | Vaughan Williams: | The truth sent from above | Wade: | O come, all ye faithful |
Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, Sir David Willcocks, Sir Philip Ledger & Stephen Cleobury | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | A Traditional Christmas Carol Selectionfrom The Sixteen
The Sixteen, Harry Christophers A collection of well-loved traditional Christmas Carols, perfect for creating a warm seasonal atmosphere and to sing along with. "Simple, sincere and thoroughly engaging" American Record Guide | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Once In Royal David’s Citycoupled with carols from Sir Philip Ledger’s first Christmas record with the choir
anon.: | Resonemus laudibus | Britten: | A Hymn to the Virgin | Gauntlett: | Once in Royal David's city | Leighton: | Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child, Op. 25b | Mathias: | Sir Christèmas | Mendelssohn: | Hark! the herald angels sing | Ord: | Adam lay y-bounden | Praetorius, M: | Quem pastores laudavere | Ravenscroft, T: | Remember O thou Man | Terry, R: | Myn lyking | trad.: | How far is it to Bethlehem Personent hodie The Angels and the Shepherds Of the Father's heart begotten The Holly and the Ivy Gabriel's Message ('The angel Gabriel from heaven came') The Shepherd's Cradle Song Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing? The Infant King O come, o come, Emmanuel Quittez, pasteurs Sans Day Carol | Vaughan Williams: | The truth sent from above | Wade: | O come, all ye faithful | Wishart: | Alleluya! A new work is come on hand |
Choir of King's College Cambridge, David Willcocks and Sir Philip Ledger | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | A King's College Christmas
Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Carols from Chichester Cathedral
Mark Wardell (organ) Chichester Cathedral Choir, Sarah Baldock (director) Mark Waddell’s “Rocking” included here was specially written for these choristers for this CD. Like David Hill’s arrangement of “Away in a manger”, it demonstrates the power of a good tune in the hands of a skilful arranger. This is one of the most respected Cathedral choirs in the country. “…this new collection from Chichester Cathedral stands out by dint of its sense of dedication and sheer musical quality. The singing throughout is totally unforced, naturally devotional and expressive - the English cathedral tradition at its very finest.” BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2009 ***** | 
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| |  | Christmas from Truro
Christopher Gray (organ) Truro Cathedral Choir, Robert Sharpe (director) A collection of well-loved traditional Carols performed by the critically-acclaimed Truro Cathedral Choir, directed by Robert Sharpe. Features all the Carols regularly sung at Truro Cathedral’s Nine Lessons and Carols and Midnight Mass services. First recordings of two new carols by leading British composers Gabriel Jackson and Howard Skempton, commissioned by Truro Cathedral. Includes Regent producer Gary Cole’s blues-inspired arrangement of Away in a Manger. | | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
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| |  | Pavão Quartet - The Christmas CollectionCarols arranged by Carlo Martelli.
£1 will be donated to the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer for every CD sold “The excellent Pavão Quartet” The Times | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Victorian Christmas for Brass
Constanze Backes (soprano) Passion des Cuivres The wind quintet Passion de Cuivres was formed in
2003 and has already been praised by Nikolaus
Harnoncourt for its authentic use of period instruments
in reviving this 200-year-old tradition of performing
chamber music written for brass ensembles. In
general, the music-making of Passion des Cuivres is
marked by lighter timbres than those produced by
modern instruments.The sound spectrum of the present
CD is further extended by the soprano Constanze
Backes and by the bells of St Andrew's Church, Sonning
near Reading, which have been cast over a period of
three centuries, their sounds guaranteeing an atmospheric
beginning and end to this musical journey.
In addition to traditional carols by William Sandys (1792-1874), Lewis Henry Redner (1830-1908) and Lowell
Mason (1792-1872), justice is done to the high standards of amateur groups in the 19th century by including
arrangements of Baroque and Romantic choral numbers by composers as diverse as Purcell, Handel and
Mendelssohn. In addition to cornets, horns and trombones, the listener will even hear an ophicleide, a kind
of bass horn that was a forerunner of the euphonium.
These spirited and frequently refreshingly witty arrangements of popular and - at least
outside the UK - less well-known pieces of music are designed, therefore, to warm the
cockles of hearts depressed by the thought of Christmas. | | | Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days. |
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