A WINTER’S LIGHT - A Christmas Collection

CHILCOTT This is the truth*

RATHBONE Gabriel’s Message

SWEELINCK Hodie Christus natus est

PRAETORIUS arr. Sandström Es ist ein Ros entsprungen

HOWELLS Sing Lullaby

VILLETTE Hymne à la Vierge

CHILCOTT Sweet was the song*

WILLCOCKS Of the Father’s heart begotten*

GABRIELI Hodie Christus natus est

CHILCOTT Rejoice and be merry*

Walford DAVIES O little town of Bethlehem*

Armstrong GIBBS The Stable Door

ADAM arr. J.E. West O Holy Night*

DARKE In the bleak mid-winter*

JACKSON The Christ-child

RUTTER Nativity Carol*

PIERPOINT arr. B. Parry Jingle Bells

CHILCOTT Christmas-tide

LAKE arr. Rathbone I believe in Father Christmas

RATHBONE Carol Medley*

Martin Ford, organ*

Vasari Singers / Jeremy Backhouse

The Vasari Singers’ annual carol concerts always provide a warming blend of traditional favourites and less well-known music from all periods and styles. Here, joyous and masterful 16th-century polyphony sits alongside eternally popular Victorian carols, and exquisitely crafted settings by Howells and Walford Davies join works as recent as Gabriel Jackson’s The Christ-child. Bob Chilcott magically superimposes traditional carols with entrancing new material, and no Vasari Christmas would be complete without some close harmony Swingle singing. The Vasari Singers have also recorded Gabriel Jackson’s Requiem (8.573049).

The Vasari Singers’ Great British Anthems [8.572102] was described as “essential listening” by Gramophone. The mixture of moving beauty and entertaining good humour in this programme makes it a disc which is sure to appeal to a very wide audience this and every festive season.

Founded in 1980, Vasari Singers is among the leading chamber choirs in Britain, performing music ranging from Renaissance to contemporary. The choir performs regularly in London as well as visiting many of England’s cathedrals to sing services, with recent trips to Canterbury, Salisbury, Bath and Ripon. The choir and Jeremy Backhouse are deeply committed to contemporary music and have commissioned over twenty works since 2000, including works by Francis Pott and Gabriel Jackson.

Naxos 8573030