Composer: Ralph Vaughan Williams
Performer: Joshua Ryan, Tom Castle, Eloise Irving, Angus McPhee, Leah Jackson, Jonathan Hanley, Jonathan Beatty, Katy Hill, Adrian Horsewood, Eleanor Minney, Thomas Stoddart, Jenni Harper, Chapel Choir of the Royal Hospital Chelsea
Conductor: William Vann
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Albion Records
Catalogue: ALBCD050
Release: 2021
Size: 1.21 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
01. No. 45, Sussex Mummer’s Carol
02. No. 7, Hereford Carol
03. No. 4, A Virgin Most Pure
04. No. 24, Sussex Carol [2nd Tune]
05. No. 31, Gloucestershire Wassail
06. No. 36, The Salutation Carol
07. No. 46, The Bellman’s Song [3rd Tune]
08. No. 60, Job [3rd Tune]
09. No. 39, This Endris Night
10. No. 24, Sussex Carol [1st Tune]
11. No. 131, Coverdale’s Carol
12. No. 77, Song of the Crib
13. No. 142, Children’s Song of the Nativity
14. No. 134, If Ye Would Hear the Angels Sing
15. No. 79, Quem Pastores
16. No. 46, The Bellman’s Song [2nd Tune]
17. No. 115, Joseph and Mary
18. No. 60, Job [4th Tune]
19. No. 43, The Seven Virgins
20. No. 132, Psalm of Sion
21. O My Dear Heart (Arr. R. Vaughan Williams for Choir)
22. God Bless the Master of This House (Arr. R. Vaughan Williams for Choir)
This recording focusses on arrangements made by Vaughan Williams for The Oxford Book of Carols (1928), coupled with two later carols published by OUP. Many of the tunes are far from well-known and deserve a new audience. We think 10 of the 22 tracks are first recordings, but reserve the right to have overlooked one or two amidst the vast but very mixed heritage of recorded carols.
The preface to The Oxford Book of Carols tells us that: ‘Variety in the method of singing is even more important than with hymns, and the verses should never be sung straight through all in the same way.’ In this spirit the choir’s director, William Vann, has prepared the carols for recording with a mixture of accompanied, unaccompanied and solo verses. Few of these carols are likely to have been undertaken by a congregation; this recording by a choir of distinguished professional singers presents the carols at their best, supported by the Henry Willis organ of St Jude-on-the-Hill, Hampstead, in half of the carols.
As always, full texts are included, and detailed notes on the carols are preceded by an essay about The Oxford Book of Carols by Jeremy Summerly.
This is a companion album to ALBCD035 A Vaughan Williams Christmas, which proved outstandingly popular. We hope that this will provide every bit as much enjoyment.