A sure touch

Edward Higginbottom conducts New College Oxford Choir, appreciated by BASIL RAMSEY

Nativitas - a celebration of peace at Christmas. The Choir of New College, Oxford / Edward Higginbottom © 2004 Warner Classics

The immaculate choir of boys and men singing on their home ground in New College Chapel, Oxford, UK, shows the striking contrast between unaccompanied singing and flute solos [listen -- track 7, 1:46-2:41], with the sympathetic acoustic of this chapel clothing sound with a matching radiance.

Edward Higginbottom, a fine choir trainer and accomplished composer, has collated the programme of mostly known Christmas music with a sure touch. Against the colossal attraction of a Cambridge college chapel and its music this CD demonstrates that others also keep this repertory alive and faithfully presented [listen -- track 17, 1:16-2:28].

Nativitas - a celebration of peace at Christmas

2564 61794-2 DDD Stereo REISSUE 73'26" 1997 Erato Disques; 2004 Warner Classics

Anna Noakes, flute; Philip Cave, tenor; Roderick Morris, treble; Nicholas Fuggle, treble; The Choir of New College Oxford; Edward Higginbottom, conductor

I Processional: I wonder as I wander (Appalachian carol); II Redemption: Boris Ord (1897-1961) (arr John Rutter): Adam lay ybounden; Giovanni da Palestrina (1525-1594): Alma Redemptoris; III Anunciation: The angel Gabriel (Basque carol arr Pettman); Anton Bruckner (1824-1896): Ave Maria; Herbert Howells (1892-1983): A spotless rose; John Joubert (born 1927): There is no rose; IV The Journey to Bethlehem: Michael Head (1900-1976): The little road to Bethlehem; Henry John Gauntlett (1805-1876): Once in Royal David's City (Descant and last verse harmonisation by David Willcocks); V The Birth: Franz Gruber (1787-1863), arr Andrew Carter: Stille Nacht; Herbert Howells: Sing lullaby; Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (1732-1795): Gloria sei dir gesungen (Part III of 'Wachet auf, ruft uns die stimme'); Francis Poulenc (1899-1963): O magnum mysterium; In dulci jubilo (fourteenth century German carol, arr R L Pearsall); Georg Christian Schemelli (c1676-1762), arr J S Bach: O Jesulein süß VI The Visit of the Shepherds: Christopher Tye (1505-1572): While Shepherds watched their flocks by night (descant by Edward Higginbottom); Francis Poulenc: Quem vidistis pastores; Shepherds shake off your drowsy sleep (Besançon carol tune, arr Martin Shaw); Adeste fideles (eighteenth century, attributed to W F Wade; Descant and last verse harmonisation by David Willcocks); VII The Visit of the Kings: Francis Poulenc: Videntes stellam; Rocking Carol (Czech traditional, arr Edward Higginbottom); Herbert Howells: Here is the little door; Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847): Hark! the herald angels sing (descant and last verse harmonisation by David Willcocks). Flute links composed and arranged by Edward Higginbottom.

BUY THIS DISC ONLINE

<< Music & Vision home Recent CD reviews Land's End >>

For help listening to the sound extracts here,
please refer to our questions & answers page.

Record Box is Music & Vision's regular series of shorter CD reviews