Carols for Christmas - Westminster Abbey Choir & Bach Choir (Full Album) 1962

Описание: Tracklist:

O come, all ye faithful
Whence is that goodly fragrance
Come, rock the cradle for Him
The holly and the ivy
Lullay my liking
See amid the winter's snow
In dulci jubilo
Performed by WESTMINSTER ABBEY CHOIR
Conductor: Dr. William McKie
Organ: Dr. Osborne Peasgood

While shepherds watched their
flocks by night
Good King Wenceslas
Silent night, holy night
Hark! the herald angels sing
Ding, dong, merrily on high
God rest ye merry, gentlemen
The first Nowell
Performed by: BACH CHOIR
Conductor: Dr. Reginald Jacques
Organ: Dr. Osborne Peasgood


Insofar as it is possible to capture these qualities in song, they are found on this record. Here is a selection of Christmas carols preserved in their original form, sung with the accomplishment and grace born of two famous choirs. As we listen, the high voices tug at the heart until it seems that, even by our own fireside, we can see breath condensing in the cold outdoor air.

As one writer observed, “the best carols have served many generations.” Those before us span centuries, reaching back to when the word carole implied a dance rather than a song. In medieval times, carols were danced by chains of men and women with clasped hands, singing the stanza and marking time during the burden. These dances were later incorporated into church services around the crèche, said to have been introduced by St. Francis of Assisi. Singing and dancing around the crèche gave rise to lullaby carols, now vital to our tradition. Outstanding examples here include the ballad style of *Lullay my liking*, set by Gustav Holst with ancient simplicity, and the folk-song directness of *Come, rock the cradle for Him*.

The carol’s associations extend beyond English Christianity. In songs like The holly and the ivy are traces of pagan seasonal celebrations. Old manuscripts preserve many such symbols, though in this carol they illustrate the incarnation in true medieval fashion. Carols were not confined to Christmas alone; Good King Wenceslas demonstrates this, its 19th‑century words set to a Latin spring carol.

Other medieval carols include In dulci jubilo*, with Latin phrases translated from 14th‑century German by R. L. de Pearsall, and *O come, all ye faithful*, whose origins remain mysterious though the tune is attributed to St. Boniventura. Later examples are *The first Nowell and *God rest ye merry, gentlemen*, likely dating to the 16th century. The latter, known as the London carol, was still copied in the 19th century “as sung in the streets of London.”

A serious break in tradition came with the Puritans in the 17th century. Seeking to abolish Christmas itself, they condemned it as “The Old Heathen’s Feasting Day” and excluded joyful carols from services. Yet they could not stamp them out entirely, and revival soon followed. A bridge across this gap is *While shepherds watched*, whose 18th‑century words are set to a 16th‑century tune. Modern carols fall into two broad classes: those in the style of hymns and those attempting to recapture the naïve charm of ancient tradition.

For those who distinguish styles, contrasts appear between the Westminster Abbey and Bach choirs. The Westminster Abbey Choir, a small group of flawless singers, focuses on intimate and sometimes lesser‑known carols requiring simple musical effects. From them we hear chant harmonies, madrigals, and wandering ballad and folk‑song melodies—delights to trained and untrained ears alike.

The Bach Choir, by contrast, tends toward established favourites, sung countless times yet never hackneyed. They perform with perfection that invites rather than intimidates, encouraging us to join in. Though the number of voices is large, the words remain clear and audible throughout.


The above text is from the back of the album sleeve re-written to fit in the allowed character limit on Youtube