Choir of Bath Abbey Releases New Christmas Album on Regent

 

The Choir of Bath Abbey has released a new Christmas album called Gaudete! Under the direction of Huw Williams, it was released on Regent Records in October 2020. Description is as follows: 

Recorded in January 2020 this is the first recording of the Bath Abbey choirs in 6 years, and their first under their new Director of Music, Huw Williams.

Based around a selection of Christmas favourites, the recording opens with a stunning new arrangement of the well-known medieval carol, Gaudete .

There are also some less-familiar items. Of great interest are Walford Davies's rarely-heard setting for upper voices and piano of William Blake's The Lamb , Adam lay ybounden by Roy Massey, and Huw Williams's own arrangement of Away in a manger - written for Her Majesty The Queen's Christmas day broadcast in December 2015. Huw Williams was Director of Music at St James's Palace at the time, and this arrangement was written at short notice because the broadcast was to take place in a room in Buckingham Palace without accompaniment. With uncertainty over when choirs will be able to sing again, this release will help us all celebrate both the festive season, and the great British tradition of singing which is so evident at Christmas, serving as a welcome reminder of the strength of that tradition amongst church and cathedral choirs and the need to restore the daily round of music-making as soon as it is safe to do so.

Since Bath Abbey's foundation as a Benedictine Monastery in the 8th century, choral music has lain at the heart of its worship. The Abbey Choirs are widely regarded as amongst the finest in Britain, performing to the highest standard. Musical and liturgical highlights of the Christian year include the Abbey's atmospheric services held during Advent and Christmas.  

1. Gaudete* Piae cantiones, 16th century, arr Huw Williams 
2. O come, O come Emmanuel! g l French medieval melody, arr David Willcocks
3. The Lamb g Henry Walford Davies
4. In the bleak mid-winter b l Harold Darke
5. Mary had a baby* Trad Spiritual, arr Malcolm Sargent
6. Long the night g l Trad Ukrainian, arr Roy Massey
7. Ding dong! merrily on high French 16th century, arr Mack Wilberg
8. No small wonder b l Paul Edwards
9. O magnum mysterium g l Morten Lauridsen
10. Once in royal David’s city Henry John Gauntlett, arr Arthur Henry Mann and David Willcocks
11. Adam lay ybounden b l Roy Massey
12. Joy to the world Lowell Mason, arr John Rutter
13. Away in a manger g l Normandy melody, arr Edgar Pettman 
14. Lux aurumque g l Eric Whitacre
15. Lully, lulla, lullay g l Philip Stopford
16. I saw three ships g l Trad English, arr Simon Preston
17. The Sans Day Carol Trad Cornish, arr John Rutter
18. The Sussex Carol Trad English, arr Philip Ledger
19. O come, all ye faithful John Francis Wade, arr David Willcocks 4:03
20. Away in a manger g William James Kirkpatrick, arr Huw Williams
21. Hark! the herald-angels sing Felix Mendelssohn, descant David Willcocks

#choirofbathabbey #christmascarols #carols_of_christmas 

 

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