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Christmas Carols / Donald Hunt, Worcester Cathedral Choir
Naxos

Christmas Carols / Donald Hunt, Worcester Cathedral Choir

$19.99 Only 1 left

Details

Composer
VARIOUS
Artist
Robert, Raymond, Stringer, Donald, Johnston, Hunt
Format
CD
Label
Naxos
Released
Oct 29, 1993
Catalog #
8550589
UPC
730099558921

About

Joy to the world, better known in the United States of America, is derived from Handel, and is based, initially and very simply, on the notes of the descending scale. The famous Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols established earlier in the present century at King's College, Cambridge, traditionally opens with the singing in procession of the Victorian Once in royal David's city, a setting by the nineteenth century English organist Henry John Gauntlett of words by Mrs. Cecil Frances Alexander. Gauntlett nearly became a pupil of Mozart's pupil and Mendelssohn's friend Attwood, but instead turned to the law, and practiced as a solicitor. He took lessons, however, from Samuel Wesley, and played the organ in the first Birmingham performance of Mendelssohn's oratorio Elijah. O little town of Bethlehem is by Walford Davies with words by the nineteenth century American Bishop Philips Brooks, while The Cherry Tree Carol has a traditional English origin, the folk-tune here arranged by Donald Hunt. In the bleak mid-winter, a setting of a poem by Christina Rossetti, has music by Gustav Holst, who arranged the traditional Sing aloud. Away in a manger is equally well known in two different versions. The setting better known in England is that by the American gospel music composer William James Kirkpatrick. The tune for the anonymous words is here arranged by Donald Hunt. Joys Seven is another traditional carol, the setting arranged by Stephen Cleobury of King's College, Cambridge. I wonder as I wander, arranged by Donald Hunt, and Jesus, Jesus, rest your head, arranged by Arthur Warrell, are taken from Appalachia, a rich source of original folk-song material, inherited from early settlers. In dulci jubilo, a German fourteenth century Macaronic carol, alternating Latin and vernacular words, is sung in a familiar nineteenth century arrangement by the antiquarian English composer Robert Lucas Pearsall. O little one sweet is familiar in J. S. Bach's harmonization of a melody by his seventeenth century compatriot Samuel Scheidt. The Shepherds' Rocking Carol is of Czech origin, a Christmas lullaby, and Ding dong! Merrily on high, with English words by G. R. Woodward, uses a sixteenth century French dance tune. O come, all ye faithful, in it's English version, is of composite authorship, with music of probable eighteenth century provenance, arranged by David Willcocks. The Coventry Carol is taken from the fifteenth century Pageant of Shearmen and Tailors, lamenting at the same time the Massacre of the Holy Innocents and while advertising the Shearmen's own wares, scissors, knives and shears. As I outrode is an English traditional carol and Unto us is born a son, a Latin carol of the fifteenth century, appears in the well known German collection Piae Cantiones, published in 1582. The anthology ends with Mendelssohn's Hark, the herald angels sing, adapted by W. H. Cumming, from a festival choral composition, here arranged by David Willcocks and Donald Hunt's arrangement of Silent Night, it's original German words written by Joseph Mohr in 1818, with a melody of the same date by Franz Gruber. The music of Stille Nacht was written on Christmas eve, presumably for performance at Midnight Mass at the church of St. Nicholas at Oberndorf, where Gruber was organist and choirmaster. On this first occasion the organ broke down, and a guitar was used in accompaniment.

Tracklist 20 tracks

  1. 1 Joy to the World 01:33
    Track
    1
    Title
    Joy to the World
    Duration
    01:33
    Composer
    Lowell Mason
    Performer
    Raymond Johnston
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  2. 2 Once in Royal David's City 03:23
    Track
    2
    Title
    Once in Royal David's City
    Duration
    03:23
    Composer
    Henry John Gauntlett
    Performer
    Robert Stringer, Raymond Johnston
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  3. 3 O Little Town of Bethlehem 04:36
    Track
    3
    Title
    O Little Town of Bethlehem
    Duration
    04:36
    Composer
    Henry Walford Davies
    Performer
    Robert Stringer, Raymond Johnston
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  4. 4 The Cherry Tree Carol (arr. Donald Hunt) 02:52
    Track
    4
    Title
    The Cherry Tree Carol (arr. Donald Hunt)
    Duration
    02:52
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    Robert Stringer, Raymond Johnston
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  5. 5 In the Bleak Midwinter 03:42
    Track
    5
    Title
    In the Bleak Midwinter
    Duration
    03:42
    Composer
    Gustav Holst
    Performer
    Robert Stringer, Raymond Johnston
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  6. 6 Sing Aloud (arr. Gustav Holst) 02:20
    Track
    6
    Title
    Sing Aloud (arr. Gustav Holst)
    Duration
    02:20
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    Raymond Johnston
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  7. 7 Away in a Manger (arr. Donald Hunt) 03:15
    Track
    7
    Title
    Away in a Manger (arr. Donald Hunt)
    Duration
    03:15
    Composer
    William J. Kirkpatrick
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  8. 8 Joys Seven (arr. Stephen Cleobury) 02:37
    Track
    8
    Title
    Joys Seven (arr. Stephen Cleobury)
    Duration
    02:37
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    Robert Stringer, Raymond Johnston
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  9. 9 I Wonder as I Wander (arr. D. Hunt) 03:38
    Track
    9
    Title
    I Wonder as I Wander (arr. D. Hunt)
    Duration
    03:38
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    Raymond Johnston
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  10. 10 Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head (arr. A. Warrell) 03:29
    Track
    10
    Title
    Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head (arr. A. Warrell)
    Duration
    03:29
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    Raymond Johnston
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  11. 11 In dulci jubilo (arr. R. L. Pearsall) 03:45
    Track
    11
    Title
    In dulci jubilo (arr. R. L. Pearsall)
    Duration
    03:45
    Composer
    Robert Lucas Pearsall
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  12. 12 O Little One Sweet (arr. J. S. Bach) 02:02
    Track
    12
    Title
    O Little One Sweet (arr. J. S. Bach)
    Duration
    02:02
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    Raymond Johnston
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  13. 13 Rocking 01:43
    Track
    13
    Title
    Rocking
    Duration
    01:43
    Composer
    Traditional
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  14. 14 Ding, Dong, Merrily On High (French) 02:06
    Track
    14
    Title
    Ding, Dong, Merrily On High (French)
    Duration
    02:06
    Composer
    Traditional
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  15. 15 O Come, All Ye Faithful (arr. David Willcocks) 03:44
    Track
    15
    Title
    O Come, All Ye Faithful (arr. David Willcocks)
    Duration
    03:44
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    Raymond Johnston
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  16. 16 Coventry Carol 04:04
    Track
    16
    Title
    Coventry Carol
    Duration
    04:04
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    Raymond Johnston
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  17. 17 As I Outrode 01:26
    Track
    17
    Title
    As I Outrode
    Duration
    01:26
    Composer
    Traditional
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  18. 18 Unto Us is Born a Son (arr. David Willcocks) 01:59
    Track
    18
    Title
    Unto Us is Born a Son (arr. David Willcocks)
    Duration
    01:59
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    Raymond Johnston
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  19. 19 Festgesang, MWV D4, "Gutenberg-Kantate": No. 2. (adap. W.H. Cummings as Hark! The Herald Angels Sing) (arr. D. Willcocks) 02:58
    Track
    19
    Title
    Festgesang, MWV D4, "Gutenberg-Kantate": No. 2. (adap. W.H. Cummings as Hark! The Herald Angels Sing) (arr. D. Willcocks)
    Duration
    02:58
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Raymond Johnston
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt
  20. 20 Silent Night (arr. D. Hunt) 04:35
    Track
    20
    Title
    Silent Night (arr. D. Hunt)
    Duration
    04:35
    Composer
    Franz Xaver Gruber
    Performer
    Robert Stringer, Raymond Johnston
    Ensemble
    Worcester Cathedral Choir
    Conductor
    Donald Hunt