This recording conveys the spirit of Christmas through an extraordinary range of musical style and language. Through the traditional fare of Anglican carol services, contemporary music from the Dominican Republic and Holywood, the mystery, magic and festivity of the season are all celebrated.

Conductor - Julian Wilkins, Organ - James Sherlock, Percussion - Graham Instrall

Track list:
1 Hodie Christus natus est - Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
2 Matin responsory - Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
3 Weihnachten - Felix Mendelssohn, arr. Philip Ledger
4 Hark! the herald angels sing - Felix Mendelssohn
5 Tyebye poyem - A I Labinski
6-9 Quatre motets pour le temps de noël - Francis Poulenc
10 The rainbow carol - Selwyn Image & Julian Wilkins
11 Hymne à la Vierge - Pierre Villette
12 ¡Llega la Navidad! - Ramón Díaz, arr. Juan Tony Guzman
13 Jajang, jajang, Ahgi Yesu - Hyun Chul Lee
14 Amuworo ayi otu nwa - Christian Onyeji
15 The first Noel - traditional, arr. David Maddux
16 Tomorrow shall be my dancing day - John Gardner
17 Adam lay ybounden - Matthew Larkin
18 The lamb - John Tavener
19 Alleluia! I bring you news of great joy - Francis Grier
20 The Lord at first - Ralph Vaughan Williams
21 O magnum mysterium - Morten Lauridsen
22 O come, all ye faithful! - John Francis Wade, arr. Philip Ledger & David Willcocks
23 We wish you a merry Christmas - traditional, arr. Arthur Warrell
24 Have yourself a merry little Christmas - Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane, arr. Peter Gritton

Running time – 70' 39"

This recording was made at a public concert given on 17th July 2005 in West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge. The programme includes Chorale favourites such as the African folksong O-re-mi and O crux ave by Rihards Dubra. The CD ends with the fabulous double-choir Ave Maria by Franz Biebl. Preview (approx 5MByte)

"Lovely, well-nuanced performances with a fine sense of style."
Simon Halsey, Chorus Director, City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus.

"A round-the-world programme with something for everyone, sung with commitment and joy by a fresh-voiced young choir which does credit to Cambridge and to its expert and versatile conductor Julian Wilkins. [...] This is what a good community chamber choir should be about!"
John Rutter, Composer.

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This CD, recorded in Spring 1999, is devoted to the work of Rihards Dubra, and features not only a selection of his choral motets (there is, incidentally, no duplication of material between this disc and Alpha-Omega), but also larger works for choir, marimba, saxophone and organ.

Cambridge Chorale's first CD recording, made in spring 1996, has been well-received by audiences and critics alike. It covers many musical styles, and includes motets by Dubra, Monteverdi and Rachmaninov, songs by Samuel Barber, and contemporary science-fiction 'mood music' by Dave Hewson, Tony Hymas, and Stephen Baker.

This recording was chosen by the critic Richard Baker as his CD Choice in the October 1997 issue of Classic FM Magazine, and has also been reviewed in BBC Music Magazine.

Michael Kibblewhite Director

To enquire about booking Cambridge Chorale for recording sessions please email info@cambridgechorale.org.uk