The Choir of St John's College, Cambridge

On Christmas Night

Director of Music:

Andrew Nethsingha

Organ Scholar:

John Challenger

Record Label:

Chandos

Catalogue Number:

CHSA 5096

Release Date:

Sep 2011

Purchase this disc

In the run-up to Advent and Christmas 2011, St John's College's Quincentenary, the Choir has launched a joyous celebration of music for the festive season. The disc includes original works by John Rutter, Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, Elizabeth Poston, and Kenneth Leighton. These are complemented by arrangements of popular carols, and a selection of congregational hymns, all displaying strong ties to the Advent and Christmas seasons.

This album was recorded in the College Chapel in full surround-sound, which means that it not only sounds spectacular, but recreates to a spectacular degree the experience of listening to the Choir perform in the Chapel.

Reviews:

“

You can't go wrong with this

David MellorMail on Sunday

Editor's Choice Choir & Organ

"The collective vocal heft of the ensemble's young choral scholars remains a potent weapon under Andrew Nethsingha's direction ... Words, their colour and meaning, emerge as essential shaping forces in these engaging performances. This release stands out thanks to the commitment to quality and high artistic values shown here by St John's College Choir and Chandos ... Ingenious in their phrasing and crystal clear in articulation ... the choir allows the music to breathe naturally and etch the text with captivating light and shade"
Editor's Choir Classic FM Magazine 2012

"Chandos engineering casts a luminescent glow round these excellent performances...There's quite a bit of less familiar repertoire here and old favourites emerge all the fresher for being sung by young, enthusiastic voices under Andrew Nethsingha's incisive direction" BBC Music Magazine November 2011

“

It says all you need to know about the joys of singing in a choir

Jeremy NicholasGramophone Magazine

"It is to England we go for the finest 'cathedral' Christmas disc of the year...Blessed with a particularly homogeneous and secure line-up of trebles" Gramophone December 2011

"A warm, natural sound ... One of the best Christmas music CDs out this year." Classical Music Sentinel 2011

"A warming disc, eloquently sung" The Daily Telegraph December 2011

“

Balm to the Christmas ear. Beautifully and enthusiastically sung, and superbly recorded

Timeout

"Balm to the Christmas ear. Beautifully and enthusiastically sung, and superbly recorded ... an enchanting selection of traditional and specially-composed carols ... This is a lovely record" Time Out December 2011

"A highly rewarding compilation" Choir and Organ December 2011

"I was struck by the choir's texture and balance with a fine body of tone. Most of all, their sensitivity to the meaning of the text is above reproach" Michael Cookson, MusicWeb International November 2011

"The singing on this disc is very fine indeed. Solos are well taken and the choir as a group blends extremely well and sings with excellent tone and great clarity. The college's Senior Organ Scholar, John Challenger, does a marvellous job."
Recording of the month John Quinn, MusicWeb International December 2011

Track Listing:

What sweeter music, Rutter

Noël nouvelet, trad. French arr. Jackson

Balulalow, Burton

A babe is born, Mathias

In the bleak mid-winter, Darke

Ding! dong! merrily on high, trad. French, arr. Wilberg

Jesus Christ the apple tree, Poston

I saw three ships, trad. English, arr. Marshall

Out of your sleep, Rodney Bennett

Benedicamus Domino, Warlock

There is no rose, Joubert