Sir David Willcocks

Review: Both the Folk Songs of the Four Seasons and this arrangement of In Windsor Forest are world premiere recordings. The Folk Songs of the Four Seasons is a substantial work by Vaughan Williams, over 40 minutes long, for women's chorus and orchestra. It is the most significant of his works never to have been recorded in any format.The Folk Songs of the Four Seasons was commissioned by the Women's Institute and first performed in 1950. The work has a Prologue and four sections: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.The coupling is the rare arrangement for women's voices, by Guthrie Foote and Vaughan Williams, of the Cantata In Windsor Forest based on choruses from the opera Sir John in Love.This new Albion recording is issued to mark the 90th birthday of Sir David Willcocks on 30 December, 2009. Sir David is world famous for his recordings for EMI and for his work at King's College, Cambridge and the Bach Choir. For Sir David to record another major Vaughan Williams disc at the age of almost 90 is remarkable in itself and will ensure national and international interest in this recording.

Songlist: Prologue. To the Ploughboy, Spring. Early in the Spring, Spring. The Lark in the Morning, Spring. May Song, Summer. Summer is a-coming in / The Cuckoo, Summer. The Sprig of Thyme, Summer. The Sheep Shearing, Summer. The Green Meadow, Autumn. John Barleycorn, Autumn. The Unquiet Grave, Autumn. An Acre of Land, Winter. Children's Christmas Song, Winter. Wassail Song, Winter. In Bethlehem City, Winter. God Bless the Master, The Conspiracy (Sigh no more, ladies), Falstaff and the Fairies (Round about in a fair ring-a), Wedding Chorus (See the Chariot at hand), Epilogue (Whether men do laugh or weep)

Review: Captivating from start to finish: EMI has programmed & remastered this bounty of Britten choral work superbly. The Choir of King's College, Cambridge performs with stunning sensitivity, ethereal, heartbreaking & transcendent.

Songlist: Hymn to St. Cecilia Op. 27, A Ceremony Of Carols Op. 28, Missa brevis in D Op. 63, Festival Te Deum Op.32, Rejoice In The Lamb, Te Deum in C (1934), Jubilate Deo

Review: The earliest 15th century carols were based on simple folk melodies, with texts added representing Christmas ideas, but it was a long gap then until the Victorians, followed shortly by great 20th Century composers (Vaughan Williams, Holst etc), developed the wonderful catalogue of choral enjoyment that we enjoy here today.

Songlist: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Invitatory, While Shepherds Watched, Adam Lay Ybounden, Once in Royal David's City, I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing By, Gabriel's Message, God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen, Sussex Carol, In Dulci Jubilo, Away in a Manger, O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste fideles), Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen, Come Thou Redeemer, Twas in the Year that King Uzziah Died, Hark! A Thrilling Voice is Sounding, A Spotless Rose, I Sing of a Maiden, Remember O Thou Man, On Jordan's Bank, Up! Awake!, King Jesus Hath a Garden, The Blessed Son of God, O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Review: Another fine collection of Christmas carols from the Anglican tradition.Some albums are tailor-made for Christmas Eve listening, the cozy musical equivalent of a roaring fire, a mug of eggnog, and the bright lights on the tree. The morning of Christmas Day requires something else entirely, and that's when this set of Essential Carols from the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, will fit the bill, with the angelically pure voices of young British choristers blending to the strains of traditional carols both familiar and little-known. This is Christmas music sung the old-fashioned way, its simplicity and spiritual warmth not compromised by big operatic voices or pop personalities. Recorded under the direction of David Willcocks between 1959 and '65, these performances sound truly timeless today, and no matter how knowledgeable you are about Christmas music, you'll find some surprises among these 38 carols.

Songlist: Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, The First Nowell, While shepherds watched their flocks by night, I Saw Three Ships, Ding Dong! Merrily on High, King Jesus Hath A Garden, In dulci jubilo, Unto Us Is Born A Son, O Come, All Ye Faithful, Away in a manger, O Little Town of Bethlehem, The Holly and the Ivy, God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen, See Amid the Winter's Snow, Past Three O'clock, Weihnachtsoratorium (Christmas Oratorio), Adam Lay Y Bounden, Gabriel's Message, Once in Royal David's City, Sussex Carol, Little Jesus Sweetly Sleep, Rejoice and Be Merry, The Cherry Tree Carol, The Three Kings, As With Gladness, Men of Old, A Great And Mighty Wonder, The infant King, Balulalow, Legend (When Jesus Christ was but a child), Christ was born on Christmas day, Blessed Be That Maid Mary, Sweet Was the Song the Virgin Sang, Myn Lyking, Personent Hodie (On this day Earth shall ring), In the Bleak Midwinter, Coventry Carol, Shepherds, In the field abiding, Torches

Review: Directed by Sir David Willcocks, The Choir of King's College, Cambridge was founded in 1441 by Henry VI, who wanted the daily services in his chapel to be provided with music, and stipulated that the college should be responsible for the education of the choristers. This is a 2-CD set featuring a selection of the Choir's most renowned recordings. CD 1 includes Gregorio Allegri's "Miserere," Palestrina's "Stabet Mater," Tallis' "Spem in allium," Wm. Byrd's "Ave Verum Corpus" and the 12 movements of Vivaldi's "Gloria in D Major, RV 589." CD 2 has Orlando Gibbons' "This is the record of John," the 11 movements of Bach's "Jesu, priceless treasure," and 12 Coronation Anthems by Handel, "Zadok the Priest," "My heart is inditing," "Let thy hand be strengthened" and "The King shall rejoice." This collection is a triumph, as soaring and angelically beautiful as you can imagine, performed by a choir whose excellence has remained focused and constant through the changing centuries. Some accompaniment.

Songlist: Miserere, Stabat Mater, Spem in alium - Sancte Deus, Ave verum corpus, Gloria in D major, RV 589, This is the record of John, Jesu, priceless treasure, Coronation Anthems, Zadok the Priest, My heart is inditing, Let thy hand be strengthened, The King shall rejoice

Review: The well-known psalms selected for these recording constitute a cross-section of the Psalter. Some are in praise of Jerusalem, both for its beauty and as the dwelling-place of Jehovah; some are the passionate cry of an exile; some are quiet songs of trust; some are triumphant hymns of praise. This package is a 2 CD digitally remastered release of the early Vol 1 and Vol 2 albums.

Songlist: I Was Glad, Like As The Hart-Give Sentence With Me, Praise The Lord O My Soul, Here My Crying O God, The Earth Is The Lord's, I will Lift Up Mine Eyes, The Lord Is My Shepard, God Is Our Hope And Faith, O How Amiable Are Thy Dwellings, Lord Who Shall Dwell, By the Waters Of Babylon, O Praise The Lord, O Praise The Lord Of Heaven, O Sing Unto The Lord, O Praise God In His Holiness, When The Lord Turned Again, Thou O God Art Praised In Sion, O Be Joyful In God All Ye LAnds, God Be Merciful Unto Us And Bless Us, When Israel Came Out Of Egypt, Not Unto Us O Lord, Help Me Lord, Behold How Good And Joyful, Behold Now, Praise The Lord, Sing We Merrily Unto God, My God My God Look Upon Me Hear My Law O My People, The Lord Is King, O Lord Is King, O Lord Is God To Whom Vengeance Belongeth, O Hear Ye This, All Ye People, O Give Thanks Unto The Lord, My Heart Is Inditing, Fret Not Thyself, The Foolish Hath Said, Out Of The Deep, Lord I Am Not High Minded

Review: Voices of Praise is a spiritually uplifting collection drawing from the rich catalog of King's College Choir. Programmed to the church calendar it is an album for all seasons. Known world over for their recordings of church music the Choir of King's College, Cambridge has a rich catalog of recordings on EMI Classics dating back more than 30 years. This new collection Voices of Praise offers the most popular church music from that catalog. Among the great church works included on this recording are the hymns " A Mighty Fortress Is Our God", " Morning Has Broken" and " All People That On Earth Do Dwell" (The Old Hundredth). This is a double CD release.

Songlist: All My Hope On God Is Founded (Michael), Morning Has Broken, Psalm 122, Totus Tuus, The truth sent from above, The Lamb, Hail, Gladdening Light, Psalm 84 "Quam Dilecta!", Come Down, O Love Divine, If Ye Love Me, Crucifixus a 8 Voix, My song is love unknown, Psalm 22: My God, my God, look upon me, Jesus Christ Is Risen Today, Thine be the glory (tune Maccabeaus, after Handel), No. 120, Psalm 148 O praise the Lord of Heaven, Set me as a seal upon thine heart, The Head That Once Was Crowned with Thorns, O clap your hands, God Is Our Hope & Strength, The lord ascendeth up on high (Nun freut euch), Dear Lord and Father of mankind, Gloucester Service, Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (Ein feste Burg), Psalm 150 O praise the God in his holiness, All People That on Earth Do Dwell, The Lord Is My Shepherd, Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, And I Saw a New Heaven, Funeral Ikos, Faire Is the Heaven

Review: Sir David Willcocks: A Celebration in Carols marks the 95th birthday of one of the most acclaimed choral conductors, editors, and arrangers of our time. A survey of his work, the collection brings together many of Willcocks's best-loved carol arrangements, spanning his career as co-editor of Carols for Choirs and as conductor of the UK's finest choirs. It includes a selection of his original compositions too, and gives an overview of the styles and traditions that have enhanced the Christmas musical experience of thousands of singers and listeners. As an affectionate birthday tribute, A Celebration also includes specially-commissioned new carols by John Rutter, Bob Chilcott, and Jonathan Willcocks.

Songlist: Away in a manger, I saw three ships, O come, all ye faithful, Sussex Carol, Infant holy, infant lowly, Tomorrow shall be my dancing day, Hark! the herald-angels sing, Quelle est cette odeur agreable?, Gabriel's Message, Birthday Carol, Resonemus laudibus, Jingle, Bells, Lullay, my liking, High Word of God, eternal Light, Starry night, Rejoice and sing!, Nowell, nowell, There is no rose

Review: The volumes of Carols for Choirs have established themselves as the quintessential carol books for carol-singers around the world. Each volume presents a wide range of carols to suit every occasion, from well-known tunes superbly arranged to the best original compositions. Carols for Choirs 3 includes Fifty varied carols including a selection of Baroque and Medieval carols. Also favorites from Gustav Holst and Tchaikovsky.

Songlist: A Babe Is Born, A Babe Is Born In Bethlehem, A Child This Day Is Born, A Little Child On The Earth Has Been Born, A Little Child There Is Y-born, Ah! Dearest Jesu, Holy Child, All In The Morning, Angel Tidings, Angelus ad Virginem, As I Sat On A Sunny Bank, Bethlehem, Of Noblest Cities, Birthday Carol, Boar's Head Carol, Child In A Manger, Christ Was Born On Christmas ay, Christe, Redemptor Omnium, Christmas Oratorio, Three Extracts from, Come All You Worthy Gentlemen, Come, Rock The Cradle For Him, The Cradle Song, Cradle Song, The Crown Of Roses, Deck The Hall, Donkey Carol, Donkey Riding Over The Bumpy Road, Eatrh Has Many A Noble City, Earth This Glad Day Rejoices, Flemish Carol, Gabriel To Mary Came, Gabriel's Message, Good People All , This Christmas-Time, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Have You Heard The Story, He Is Born The Divine Christ-Child, He Smiles Within His Cradle, Hush! My Dear, Lie Still and Slumber, I Saw Three Ships, Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant, In All Towns And Villages, In Bethlehem, All In A Stable, In Dulci Jubilo, In The Bleak Mid-Winter, It Was On Christmas Day, Jesus Child, King Herod And The Cock, King Jesus Hath A Garden, Kings Of Orient, Legend, Lo! He Comes With Clouds Descending, O Come, All Ye Faithful, O Little Town Of Bethlehem, Omnis Mundus Jocundetur, Once, As I Remember, Psallite Unigenito, Rejoice Today With One Accord, Salve Puerule, Shepherds, In The Field Abiding, Silent Night, Sing This Night, Sing We To This Merry Company, Star Carol, Stille Nacht, Sunny Bank, Susanni, The Angel Gabriel From Heaven Came, The Boars Head In Hand Bear I, The Crown Of Roses, The Ox He Openeth Wide The Door, There Is No Rose, There Was A Star In David's Land, This Joyful Eastertide, Tryste Noel, Unto You Is Born This Day, We Three Kings, Welcome, Thou Holy Child, Wexford Carol, What Child Is This?, What Sweeter Music, When Jesus Christ Was Yet A Child, With All Thy Hosts

Review: The volumes of Carols for Choirs have established themselves as the quintessential carol books for carol-singers around the world. Each volume presents a wide range of carols to suit every occasion, from well-known tunes superbly arranged to the best original compositions. Featuring upper voice versions of arrangements from the classic "Carols for Choirs" series of songbooks.

Songlist: A Merry Christmas, A New Year Carol, A Virgin Most Pure, Adeste Fidelis, Angels, from Realms of glory, Angelus ad Virginem, As with gladness men of old (congregational version), Away in a manger, Born in a Stable so bare, The cherry tree carol, Coventry Carol, Deck The Hall, Ding-dong ding, Ding dong! merrily on high, Donkey Carol, Donkey riding over the bumpy road, The first Nowell, Gabriel to Mary came, Gabriels Message, God rest you merry, gentlemen (congregational version), God rest you merry, gentlemen (unaccompanied version), going through the hills, Good King Wenceslas, Hail! Blessed Virgin Mary, Hark the herald angels sing (Congregational Version), Hark the herald angels sing (Unaccompanied version), He smiles within his cradle, Here we bring new water, The Holly and the ivy, How far is it to bethlehem, I saw three ships, I sing of a maiden, Il est ne le divin enfant, In dulci jubilo (4 part version), In dulci jubilo (3 part version), Infant King the, It came upon the midnight clear, Joseph was an old man, King Jesus hath a garden, Little Jesus, Sweetly sleep, Linden Tree Carol, Lully lulla thou little tiny child, A merry christmas, Nativity carol, A New Year Carol, O Come all ye faithful, O come, o come Emmanuel, O little town of Bethlehem, Once in royal Davids City (unaccompanied version), Once in royal Davids City (Congregational Version), On Christmas night all Christians sing, Past three a clock, Personent Hodie, Quelle est cette odeur agreable?, Quem Pastores Laudavere, Rocking, See amid the winter's snow, Shepherd's pipe carol, Shepherds left their flocks a-straying, Silent night, Sing lullaby!, Sing this night, Star Carol, Stille Nacht, Sussex Carol, Sweet was the song the virgin sang, The angel Gabriel from heaven came, The first Nowell the angel did say, The holly and the ivy, There is no rose, There stood in heaven a linden tree, tomorrow shall be my dancing day, Unto us is born a Son, Up! good christen folk, and listen a virgin most pure, We wish you a merry Christmas, Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing?, While shepherds watched their flocks, A service of Nine Lessons and Carols

Review: A fine collection of traditional British folks songs arranged for unaccompanied voices by Sir David Wilcocks which were originally performed by the Choral Scholars of King's College, Cambridge.

Songlist: The Lass Of Richmond Hill, Barbara Allen, Drink To Me Only, Early One Morning, Bobby Shafto