Review: Enjoyed in millions of British homes each Christmas eve, Carols from King's is an enchanting hour and a half of choral worship, always beginning with a lone chorister singing Gauntlett's reverent Once in Royal David's City and concluding with the triumphant Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. This DVD release includes the full 2014 service along with an hour-long BBC documentary narrated by Juliet Stevenson detailing the history of this central component of the British Christmas tradition since 1954. The documentary provides insight into the tradition of selecting the soloists, what goes on behind the scenes, what life is like for a chorister in the Choir, and the impact these experiences have on generations of choristers.

Songlist: Once in royal David's city, Up! good Christen folk Piae Cantiones, A tender shoot O Goldschmidt, Sussex Carol, Stille Nacht, In the bleak mid-winter, It came upon the midnight clear, Gabriel's message, A spotless Rose, Joys seven, God rest you merry, gentlemen, Ding! dong! merrily on high, Noel nouvelet, I saw three ships, The Three Kings, A babe is born, God is with us, Hark! the herald-angels sing, Von Himmel hoch

Review: As part of this year's celebration of the centenary of Benjamin Britten's birth, The Choir of King's College, Cambridge under conductor Stephen Cleobury presents Britten's enchanting choral masterpiece Saint Nicolas, coupled with the Hymn to St. Cecilia and Rejoice in the Lamb. The recording features soloist Andrew Kennedy, a former choral scholar at King's College, the Britten Sinfonia, Sawston Village College Choir and Cambridge University Musical Society. The Choir of King's College, Cambridge is one of the world's foremost choirs and unquestionably among the most widely heard.

Songlist: St Nicolas, Op. 42, Hymn to St. Cecilia, Op. 27, Rejoice in the Lamb, Op. 30

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: Every Christmas Eve for decades, the world-renowned Choir of King's College Chapel, Cambridge has broadcast the Festival o Nine Lessons and Carols worldwide on BBC Radio (Carols from King's is also televised by the BBC every Christmas annually). It never fails to inspire and appeal by bringing together readings from the Christmas story with the singing of traditional carols in which all may join: classic Christmas arrangements for the choir and exciting newly-composed anthems that often become choral classics. For countless people the broadcast of Nine Lessons and Carols is a major part of the Christmas experience. 

Now the King's College Director of Music, Stephen Cleobury, has created this album of forty-six of the most enduring choral pieces from the Festivals. Thirteen are published here for the first time, ten were specially commissioned for King's and seven are carols for choir and congregation. Wide ranging in sources, this collection includes arrangements by King's directors of music David Wilcocks, Philip Ledger and Stephen Cleobury and leading contemporary composers such as Richard Rodney Bennett, Bob Chilcott, Jonathan Dove, John Joubert, Roxanna Panufnik, Arvo Part, John Rutter, Peter Sculthorpe, John Tavener, and Judith Weir.

Christmas at King's includes a preface by Stephen Cleobury and a useful appendix of readings with relevant repertoire from the collection for those choirs who want to present their own Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.

Songlist: Once In Royal David's City, A Great and Mighty Wonder, A Tender Shoot, A Virgin Most Pure, Adam Lay Ybounden, Alleluya, A New Work Is Come On Hand, Away In A Manger, Be Merry, Benedicamus Domino, The Birthday of Thy King, Bogoroditsye Dyevo, Christo Paremus Cantica, God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen, Good King Wenceslas, I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In, I Wonder As I Wander, I Sing Of A Maiden, Illuminare, Jerusalem, In Wintertime, Infant Holy, Infant Lowly, The Infant King, It Came Upon The Midnight Clear, Jesus Christ The Apple Tree, The Lamb, Morning Song For The Christ Child, Myn Lyking, No Small Wonder, Love Came Down At Christmas, Noel nouvelet, Nowel, and more

Review: The Choir of King's College, Cambridge has always been synonymous with Christmas -- from the yearly television broadcast of their Lessons and Carols service to their numerous best-selling albums of Christmas songs and masses. EMI Classics is proud to present a 2-CD compilation of their greatest Christmas carol recordings.

Songlist: Once in royal David's city, Ding Dong! Merrily on high, O come, all ye faithful, The Holly and the Ivy, Hark! the herald angels sing, Silent Night, While shepherds watched, In the bleak midwinter, God rest you merry, gentlemen, The Lamb, Angels, from the realms of glory, Adam lay ybounden, The Three Kings, I saw a maiden, Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing?, Quem pastores laudavere, Tomorrow shall be my dancing day, A maiden most gentle, A Spotless Rose, Sans Day Carool, I wonder as I wander, The Cherry Tree Carol, I sing of a maiden, Gabriel's Message, Personent hodie, The First Nowell, In dulci jubilo, O little town of Bethlehem, I saw three ships, It came upon the midnight clear, and more

Review: A collection of some of this world-class choir's "greatest hits" under the baton of three of the most highly regarded directors in the English choral tradition all at a very special price!

Songlist: Miserere, Ave Verum Corpus, If Ye Love Me, Gloria In Excelsis Deo, The Lamb, Requiem Aeternam, Rejoice In The Lord Alway, Hallelujah Chorus, Jesu, The Joy's Of Man's Desiring, The Heavens Are Telling, Gott Ist Mein Hirt, Agnus Dei, To Be Sung Of A Sumer Night On The Water, The Birth Of Nicholas, There Is No Rose, Faire Is The Heaven, Hail, Gladdening Light, Holy Holy Holy, Land Of Hope And Glory

Review: The Choir of King's College has recorded this new disc of contemporary Christmas carols commissioned especially for them. The new carols sung by the Choir each Christmas Eve are always eagerly awaited by audiences. Stephen Cleobury has developed a long-standing commitment to bringing contemporary compositions to the Choir's repertoire alongside the very traditional and he and the Choir are well known for their great support of new music and feature here a programme of pieces by a wide variety of modern composers. Among them, "The Gleam", a new piece by Gramophone Award-winning artist Harrison Birtwistle, "In Wintertime" by Lennox Berkely and "Bogoroditse Dyevo" (Mother of God and Virgin), which was a special gift to the Choir and Stephen Cleobury from Estonian composer Arvo Part. The disc also includes the Winter Solstice Carol, written by Giles and the carol "What Sweeter Music" by composer John Rutter.

Songlist: The Shepherd's Carol, On Christmas Day to My Heart, God Would Be Born in Thee, Bogoroditse dyevo (Hail Mary), Angels, In Wintertime, Christmas Carol, The Three Kings, What Sweeter Music, A Gathering, Illuminare, Jerusalem, One Star at Last, Carol for St. Steven, The Birthday of Thy King, Winter Solstice Carol, Seinte Mari moder milde, The Gleam, Christo Paremus Cantica, Spring in Winter, The Fayrfax Carol, Swete Jesu, Pilgrim Jesus

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: There are of course many fine versions of Rachmaninov's Vespers with mixed-voice choirs, both within the Russian tradition (for which the work was written) and outside it. This is the first to feature a choir of boys' and men's voices only. The result, whose point of departure was a particularly fine crop of low basses at King's that year, blends one of the finest choirs in the English choral tradition with some of the finest music from the Russian tradition. Furthermore, the beautiful acoustics of King's College Chapel are ideal for this repertoire, since they are not unlike those of a Russian Orthodox cathedral. This disc also breaks new ground in that the recording was originally made in surround sound. Though release in that format awaits further developments in domestic audio technology, the listener should already derive some benefit in the enhanced stereo sound of the present CD.

Songlist: Vosstanite...Slava svyatei, Priidite, poklonimsya, Blagoslovi, dushe moya', Gospoda, Blazhen muzh, Svete tikhii, Nyne otpushchaeshi, Bogoroditse Devo, Shestopsalmie, Khvalite imya Gospodne, Blagosloven esi, Gospodi, Voskresenie Khristovo videvshe, Velichit dusha moya Gospoda, Slavoslovie velikoe, Tropar': Dnes' spasenie, Tropa': Voskres iz groba, Vzbrannoi voevode

Review: Perhaps Britian's very best choir performs the works of perhaps Britian's very best living choral composer. Certainly a wonderful match this pairing makes for a great recording and worthy of every fan's collection. This CD contains a stellar cross-section of Rutter's work. He combines the melodic simplicity of Bach with a distinctly modern sensibility. The combined effect of the music's sheer beauty, the exquisite skill of the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, and the magisterial hush of the King's College Chapel make for an ethereal and thoroughly transformative musical experience.

Songlist: Requiem, Veni Sancte Spiritus, What Sweeter Music, Hymn To The Creator Of Light, Cantate Domino, Cantus, Te Deum

Review: This recording features Evening Prayer - Even song as it might be sung today in the chapel, albeit without the spoken parts - lessons and prayers. By way of comparrison, Vespers, still the evening office of the Roman Catholic Church, is also included, again without the spoken parts, and with some of the psalms omitted through lack of space.

Songlist: Vespers for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Organ prelude / toccata (anon), Deus in adjutorium, Antiphon: Dum esset Rex, Psalm: Dixit Dominus, Antiphon: Laeva ejus, Psalm: Laudate pueri, Antiphon: Nigra Sum, Psalm: Laetatus sum, Antiphon: Iam hiems transit, Psalm: Nisi Dominus, Hymn: Ave Maris Stella, Antiphon: Beatam me dicent, Magnificat otavi toni, Evensong for Advent: Salve Regina (Francesco Cavalli), Benedicamus, Pieces & Responses, Psalm 50, Magnificat in D, Nunc Dimittis in D, Responses, Anthem: Lord, Thou hast been our Refuge, Hymn: Hark! A Herald Voice is Calling, Dismissal, Organ Voluntary

Review: Stephen Cleobury directed the choir with this fine collection of the many of the choir's classic Christmas repertoire.

Songlist: Once In Royal David's City, Rejoice And Be Merry, What Sweeter Music, Ding Dong! Merrily On High, O Little Town Of Bethlehem, A Spotless Rose, Heer Jezus Heeft Een Hofken, King Jesus Hath A Garden, The Lamb, Bogoroditze Dyevo, Infant Holy Infant Lowly, Illuminare Jerusalem, While Shepards Watched, Quittez Pasteurs, In Dulci Jubilo, The First Nowell, Coventry Carol, Personet Hodie, O Come All Ye Faithful

Review: The listener trying to get a basic grip on what medieval plainchant was all about could not ask for a better introduction than this release. The Choir of King's College, Cambridge gets back to its roots, so to speak, performing chants that could have been heard at the college's chapel half a millennium ago. With the chapel's magnificent acoustics as a backdrop, the album takes listeners through the series of decisions choristers would have made concerning what to sing. Those decisions began with the liturgical year, which called for specific chants corresponding to specific days in the cycle. "In this recording," writes John Milsom in his admirably clear and informative liner notes, "the annual cycle has been stopped at two points," both of them days connected with the birth of the Virgin Mary. A mass from one day and a Vespers service from the other are included. Some of the chants contain tropes that place them in their specific time and place. Both are presented more or less complete, with the connective tissue of text-bearing chants retained along with the big ornate pieces; Milsom compares focusing exclusively on the latter to cutting the illuminated initial letters out of a medieval manuscript. For most listeners, he points out, the experience of hearing chant is akin to that of strolling into a museum and looking at an illuminated manuscript; one experiences a richly colored, ornate thing that carries mystery associated with extreme age and remoteness in each case. But we get to the real mystery by trying to penetrate it a bit, and this recording is an ideal aid. Those who experience chant in a more mystical way will likewise benefit from this album; director Stephen Cleobury's tempos are deliberate, and he pulls back from time to time to let the sound of the choristers reverberate around the chapel.

Songlist: Mass For The Octave Of The Nativity Of The Blessed Virgin Mary, First Vespers For The Nativity Of The Blessed Virgin Mary

Review: Superb ensemble singing from simply one of the finest choirs in the world. Philip Ledger's tenure at King's was relatively short but he produced a sublime sound from the choir. Then are many jewels on this disc from Lotti's 'Crucifixus' to the simply beautiful interpretation of Orlando Gibbon's 'Drop, drop slow tears'. Perfection in delivery and hauntingly beautiful tone quality mark this performance of some glorious holy week music. "The Lamentations of Jeremiah" are usually transmitted as a single piece in most contemporary manuscripts, but they are really two separate compositions in different modes. Tallis and his contemporary John Sheppard were the only 2 English composers of the time to compose hymn settings of any quality. It has been suggested that they had it in mind to compose a cycle of settings for Mary Tudor's chapel. "O Nata lux" may belong to this Marian set. It is almost entirely homophonic, and relies rhetorically upon a flexible declamatory style. " Salvator Mundi" is one of Tallis's best-known motets. The masterly treatment of imitative writing is combined with a fine sense of structure and balance, achieved through repetition, to give a sense of large-scale design, a feature characteristic of Tallis's best large-scale compositions. And the most beautiful anthem on the disc: Tallis's "If Ye Love Me". So much wonderful music, exquisitely sung; a delcious Easter treat!

Songlist: Lamentations Of Jeremiah, O Nata Lux, Salvator Mundi, If Ye Love Me, Crucifixus, There Is A Green Hill Far Away, O Vos Omnes, Nolo Mortem Peccatoris, Tristis Est Anima Mea, Crux Fidelis, Videte Omnes Populi, Drop Drop Slow Tears, When I Survey The Wondrous Cross, Dum Transisset Sabbatum, Jesus Christ Is Risen Today, The Joyful Eastertide, Haec Dies, Let All The World In Every Corner Sing

Review: Orlando Gibbons began his association with Kings College, Cambridge as a chorister under the direction of his eldest brother from 1596 to 1598. His talent was such that by the age of 21 he was sharing the duties as an organist. In 1623 he accepted the additional appointment as organist at Westminster Abbey; but he died suddenly just 2 years later. He was not a prolific composer, but his works include many masterpieces some of which are on this disc. One of his most outstanding verse anthems is: "This is the record of John". It is recorded on this disc by the Kings College Choir featuring Michael Chance as the countertenor soloist; and few have ever performed this as well as Chance. His tone quality, his diction, his emotional investment in the music goes way beyond other renditions. Another bright spot in this group of pieces is the verse anthem: "See, see, the word is incarnate" featuring the choir with a group of outstanding soloists: Paul Smy (boy soprano); Chance, Jones (altos); Daniels, Rivers (tenors);Finley (bass).Some of the other selections are: anthems: "A Mighty and Everlasting God"; "Lift up your heads". The London Early Music group does much of the accompanying. The Choir with its boy sopranos and male altos are dictionally perfect and so enjoyable to hear.

Songlist: Almighty and Everlasting God, Magnificat, Voluntary, Nunc Dimittis, Fantasia for Double Organ, Magnificat, Now Shall the Praises of the Lord be Sung, Nunc Dimittis, This Is The Record of John, O Lord of Hosts, O Thou, The Central Orb, A Song of Joy Unto the Lord We Sing, See, see, The Word is Incarnate, Come Kiss Me With Those Lips of Thine, Lift Up Your Heads, Fantasia, Hosanna To The Son of David

Review: The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols was first held on Christmas Eve 1918. It was planned by Eric Milner-White, who at the age of thirty-four had just been appointed Dean of King's after experience as an army chaplain which had convinced him that the Church of England needed more imaginative worship. (He devised our Advent Carol Service in 1934, and was a liturgical pioneer and authority during his twenty two years as Dean of York.) The choir included sixteen trebles as laid down in King Henry VI's statutes, but until 1927 the men's voices were provided partly by Choral Scholars and partly by older Lay Clerks, and not, as now, by fourteen undergraduates. Almost immediately other churches adapted the service for their own use. A wider frame began to grow when the service was first broadcast in 1928 and, with the exception of 1930, it has been broadcast annually, even during the Second World War. Sometime in the early 1930s the BBC began broadcasting the service on overseas programmes. It is estimated that there are millions of listeners worldwide, including those to Radio Four in the United Kingdom. In recent years it has become the practice to broadcast a digital recording on Christmas Day on Radio Three, and since 1963 a shorter service has been filmed periodically for television.

Songlist: Once In Royal David's City, Bidding Prayer, Up! Good Christen Folk And Listen, The Truth From Above, First Lesson, Adam LAy Ybounden, Second Lesson, Sussex Carol, In The Bleak Mid-Winter, Third Lesson, In Dulci Jubilo, God Rest You Merry Gentlemen, Fourth Lesson, A Tender Shoot, The Lamb, Fifth Lesson, Joy's Seven, Gabriel's Lesson, Sixth Lesson, Dormi Jesu, Riu Riu Chiu, Seventh Lesson, The Fayrfax Carol, While Shepards Watched, Eighth Lesson, I Saw Three Ships, Illuminare Jerusalem, Ninth Lesson, O Come All Ye Faithful, Prayer And Blessing, and more

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, and more

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, and more

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, and more

Review: The Choir of King's College Cambridge sings some of the best-loved English anthems in the stunning fan-vaulted chapel which is famed throughout the world for its beautiful acoustic. The programme includes some of the most ethereal anthems, while those such as Parry's "I was glad", Stanford's "Coronation Gloria" and Vaughan Williams' "Let all the World" make it the perfect release to coincide with the Queen's Jubilee Celebrations. The candlelit camera work is elegantly done and in this respect the presentation is very dignified and understated, perhaps appropriately reflecting the King's sound. The performances are highly musical with the expected King's polish... Fans of the King's tradition around the world will relish this compilation of 'choral favourites'. Filmed in High Definition with 5.1 surround sound.

Songlist: Hail, gladdening light (Wood), Greater love hath no man (Ireland), I was glad (Parry), Bring us, O Lord God (Harris), And I saw a New Heaven (Bainton), Like as the Hart, Gloria in Excelsis (Stanford), Evening Hymn (Gardiner), Beati quorum via (Stanford), God be in my Head (Walford Davies), Vox dicentis: Clama (Naylor), Faire is the Heaven (Harris), Let all the World (Vaughan Williams)

Review: The world famous Christmas Eve service, presented by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, is brought to us in a format it was destined to be seen on - DVD. This widescreen BBC presentation is a dazzling display that is sure to be enjoyed by any who appreciate both watching and listening to christmas choral music. Some memoralable moments include the opening boy soprano solo if "One in royal David's city," the big choir sound of "Silent Night," the fast-pased "Riu, Riu Chiu" which is sure to put a smile on your face and the beautiful soothing melody of "I Wonder As I Wander." Also, the finale, "Hark The Herald Angels Sing." Along with the pristine DVD transfer of the service, those who buy this DVD will also be treated to the first televised service, recorded in 1954, as well as giving you the option of viewing only the musical portions of the service, excluding the readings. Also, a booklet detailing the history of the service, lyrics to all songs and a 30 minute conversation between Sir David Wilcox, Sir Philip Ledger and Stephen Cleobury, the three Directors of Music at King's Collefge since 1957. 

Songlist: Once in royal David's city, Quem pastores laudavere, In dulci jubilo, Angels from the realms of glory, In the bleak mid-winter, Quittez, pasteurs, While shepherds watched, Silent Night, The Shepherd's Carol, The Angels and the Shepherds, Riu, riu, chiu, O little town of Bethlehem, The Shepherds' Farewell, I wonder as I wander, Small wonder the star, Sussex Carol, Gloria in excelsis Deo, God rest ye merry gentlemen, Hark! the herald angels sing

Review: A visual and musical journey around King's College Chapel in Cambridge, describing its history as well as the life and work of it's world-famous choir.

Songlist: Ave Maria - Parsons, Praise My Soul, The King Of Heaven - Hymn, God Is Our Hope And Strength - P.D., King Henry VI's Prayer - Ley, Miserere - Allegri, Nunc Dimittis - Howells, Fecisti Nos - Radcliffe, Night and Day, Dayton Ohio 1903 - Newman, Plainsong - P.D., Psalm Prelude Op. 32 - Howells, Prelude & Fugue in B - Dupre, Trio in D Minor - Bach