Noel 2 is an exciting collection of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany music for mixed voice choirs, from the easy to learn to the more challenging and unconventional. The contents range from the Renaissance to the present: from Bach and Sweelinck, familiar settings of traditional and lesser known carols through the ages to Howells and Leighton and works by today's composers include Richard Rodney Bennett, Eric Whitacre, John Tavener, Tarik O'Regan and Richard Allain. Among the 43 anthems, mixed voice choirs of all levels will find new arrangements of favorite carols, hymns with new descants, as well as stimulating original works for the Christmas season.

Songlist: Ubers Gebirg Maria Geht, Adam Lay Y Bounden, Angelus ad Virginem, Away In A Manger, Bethlehem Down, Coventry Carol, Ding Dong! Merrily on High, E'en So, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come, Gallery Carol, Gaudete!, Gloria, Dei Sir Gesungen, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Hodie Christus Natus Est, I Wonder As I Wander, I Wonder As I Wander, In Dulci Jubilo, Jesus Christ The Apple Tree, Lasset Uns Frohlocken, Long, Long Ago, Love Came Down At Christmas, Lullay My Liking, Lux Aurumque, 'O' Antiphon, O Come, All Ye Faithful, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, O Jesulein, Of A Rose, Once In Royal David's City, Puer Nobis, Resonet In Laudibus, and more

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

The Elora Festival Singers, conducted by internationally acclaimed director Noel Edison, is one of the most exciting of contemporary choirs. Their disc of Eric Whitacre's choral music (8.559677) was nominated for a GRAMMY in 2010. Now they turn to the art of the Christmas carol, a genre covering a variety of styles,6305c both popular and refined, each piece expressing religious sentiments and beliefs. The music ranges from much-loved settings to new works, from polyphony to more straightforward melodies, in a recital stretching from the Middle Ages to the music of today.

Songlist: Once in Royal David's City, My Dancing Day, What Child Is This?, A Boy Was Born,, The Holly and the Ivy, Who is He in Yonder Stall, Nesciens Mater Virgo Virum, Away in a Manger, Ding! Dong! Merrily on High, O Holy Night, Adam Lay Y Bounden, Ecce Concipies, Rocking, Gabriel's Message, I Wonder as I Wander, There is a Flower, Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming, The First Nowell

The University of Oxford's world famous choir performs a selection of famous and lesser-known carols.

Songlist: O come all ye faithful, Adam Lay Y Bounden, Out of your sleep, The angel Gabriel, A Spotless Rose, Ding dong merrily on high, In the bleak midwinter, The holly and the ivy, I wonder as I wander, A babe is born, Sussex carol, This is the truth, A Virgin most pure, Here is the little door, Alleluya a new work is come on hand, Lully lulla thou tiny little child, In dulci jubilo, There is no rose, Rocking carol, Wassail Carol, Once in royal David's city

For lovers of British carol services, Christmas is virtually synonymous with Cambridge. This service blends traditional plainsong antiphons and carols with readings.

Songlist: Drop Down Ye Heavens, Lo! He Comes With Clouds, Adam Lay Y Bounden, The Lord at first did Adam make, Es ist das Heil uns kommen her, A Spotless Rose, There is no Rose, Ave Maria, A Hymn to the Virgin, I Sing of a Maiden, This Have I Done for My True Love, Magnificat, Benedicamus Domino, O Little Town of Bethlehem, & antiphons, collects and readings

Inspired by the much-loved service of "Nine Lessons and Carols" given every Christmas Eve in England, this recording presents the Nativity story told through plainchant, motets, 17th Century dialogues, and traditional folk carols. Paul Hillier leads Theatre of Voices and Ars Nova Copenhagen in music he has culled and arranged from Italian, German, Danish, English, and American sources.

Songlist: Rorate coeli desuper, Veni veni Emanuel, Eis ist ein Ros entsprungen, Dum deambularet Dominus in Paradisum, Adam Lay Y Bounden, In dulci iubilo, Missus est Gabriel, Puer natus est, O magnum mysterium, Voi ch'ai notturni rai, Dormi, dormi, o bel bambin, Liebe Hirten, Andachtsjodler, We Three Kings, Videntes stellam, Personent hodie, Herodes iratus, Vox in Rama, Uebers Gebirg, Maria wallt zum Heiligtum, The holly and the ivy, Barn Jesus i en krybbe la, We wish you a merry Christmas