Anyone interested in the best Christmas choral music sung by British cathedral choirs need look no further than the Priory Records catalog. From the more recently issued Noël to earlier releases from the cathedrals of Norwich (Rejos for Joy) and Southwark (The message of Christmas), you’ll find all of the most beloved carols, anthems, and songs plus many new and/or unfamiliar gems.
The four-volume series titled Christmas Joy, from which this disc is taken, includes the choirs of York Minster (Vol. 1), Durham (2), Chester (3), and St. George’s Chapel. The choir exhibits a lovely, full-bodied sound with clear, bright (warm, not harsh) trebles, with ideal ensemble balance from bottom to top. The recording gives a natural sense of the chapel acoustics and affords plenty of space for the full tuttis with organ to bloom.
Sometimes this resonance is a little overwhelming (toward the end of John Gardner’s Tomorrow shall be my dancing day, for instance) and disturbs what otherwise are remarkably clear, detailed performances. In fact, you can hear and understand almost every word without losing the overall ensemble perspective–in other words, you can hear the detail without having to be placed in the middle of the choir! This affords an exciting listening experience that captures what early digital recording promoters used to promise: the feeling that you are right there.
Excellent sound aside, the real draw for this disc is the wonderful, generously filled program–a rich mixture of classics and beautiful, less-familiar pieces–and the first-rate singing. The 25 tracks (a total of 77 and a half minutes of music) include Vaughan Williams’ stately setting of This is the truth from above, Harold Darke’s adored In the bleak mid-winter (featuring a gorgeous treble solo), several Willcocks arrangements (this beguiling performance of Rocking is the best on disc), and Hieronymus Praetorius’ setting of Joseph lieber, Joseph mein.
But the richest rewards lie in the surprising discoveries you’re certain to make–for instance, David Lumsden’s Balulalow, Charles Wood’s Four Letters (arranged by John McIntosh), Herbert Sumsion’s I sing of a maiden, George Thalben-Ball’s Polish Lullaby, and a sublime original work by Malcolm Hawkins titled Rosamundi, written to celebrate the birth of his daughter. There’s more–much more. But I’ll leave that to you to explore–because by now you’ve decided you just have to have this, haven’t you? [Editor’s note: Originally recorded in 1999 (and reviewed in December, 2001), we’re re-posting this because it’s one of our favorite Christmas recordings, fans of this music may have missed it, and–amazingly, it’s still available as a CD as well as in various online streaming services.]
