The Coming Of Christ was a Mystery Play written by John Masefield in 1927 at the request of the Dean of Canterbury Cathedral based on the Christmas story. Holst's incidental music was composed at the sametime and published separately in 1928. Gustav Holst (1874-1934) was an English composer and teacher. Having studied under Stanford and Parry he became a close friend of Vaughan Williams they would oftencritique each other’s work and influenced composers such as Tippet and Britten. He is best remembered for his Planets suite.

Corpus Christi is an anonymous Middle English Carol first written down c.1500. It was re-worked as a carol for Soprano and Tenor Soloists with SATB chorus by Peter Walock (1894-1930) in 1919. It wasdedicated to Thomas Strong later Bishop of Oxford who had been Dean of Christ Church College during Warlock's brief time studying there and who is better known for encouraging William Walton's musicalcareer. While he is best remembered for his scandalous lifestyle and his large-scale Capriol Suite the Corpus Christi carol ranks alongside Bethlehem Down as one ofWarlock's most sensitive and beautiful creations.