a Christmas carol-Sweet was the Song is a traditional English carol dating from the 16th century depicting the Virgin Mary singing a lullaby to the new-born Jesus. This setting for mixed voices (no divisi) and organ reflects the text with gentle rocking phrases static harmonies and a simple melodic line. The music is coloured by soft dissonances conveying a sense of mystery and uncertainty.This piece is taken from a larger work An Old Belief which deals with the subject of religious faith in times of crisis. It was commissioned by Alan Brookes for Twickenham Choral Society who gave the first performance in March 2013 conducted by Christopher Herrick.

Spanish Carol-This is a beautiful Christmas carol adapted from the traditional Spanish carol and can be performed in English or Spanish.

French Carol-This is a popular Christmas carol whose text is based on a traditional French carol and translated into English by bishop James Chadwick. Swann's arrangement is stately in character but suitable for grades 6-12.

A simple delicate treatment of this traditional Polish carol that works well for either youth or adult treble choirs. Suitable for Christmas concerts and services with unique but easy accompaniment for flute and hand chimes. In English. Duration: approx. 2:10

English Traditional-A gentle dance-y Christmas carol for SATB with flute and cello

Novello New Choral Series- La Ballade de Jésus Christ is an arrangement of a French carol from the seventeeth century or earlier. The tune is well known as the hymn Let all mortal flesh keep silence from The English Hymnal and this arrangement was commissioned in 2007 by the Oxford choir Sospiri for their CD of Christmas music Videte Miraculum. The text a miniature morality tale has a simple almost childlike quality to it and this is reflected in the shimmering harmonies and soft fleeting dissonances presenting the story as a bitter-sweet fairy tale.The Novello New Choral Series is an inspiring selection of new works from a range ofcontemporary composers offering pieces for all types of choirs including sacred and secular works from simple four-part settings to more expansive yet accessible repertoire in an exciting variety of styles. This collection is perfect for choirs looking to broaden their repertoire and explore some of the best new music around.Born in 1963 John Duggan was a chorister at Westminster Cathedral and studied music at Oxford. Whilst still a boy he dreamed of writing in the choral tradition of Victoria Tallis and Palestrina. His vocal music has delighted both singers and audiences across Europe and the USA. He has written for a number of choirs including Commotio Westminster Cathedral Choir the Hildegard Choir and Sospiri and has received commissions from the Edington Music Festival Crossover Intergenerational Dance Group Oxford Youth Dance and The Oxford-Grenoble Association. He composers regularly for film and dance and performs as a singerand choral director whilst working as a recording engineer and producer.

Before me careless lying is a fine example of the contrapuntal art of Herbert Howells (1892 1983) inspired by the work of the great English composers of the Renaissance period those of the madrigal school in particular but in its passionate sensibility essentially twentieth century. The composer wrote this partsong on Christmas Day 1918 and dedicated it to his friend the organist Dr R. R. Terry Director of Music at Westminster Cathedral and chairman of the Tudor Church Music committee. The words are by the poet and biographer Austin Dobson whose Collected Poems was published in 1897.Perhaps as a token of the composer’s regard for Terry’s pioneering work infurthering the appreciation and understanding of sixteenth-century church music Before me careless lying was originally published with the alto and tenor parts notated in traditional clefs. It is here reissued with clefs in modern forms of treble and transposed treble respectively and with a keyboard transcription of the vocal parts which is intended for use in rehearsal.

Vocalise-Will Todd born in 1970 is forging a strong reputation for himself as a composer who is equally at ease in opera oratorio church music and jazz. His style is instantly accessible and lastingly memorable. He spent his formative years steeped in both jazz and the English choral tradition so in his choral music he is able to juxtapose strong rhythmic drive and rich harmonies with exquisitely lyrical vocal lines.'Angel Song II' is inspired by the idea of angels singing on Christmas night. The music weaves a gentle melody over the aleatoric textures of the accompanying voices. The text is designed to create the echo of the word 'Hosanna' butwith no consonants so that the music feels as if it comes from 'on high'.'

Geoffrey Bush's Summer Serenade is a refreshingly enjoyable work written on the wing of inspiration essentially sunny and life-enhancing. The eclectic style is readily diatonic the harmonies never make one shudder and the rich melodic flow is appealingly direct. The settings of an ingenious selection of verse are in the best traditions of British choral writing. Performance time approx. 20 minutes.Made up of 7 parts including Prologue Madrigal Scherzo Dirge Aubade Nocturne and Finale.Orchestration varies between theseparts they are scored for chorus and orchestra unaccompanied voices or Tenor solo and orchestra.Geoffrey Bush was a British composer organist and scholar of 20th-century English music. His compositions include 5 operas 2 symphonies choral pieces such as his Christmas Cantata and many songs generally in the lieder style.