All bells in paradise
O Holy Night: A Merton Christmas
Merton College Choir have made some terrific recordings, and this festive one is no exception. Joined by the Oxford Philharmonic, they give us an imaginatively assembled programme of Christmas music old and new, with enough favourites to engender the warm, familiar feeling that comes around just once a year. The presence of compositions by John Rutter and arrangements from David Willcocks guarantees lashings of sparkling yuletide spirit, but there’s also a 2011 carol by Thomas Hewitt Jones (“What Child Is This?”) and a modern classic in Morten Lauridsen’s “O magnum mysterium”. Pure-voiced singing, wonderfully recorded.
Shepherd’s Pipe Carol
Hark! the herald-angels sing
Choir of Merton College, Oxford, Benjamin Nicholas, Alexander Little, Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra
Unto us is born a son (Arr. David Willcocks)
Unto us is born a son (Arr. David Willcocks)
Choir of Merton College, Oxford, Peter Shepherd, Benjamin Nicholas, Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra
In the bleak mid-winter
O holy night (Arr. John Rutter)
It came upon the midnight clear
It came upon the midnight clear (Arr. Arthur Sullivan)
Benjamin Nicholas, Choir of Merton College, Oxford, Alexander Little
J. S. Bach: In dulci jubilo
What child is this?
O come, all ye faithful
Production
- Paul BaxterProducer
- Paul BaxterMastering Engineer, Editing Engineer
- Fra AngelicoCover Art
- John ChristGraphic Design
- Alexandra CoghlanLiner Notes
- John CairnsPhotography
- Henry HowardBooklet Editor