Choir of King's College

The album joins the label’s other critically and commercially successful recordings, which continue to be streamed by thousands of listeners around the world, including In The Bleak Midwinter which was released in 2021. Rutter Orchestral Carols includes beautiful orchestral arrangements of well-known favourites such as Silent Night and Sans Day Carol as well as Rutter’s original carols All bells in paradise and All the stars looked down, which is dedicated to the late Sir Stephen Cleobury. “It was a pleasure to record a handful of John’s carols, some old, some new, in these colourful orchestrations… hopefully these new tracks will add a bit of magic to people’s Christmas this year,” said Daniel Hyde, Director of Music, King’s College

Benjamin Nicholas and his Choir of Merton College Oxford present a starlit celebration of Advent choral music and Christmas carols from composers old and new.

Benjamin Nicholas and his Choir of Merton College Oxford present a starlit celebration of Advent choral music and Christmas carols from composers old and new.

Graham Ross directs the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge in music celebrating the feast of Epiphany, culminating in Arnold Bax’s unaccompanied double-choir masterpiece, 'Mater ora filium' (1926). The feast of Epiphany falls on 6 January, 12 days after Christmas. Marked in the Christian world with the story of the Magi, many composers have been inspired by the account of ‘the three kings’ following the star, bringing their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Following on from the universal critical acclaim of their first album with Resonus (This Christmas Night - RES10113), the Choir of Worcester College, Oxford - under the direction of Stephen Farr - return with a second album of contemporary Christmas Carols.

Recorded before Sir Stephen Cleobury’s untimely passing in November 2019, King’s College presents a new account of one of the greatest masterpieces in sacred music, Bach’s St Matthew Passion. For this recording Cleobury led the King’s Choir and the Academy of Ancient Music alongside some of the most outstanding British singers performing today, headed by one of the finest Evangelists of our time, James Gilchrist. The album is accompanied by a booklet with over 60 pages of texts and photographs, including a full translation by Michael Marissen and a specially-commissioned essay by John Butt.

In the Bleak Midwinter reflects a Christmas that was unlike any other in recent history. Much of the music on this album was heard around the world as part of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, a service that has been broadcast live from King’s on Christmas Eve every year since 1930.

A collection of carols sung live on Christmas Eve and made available as an audio album for the first time. Taken from the BBC’s 2019 Christmas broadcasts, these recordings capture the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge under the direction of Daniel Hyde, performing for his first Christmas at King’s since taking up the post of Director of Music.

Now in her early thirties, Kerensa Briggs could hardly have enjoyed a more salubrious childhood for a composer of sacred choral music, surrounded by music in Gloucester Cathedral close, singing in choirs and hearing the daily choral services. Briggs went on to study music and sing as a choral scholar at King’s College London, and her music and her understanding of the way the voice works have their roots in this deep immersion.

The renowned Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys record a fitting tribute to their former Choirmaster and Organist Gerre Hancock (1934-2012). In this post for over 30 years, he was a pivotal figure in the choir's rejuvenation and created a wealth of choral and organ music during his career much of it composed for friends and colleagues across the USA.