The Dawn of Grace: Music for Christmas - Somerville College Choir, Oxford & Will Dawes (RES10310)

The Dawn of Grace: Music for Christmas

£12.99
Total playing time [65:47]

Somerville College Choir, Oxford

Will Dawes (director)

Oxford’s Somerville College Choir under its director Will Dawes presents this compelling new programme of seasonal choral works solely by female composers from across the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, and including no fewer than eleven world premieres.

This wide-ranging selection of repertoire reflects Somerville’s unique role as the only non-denominational college chapel at Oxford, as well as remaining true to its founding principle of enabling women. Together these works tell a different story of the nativity but also of the times we live in, when diversity and equality capture the spirit not only of Christ, but Christmas itself.

Album Booklet (PDF)

Tracklist

Cecilia McDowall (b.1951)
1. O Oriens

Abbie Betinis (b.1980)
2. Behind the clouds *

Anna Semple (b.1997)
3. Drop down, ye heavens *

Pamela Decker (b.1955)
4. Veni, veni Emmanuel *

Cheryl Frances-Hoad (b.1980)
5. There is no rose

Kerensa Briggs (b.1991)
6. A tender shoot *

Sarah Cattley (b.1995)
7. Ivy, chief of trees *

Judith Bingham (b.1952)
8. The Dawn of Redeeming Grace

Joanna Marsh (b.1970)
9. O magnum mysterium *

Errolyn Wallen (b.1958)
10. Peace On Earth

Yshani Perinpanayagam (b.1983)
11. In Bethlehem above *

Shruti Rajasekar (b.1996)
12. Star of Rohini *

Sarah Quartel (b.1982)
13. This endris night

Jeanne Demessieux (1921–68)
14. Adeste fideles (from Twelve Choral-Preludes on Gregorian Chant Themes, Op. 8, No.2)

Tamsin Jones (b.1972)
15. Noel: Verbum caro factum est *

Judith Weir (b. 1954)
16. My Guardian Angel

Anonymous. French 16th century,
arr. Janet Wheeler (b.1957)
17. Ding Dong Diggety! *

Anonymous, traditional,
arr. June Nixon (b.1942)
18. The holly and the ivy

Ghislaine Reece-Trapp (b.1992)
19. Alleluia! A New Work is Come on Hand

Cecilia McDowall
20. Gaude et laetare *

* world premiere recording

“

'...an invigorating blend of buoyant spontaneity and ensemble discipline. Innovatively programmed, and sung with an uplifting freshness and alacrity, this is simply irresistible. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'

- BBC Music Magazine - Christmas Choice Award 2022

'[...] an invigorating blend of buoyant spontaneity and ensemble discipline. Innovatively programmed, and sung with an uplifting freshness and alacrity, this is simply irresistible. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'
BBC Music Magazine - Christmas Choice Award 2022

'A fine disc, imaginatively programmed, superbly performed and held in a wonderful recording.'
Classical Explorer

Credits
© 2022 Resonus Limited
Ⓟ 2022 Resonus Limited
Catalogue No. RES10310
Producer: Adrian Peacock
Engineer: Dave Rowell
Editors: Adrian Peacock, Will Brown & Matthew Bennett
Executive producer: Adam Binks
EAN: 5060262793428
Cover image: Watercolour painting of Winter Forest by Carinha Scobeleva (shutterstock.com)
Release date: 4 November 2022