Cover: Memorial to Benjamin Britten: The Prodigal Son (1979) by John Piper (1903-1992)
Hyperion CDA67946 · October 2012
Britten - A Ceremony of Carols & St Nicolas
The Choir of Trinity College Cambridge, Stephen Layton (conductor)
- GRAMOPHONE CHOICE
- GRAMOPHONE - CHORAL DISC OF THE MONTH
- MUSIC WEB INTERNATIONAL - CHORAL DISC OF THE MONTH
- DAVID MELLOR'S CHRISTMAS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- FIVE STARS - THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
Press
Avvenire.it2012Britten: A Ceremony of Carols & Saint Nicolas - avvenire.it Compie settant'anni e non li dimostra A Ceremony of Carols di Benjamin Britten (1913-1976); il segreto di questo elisir di eterna giovinezza risiede soprattutto nello…Read the review 
WQXR.org2012Music Album of the Week Unlike many of his contemporaries and forbears in the classical music world, Benjamin Britten loved writing pieces for children and amateur performers. Saint Nicolas and A Ceremony of Carols beautifully…Read the review 
The Mail on Sunday2012Britten: A Ceremony of Carols & Saint Nicolas - The Mail on Sunday My Christmas Album of the Year is yet another exceptional Hyperion offering, this one featuring two of Benjamin Britten's most readily accessible choral works: A…Read the review 
The Arts Desk20122013 will be Britten’s centenary, so brace yourself for an onslaught of new and reissued recordings over the next 12 months. Saint Nicolas and A Ceremony of Carols remain two of the most beguiling, approachable works Britten ever…Read the review 
Music Web International2012A Ceremony of Carols is most frequently heard sung by boy trebles, there is also an SATB arrangement by Julius Harrison, which, for all Harrison’s skill doesn’t really work in my opinion. However, in his excellent booklet note…Read the review 
Gramophone Magazine2012As the Britten centenary looms into view, it is good to be able to offer an enthusiastic welcome to this sparkling disc of two of his 1940s 'classic' scores. A Ceremony of Carols (recorded in 2007, early in Stephen Layton's…Read the review 
The Sunday Times2012With this ideal coupling, Stephen Layton and his choral forces are getting in early with Christmas and Britten centenary celebrations. A Ceremony of Carols is so associated with boys' voices, it comes as a shock to learn that it…Read the review 
The Daily Telegraph2012Although we tend to associate Britten's A Ceremony of Carols with the timbre of boy trebles, it was originally conceived for women's voices, and the mix of choirs on this recording makes for a performance that has lustre and…Read the review 
The Financial Times2012Britten's joyous cycle of nine carols is so closely associated with boys' voices that it comes as a surprise to learn that he conceived it for female choir - and very attractive it sounds in this version with the women's voices…Read the review
Recorded: Various dates
Produced by Adrian Peacock
Engineered by David Hinitt
Release date: October 2012
Total duration: 73 minutes 17 seconds
Track list
- A Ceremony of Carols Op 28: No 1: Procession Hodie Christus natus estBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)1'27
- A Ceremony of Carols Op 28: No 2: Wolcum Yole!Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)1'24
- A Ceremony of Carols Op 28: No 3: There is no roseBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)2'30
- A Ceremony of Carols Op 28: No 4a: That yongë childBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)1'56
- A Ceremony of Carols Op 28: No 4b: Balulalow O my deare hert, young Jesu sweitBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)1'20
- A Ceremony of Carols Op 28: No 5: As dew in Aprille I sing of a maidenBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)0'56
- A Ceremony of Carols Op 28: No 6: This little babeBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)1'25
- A Ceremony of Carols Op 28: No 7: InterludeBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)4'23
- A Ceremony of Carols Op 28: No 8: In freezing winter night Behold, a silly tender babeBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)4'04
- A Ceremony of Carols Op 28: No 9: Spring Carol Pleasure it isBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)1'06
- A Ceremony of Carols Op 28: No 10: Deo graciasBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)1'04
- A Ceremony of Carols Op 28: No 11: Recession Hodie Christus natus estBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)2'33
- Saint Nicolas Op 42: Introduction Our eyes are blinded by the holiness you bearBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)5'37
- Saint Nicolas Op 42: The birth of Nicolas Nicolas was born in answer to prayerBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)2'38
- Saint Nicolas Op 42: Nicolas devotes himself to God My parents diedBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)4'46
- Saint Nicolas Op 42: He journeys to Palestine Nicolas sailed for PalestineBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)7'57
- Saint Nicolas Op 42: Nicolas comes to Myra and is chosen Bishop Come, stranger sent from God!Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)6'47
- Saint Nicolas Op 42: Nicolas from prison Persecution sprang upon our ChurchBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)2'53
- Saint Nicolas Op 42: Nicolas and the pickled boys Famine tracks us down the lanesBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)6'42
- Saint Nicolas Op 42: His piety and marvellous works For forty years our NicolasBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)5'29
- Saint Nicolas Op 42: The death of Nicolas Death, I hear thy summons and I comeBenjamin Britten (1913-1976)6'20
Recording details from Hyperion Records.