Benjamin Britten - A Ceremony of Carols

S:t Jacobs Ungdomskör performs Benjamin Britten's A Ceremony of Carols in concert, at S:t Jacobs Kyrka 2014-01-06.
Conductor: Mikael Wedar
Harp: Margareta Nilsson
0:00 1. "Procession"
2:16 2. "Wolcum Yole!"
3:52 3. "There is no Rose"
6:34 4a. "That yonge child" (solo: Emma Persson)
8:19 4b. "Balulalow" (solo Elina Wallinder)
9:49 5. "As dew in Aprille"
11:01 6. "This little Babe"
12:42 7. "Interlude" (solo harp)
16:50 8. "In Freezing Winter Night" (solo: Jeanette Britan, Hannes Lissenko, Anna Erikssson, Jacob Helldén)
20:57 9. "Spring Carol" (solo: Jorunn Palmkvist, Jennika Antila)
22:22 10. "Deo Gracias"
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[@mlreed8929]

I sang this when I was in a youth girls choir. I can't remember how old I was, 13-17. Our choir director loved having performances, and our church had 5 choirs! In one performance we did, we were up in the balcony of a church, and there were other choirs on the main level. We were the "angels" who sang from above ! :) I'm now 72 and I still remember some parts of some of the songs we sang from the Ceremony of Carols. It was a beautiful experience! They all were, and I feel very blessed to have been able to participate in all the beautiful songs we sang!

[@LS-ei7xk]

Once you sing something like this, it never quite leaves you. I'm 74. : ) I switch octaves a lot.

[@bravaLiz]

NOT that anyone may care, but.... I have sung this. I was 18 years old. Years later, I conducted it in professional public performance. It is a most important work. I do SO LOVE Mr. B.B. And this particular performance video is quite fine. I also wish to thank the person who shared this post with us. "Wolcum Yole" everyone.

[@phyllispetras3369]

Love you precious person

[@saltburner2]

I first sang in this when I was 19 - at the Royal Albert Hall, London - 1959.

[@lbazemore585]

I had a brave music teacher in 8th grade who taught 3 of these pieces to his advanced girls chorus for our Christmas concert that year. I have never forgotten them!

We do care! Thank you kindly for sharing your perspective!

[@rhondarobinson8443]

I care!! I love this piece! Glad that you had multiple experiences with it.

[@natalien.9528]

Orthodox father Rafailo says that when we sing at church the Angel's sing with us and we can hear it in the fullness and the holiness of the sound ♡

[@psychedelicacynical]

as someone who learnt and performed this entire piece in a choir concert as well before......this was so beautiful and nostalgic to watch and listen to

[@JBNemeth]

Yes indeed.... I too had the lovely privilege of singing this astounishingly beautiful piece!

[@phyllispetras3369]

Sang in 1964 with Robert Shaw's choir

[@marystolleis9492]

I also performed this with my college choir. This Christmas it all started coming back to me, and I longed to hear it again. I love the hauntingly beautiful "A Ceremony of Carols".

[@gapont2]

the mix of the sound of the choir and the harp is something delicious.

[@gemmi1]

A few years ago my friend took me to a performance of this just before Christmas. I was expecting Christmas carols so when I arrived and she explained I was disappointed. Until they started singing. And now this is part of me.

[@StJacobsVokalensemble]

What a wonderful story! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

[@jheaton0416]

Pretty much my experience, only with a recording. I asked my mom, "why is this called a Ceremony of Carols, I've never heard of any of these?"

[@stephenarnold6359]

Fantastic! Thank the Lord above that there are still people who are able in this age to master the concert harp in spite of the lack of instruments and teachers in schools, problems of transportability, astronomical costs of entry-level harps, etc., etc. A joy from start to finish.

[@jeff27]

Yeah

[@phyllispetras3369]

A harpist with the San Francisco Symphony bought a Voltswagon Beetle Convertible to transport her harp.........we loved her so much.

[@diannaholiday9086]

I have a harpist friend who manages with a Toyota Prius!😅

[@patriciaherrera1286]

I sang this in a girls choir with my sister in Sao Paulo Brasil. I was solist and responsible of trainning the english pronunciation of the girls. I think that everybody who sang this felt like an angel. Thanks for sharing it and bring me a so grateful memory . I was 14 then, now 40 years has been passed.

[@route909]

Lovely! It's a fantastic piece of choral music. So glad that it's been adapted to different settings.

[@annawoodthorpebrowne9980]

It's just a long serving joy.... our choir gave a concert in London Dec '77. Will never forget ❤

[@carolwilson5413]

I sang this 50 years ago when I was in choir at SUNY Plattsburgh and haven’t heard it since. Thank you so much for this beautiful performance.

[@vickyg690]

This is how I hope heaven sounds

[@ss6830]

I was 6, my parents were in a choir together, and they sang this beautiful piece. Since I went to every rehersal I know most of the songs, and play it every year. I'm in my 30's now, and I get to pass it on down to my son who gets to hear this now.

[@francoaragosta4285]

A strange and wonderful work! It's decidedly "modern," yet it evokes a sense of mystery and wonder that seems very ancient and far removed from the world we live in today. It gives me goose bumps and feeling of deep serenity at once The lively movements only add to the atmosphere of inner peace. Odd, quietly delicately brilliant, unforgettable.

[@MsXizan]

That's what the composer was going for. He wrote it in the midst of the London Blitz... .

[@DreamingCatStudio]

You said exactly how I feel. Thank you!

[@stevetatchell5571]

Beautifully said.

[@composerdoh]

​@@MsXizan I thought he wrote it on a boat traveling either from or to the US. Unless I'm incorrect your statement is a tad misleading- he may indeed have written it while the Blitz was happening and if so I'm sure it was weighing heavily on his mind... but you make it sound like he was in London and bombs were falling all around him as he composed this.

[@PassengerInMortality]

@@composerdoh You are correct. Returning to England from self-imposed exile in the US.

[@deanklous5229]

O ha'shem how beautiful the Christians sing, I can imagine the Lord himself sitting there quietly taking it all in, TODA RABA SHALOM

[@Archangina]

Wich one?...

[@foodchewer]

God is good, my friend.

[@deanklous5229]

@@foodchewer good for you my friend

[@heathergun8334]

I sang this at Bristol University in the 1970s. Still find it very exciting and listen every Christmas.

[@Zephaniah3verse17]

Hallelujah (Praise the Lord), res miranda (a thing to wonder at), pares forma (three in one), Gloria in Excelsis Deo (Glory to God in the Highest), gaudeamus (let us celebrate), transeamus (let us cross over). Sums up my Christian faith as I enter my 41st year of it. Thanks for posting this impeccable performance!

[@PatroniFan]

One thing that stood out to me at the "pares forma" line is that Britten included a triplet in the accompaniment. I have understood this to be a musical reference to The Trinity. I've wondered if that's what Britten meant.

[@bonnieoles4212]

I sang this in my church choir when I was a young girl. One choir was at the front of the church, and our girls choir was up in the balcony, like angels. I still have fond memories of singing these songs and am so grateful that I had that opportunity. Hearing these people singing these songs is such a treat! A big thank you to them!

[@EmmaRass]

This is a real masterpiece, I remember singing this in our city choir with exactly the same sound... a lovely memory.

[@samtownend7740]

No-one cares Bonnie

[@DreamingCatStudio]

I sang this too in a small community choir. I thought I was a soprano and hurt myself trying for the high notes. When I finally figured out I was an alto it was much more fun! It’s such a beautiful piece, and I enjoyed this so much on an early 2019 Christmas morning. Thank you. 🎄❤️ 🙏🏼

[@ameliechristie518]

@@samtownend7740 No one cares about your comment either Sam .. judging idiots

[@kelvinli4223]

It’s indeed a beautiful piece by Britten! Do you remember which vocal part were you?

[@amberhawke]

My first exposure to Britten's 'A Ceremony of Carols' was in high school when we sang excerpts from it for our Christmas concert. It was an SATB version as well, I sang bass. For "This Little Babe" we separated across the stage so that the round part had a very defined stereo imaging. I always thought that This Little Babe would make a good surround sound piece, having the choir spread out around the audience. This performance is wonderful, I'm glad that I finally found an SATB performance! It brings back memories of 40+ years ago.

[@LS-ei7xk]

You have a point, but it's difficult enough to get the voices to come in one after the other... it would take a really great choir to do it with surround singing, also.

[@seagreentangerine2065]

We studied this at music school, it brings back some beautiful memories and the history of processions.

[@hockneyfication]

The Interlude took me into another sphere for which I have no words. It is so pure and innocent I had to cry.

[@christopherheinemann1214]

I love the harp players expression at 23:38-23:39 where she almost silenced the sound but caught herself.

[@MarkHarmer]

As a harpist myself, I love the harpist's gesture right at the end of the last movement. Made me smile!

[@route909]

She's a gem! Such talent and humbleness :D

[@jbryant817]

Jazz hands

[@MarkHarmer]

Yes, I think I'm in love!!

[@samtownend7740]

That is sad

[@BastarB]

She's a fantastic and really kind person also, I know her actually:)

[@iannickCZ]

We performed back at 2017, still had goosebumps at some moments. Great piece.

[@heathergun8334]

I sang this once in a choir. Now I have to listen to it at least once each Christmas season

[@RuthMusik]

We are going to sing this piece on Sunday 4th of December 2022 which is also the date Benjamin Britten died in 1976. I used this wonderful video to practice ....

[@sydneypreston2200]

Wonderful interpretation. Singing was superb. The harpist was mesmerizing. A special performance and recording. Thank you so much.

[@MarkHarmer]

Lovely! Links to individual movements (certainly works on desktops): 1. "Procession" 0:07 2. "Wolcum Yole!" 2:16 3. "There is no Rose" 3:52 4a. "That yonge child" 6:34 4b. "Balulalow" 8:19 5. "As dew in Aprille" 9:49 6. "This little Babe" 11:01 7. "Interlude" 12:42 8. "In Freezing Winter Night" 16:50 9. "Spring Carol" 20:57 10. "Deo Gracias" 22:22

[@jeff68br]

Thanks a million, Mark, for sharing the links to these wonderful masterpieces with us! Best wishes.

[@user-tf2dp1bv1c]

Mark Harmer Thank you!

[@carlocasalboni1855]

Mark Harmer

[@carlocasalboni1855]

Mark Harmer

[@carlocasalboni1855]

Mark Harmer

[@andyfield7397]

Absolutely captures Christmas as it should be. Beautiful, Thank you

[@Vicy23]

Za każdym razem jak słucham początku tego cudownego utworu, lecą mi łzy.Dziękuje autorowi za to, że stworzył takie wspaniałe dzieło

[@StJacobsVokalensemble]

Dziękuję!

[@andreachavez1147]

I miss singing this with my choir 🥺

[@46metube]

just gorgeous. Britten, a complete original and visionary

[@route909]

Well don't you just admire all of his choral works! Hymn to St. Cecilia is a favourite of ours!

[@alexandrebidaud2964]

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹 A great composer and a superb choir ! The interlude played by the harpist is just fantastic !

[@katherinephillips435]

Balulalow music that tune is so awesome 👍 I love it my favourite music.❤️🌹

[@JillColonna]

What a beautiful performance. Bravo! I loved singing this in Scotland, so thank you for the memories. Wishing you all a lovely Christmas.

[@lilyk3269]

I sang the ceremony of carols with my choir. I love this music!

[@itsdesertflower]

We sang this in high school ... singing along, misty eyed, brought back many memories! wonderful performance, thank you for sharing this.

[@route909]

Thank you very much! :)

[@GalaxyGal-]

Sondra Lee We’re singing this in our college’s choir Dec 3.

[@mipoku8607]

日本人で聞いてる方いらっしゃいますか? 中学の時に、合唱部で歌いました。ハープの先生をお呼びして、とても素敵な引退コンサートになりました。クリスマスが近付くと聞きたくなります。 メロディもハーモニーもキレイ。こんなふうに美しく歌いたかった〜！！

[@williamripley3192]

Always liked music by Benjamin Britten.This is great.

[@keithmesemoa_army4472]

Mes 4 années scolaires de maîtrise qui se résume en 25 minutes de vidéos. This little babe est tellement... Compliqué à apprendre. 😭

[@omarbensalaad2482]

How nice! The both are still living!…

[@AnnieofBlueGables]

I sang this in HS in 1966. All girls choir with a harp. I heard this little babe tonight in a Christmas choir and I about cried.

[@PassengerInMortality]

Wonderful performance! Congrats to the choir, the excellent director, and the harpist!

[@jeff68br]

Extremely beautiful masterpieces performed very beautifully, filling our hearts with joy and admiration.

[@StJacobsVokalensemble]

Thank you! Happy to hear :)

[@craigjohnson4809]

This is such a beautiful performance of this great work. My ensemble will be doing it for our Christmas Concert. ❤

[@elisepentz1063]

I sang this as a girl and it's great to hear it again

[@fabianbamberg6555]

Just stumbled upon your videos by chance. ABSOLUTELY marvelous what you are doing, just keep it up. You've just earned a new fanboy in Germany. I am totally hyped.!. Many many thanks 🥰

[@smlindquist1]

This is such a wonderful find ... I have 'given' it as a special holiday post to a dear friend who will enjoy it so much! Thank you for making it available to those who would never be able to attend a concert or have no access to a special holiday concert such as this!

[@route909]

Thank you for your wonderful comment! :) I'll forward it to the choir!

[@windycityliz7711]

Have deeply loved this for many years and this performance is quite fine. Thank you for the upload.

[@mataform]

Loved this since I was a child. Makes me think always of the medieval english world, its romantic beauty and and our history.

[@makaylaromano7314]

balulalow is breathtaking

[@gregsmithhisler2751]

I grew up with the superb Robert Shaw Chorale recording of this work and I heard a really good high school choir perform the mixed chorus version many years ago, but this is the first performance that encourages me to prefer the mixed version to the original for treble voices. Beautifully performed and recorded, I will return to this performance...it just isn’t Christmas anymore without spending time with this work. Sorry they didn’t do the Recessional, though!

[@Meerkat1234]

Superb performance all round. Thank you. Balulalow was always my favourite element of this work, but then he was always my favourite character in The Jungle Book... ;) Merry Christmas.😂

[@jbaptube]

Amazing interpretation of That Ceremony of carols! Each part is right colour and give the good music emotional tone...! J'espère bien dire dans la langue de Shakespeare toute la beauté musicale de cette interpretation de maître. Je connais bien cette oeuvre pour avoir participé à sa création avec le choeur de l'Université Laval pendant mes études en musique...Je note en particulier la très belle qualité vocale des choristes et la grande précision rythmique de chaque partie.Le chef de choeur y est certainement pour quelque chose!!! Et la harpiste, je la garde pour le dessert, elle est tout simplement ravissante: Du grand art musical!!! BRAVO!

[@BNS667]

Jean-Baptiste Desgagnes omg

[@vinicioesposito4109]

Bellissimo.. lo ascoltavo da bambino e ha mantenuto tutto il suo fascino e la sua bellezza

[@vernonbrowne6127]

The first time I heard all this was in the around Christmas of 1975 and it still sounds great

[@pianodevotion]

I did this a few years ago in middle school Fond memories and a very beautiful and fun piece to perform

[@route909]

Most wonderful piece!

[@omarbensalaad2482]

Je flotte sur un rayon de soleil au paradis!…

[@valeriepagendarm6376]

It is an amazing experience to sing this!

[@phyllispetras3369]

NO ADS PLEASE KZbin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@steveess20]

So beautiful. Thank you for posting this.

[@RobertKeiser]

Mats, this is fabulous! We're sitting here in Maryland USA watching your recording on the big plasma & listening over the "good" system. I feel like it's still Christmas. Wonderful performance, lovely capture. Thank you!

[@samtownend7740]

Cool

[@wetdahlia]

Thank you for exhibiting the status you have finally achieved. Espc. on an intellectual level.

[@bonitagibb8825]

This is one of my favorite pieces to perform and listen to! Awesome job! It just isn't Christmas until I hear this performed!

[@anthonyfletcher9795]

This is sang every year at St Wulframs Grantham, our 2019 performance was yesterday and once again our choristers were brilliant.

[@cabhari8874]

So beautiful❤️ thank you!

[@robertseath3133]

Life changing music

[@michielvanlaarhoven7633]

the vowels are sometimes so beautiful!!! wow!

[@thesouu6985]

So wonderful. Near to perfect!

[@crochetgottaloveit]

What a beautiful sound! Thank you! :) :)

[@samtownend7740]

Cringe city

[@BernardoEmanuel]

Simply Beautiful

[@nestorelias8601]

Muy buena... por fin la encontré completa.

[@ritawood2772]

Beautifully sung and a lovely setting!

[@route909]

Thanks Rita! :)

[@erika7674]

Wow! Thanks for posting. This is being performed at Norwich Cathedral on Sunday 27th January. I must go! The work received its premiere in Norwich in 1942.

[@DarkSunGwyndoIin]

Lindo, simplesmente lindo!

[@andyfield7397]

I still love this piece and its peace. They do fantastic justice to it. Beautiful. Bless all you lovely people out there. 💞

[@marygargano-price8436]

Glenbard North High school is doing this tonight! Can't wait!

[@Archangina]

Ça vibre! Il faut que ça vibre! Preuve de son existence très forte sur terre! Il est vivant dans sa musique! E= mc2

[@andyfield7397]

I absolutely love this ❤❤❤

[@hernana6689]

Muy hermoso, gracias..!!!

[@phyllispetras3369]

Mikael is so handsome...............All of you are fantastic......the harpist heavenly

[@marcelinoluc1544]

Wonderful !

[@valliemackrell1228]

A most wonderful performance.

[@JBNemeth]

Oh my....how gorgeous this rendition with men and women....

[@pagan22]

Beautiful

[@grupocelebremos1]

Britten is perfect!

[@robertdenton3641]

Beautiful. Happy memories (Chorister, Leeds Parish Church UK - 1963 - 1971) Harp - Marissa Robles

[@RachaelCarmine]

I remember singing this when I was in college. This Little Babe was a nightmare to rehearse, but once we got it, we nailed it each time. I totally forget the lyrics now, but I remember the harmonies. (I was a mezzo soprano that got stuck with the altos a lot.)

[@irisjacobs1139]

So sorry you got "stuck" with the altos.

[@rogerroth9536]

Britten was a frikken genius. I'm old enough to have heard Britten and Pears in Boston decades ago. And watch Clemente play R. field in Pittsburgh. One time I saw him throw a ball on the fly from deep RF to home plate--underarm. I loved that guy! I'm old as the hills.

[@NJBaars]

Thank you SJUK. We’re performing this piece for the second year in a row and this performance is one I keep coming back to when practicing. Only one point of note: procession while reading along; ideally the pro- and secession should be by heart for the visual IMHO.

[@antoniarussell5029]

Beautifully sung

[@christianbrodiez5287]

Quelle bouleversante et noble prière que ce Cérémony of Carols de Britten ; l'accompagnement à la harpe est divin

[@KennyVert]

I was a part of TBS (The Tulsa Boy Singers) and we did this one Christmas in the late 90's. I think it was my favorite set of Christmas pieces that we ever did. Thank you so much for this. It was like stepping into a time machine! P.S. I remember thinking how cool it was that we got to sing with a harp. Love the harp in this!!

[@LooonyMoon]

Very well done!

[@erika7674]

Enchanting.

[@user-uh4dv2zn5m]

too good,,,,,, i was a bass, and sang this,,, was lucky to have a harp,,,, (high school)

[@maxomatosis_]

so beautiful

[@route909]

Thanks a lot!

[@ivailo1973]

Bravo!

[@timweller7291]

Fine and accurate harping!

[@GianTJ]

Fantastic job to the harpist!

[@CristianoPorqueddu]

Amazing

[@antontwee]

Mooi hoor! hier hou ik van thanks upldr

[@jonboyd4856]

This is a fantastic performance, and a very good quality video. I'm currently preparing a choir on this piece and have listened to many recordings, and this is by far the best SATB performance I've heard. A few movements fly by a bit too quickly, and they struggle with the triplets in movement 3 for some reason, but otherwise a nearly flawless performance. Beautiful tone, good blend, clear conducting. I wish there were more choirs like this on youtube.

[@route909]

+Jon Boyd Thanks a lot for these kind Words! Good luck with your performance :)

[@paradimerci]

Check out Aurin Girl's choir ;)