Ceremony of Carols - Benjamin Britten

The Singers, Matthew Culloton, Conductor, Min Kim, Harp, perform Benjamin Britten's "Ceremony of Carols" featuring soloists: Jessie Braaten, soprano, Susanna Mennicke, soprano, Diane Koschak, sorpano, Britta Fitzer, alto, Jessica Bandelin, alto.

[@jerrera45]

This masterpiece by Benjamin Britten has always been so special to me. For me it is the essence of a quiet and peaceful Christmas Eve. My annual Christmas eve ritual was to listen to this while sitting in my favorite chair, the room lit by candlelight and fireplace. With my faithful dog by my side and a fine glass of Cognac I could sit and relax and concentrate on the beauty of this music and the real meaning of Christmas. Well, I am much older now and the dog and days of Cognac are long gone. But this music... this music shall be in my heart forever. Thank you, Mr. Britten, for this Christmas gift to the world.

[@edwarddibley7382]

DEO GRACIAS

[@chrisclarkebiz]

The year Britten composed this, 1942, was a terrible time for war-battered England. For me, the Ceremony is a beacon of hope and beauty shining through dark clouds.

[@rahawa774]

You and I have similar tastes :)

[@KNBsSuperSenior]

My high school choir director, Jess Rose, taught us to sing this work, and it shaped my very future. I've made a life of music, and now rediscovering this wonderful work brings me such holiday joy. I was the accompanist on keyboards when we performed, but it's so very much better with the harp. Thank you to these musicians for such a lovely performance!

[@nataliadiolosa3530]

Most people are not aware of how hard it is to pull this piece through. And yet, they perform it as if it were a piece of cake. They manage to que get all three voices to be heard clearly, without overshadowing each other. So enjoyable and moving!! Excelent work!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼❤

[@johnwayne4447]

Benjamin Britten was a gift to the world

[@AllenJones-w3p]

Britten's two greatest works are A CEREMONY OF CAROLS and the WAR REQUIEM.

[@mothershelper1981]

I'll never forget when I got to sing this in college. I became friends with the harpist for a while. I think her name was Pat Jenkins. If you're out there, I still remember you!

[@stephenhall3515]

This is a wonderful performance of the 'Ceremony...', performed by mature voices using the final 1955 revision but here by females only. The work began its evolution alongside four other works of genius when Britten and tenor Peter Pears were returning to England from the USA in 1941/2 at the height of the Battle of the Atlantic against U-boat attacks on convoys. It was hazardous and lengthy as the pair changed small merchant boats on northern routes which ran the further risk of icebergs but because the Royal Navy was in full attack mode they obliged small boats and ships used for Canadian, Greenland and Iceland supplies and trade to go abnormally far north, sometimes stuck motionless in surface pack ice. Benjamin Britten was actually a seasoned sailor and able to help with tasks onboard and Pears entertained crews with songs in many languages. He was also a strong person and able to do menial tasks on several types of vessel. Because the 'Ceremony...' was a skewed version of a harp concerto for which Britten had received a commission he was unsure if the harpist would be happy and intended to communicate with her when able to ring from Scotland before finishing the challenging solo and two carols requiring unusual use of harmonics between harp and boy soloists. The harpist was so intrigued by the concept of voices and harp in a work including physical movement (performance) that she was very happy and is said to have suggested the inclusion of a spring carol to hint at coming out of winter gloom. The performers here take the work a shade more slowly in the acoustic they have than in Britten's recording in liberated Denmark but it pays off because the intense harmonic writing (somewhat daring) has air to be appreciated. Moreover, the composer's instructions for leaving resonant strings un-damped in several places can be lost in speedy performances. The harpist here limits the overall loudness of the solo section to concentrate on overall sonics. In some versions too much contrast in glissandi can obscure the strange hamonics Britten sought. The discipline of the procession and recession is astonishing and soloist are restrained in vibrato -- in keeping with a winter piece. I do not think I have heard a better rendition than this.

[@brianbaker8166]

So beautiful! I cried a lot! Thank you, maestro; thank you, ladies. Beautiful harp, too! God bless us, everyone!

[@dierdreblessing3649]

I miss choral singing. My mother always took the cake. She shined in choir. I wish she could sing again. She's an alto, so she thought she was drab, but we all loved to have her in choir. She wasn't drab- she gave her all. I liked that. She was humble.

[@mothershelper1981]

That's a shame she felt that way. I always loved being Alto and thought it was so much more interesting than soprano which just sang The Melody. I felt the same way when I was in a lady's barbershop group years ago. The director wanted me to be a tenor/soprano but I just love singing The deep notes. Sometimes in various choirs I was in they were short on Tanner's and I just loved it when the director would move some of the alto's to help the male tenors out. Even know if I go to church and sing the hymns I will sing the harmony rather than the melody Christmas caroling is also fun. Sometimes I'm the only one harmonizing but I'm okay with that.

[@CH3CH2OCH2CH3net]

Sublime performance of this piece. It's not sung nearly as much as it was a generation ago. That's a shame: "Ceremony of Carols" is a real. first-rank masterpiece.

[@DreamingCatStudio]

Omg This Little Babe! They pulled off that echo beautifully!

[@annmoody4186]

Dear Dierdra, remember an alto is a soprano that can read music.

[@GoshGus]

Stunning, ladies. Gosh, I love this work.

[@deborahdonis4684]

Thank you Benjamin.

[@novabrockbank2217]

Lovely performance. 10/10 for all, 11/10 for the harpist.

[@MrHarpstudent1]

Harpist was very good. But a couple of wrong notes noticed. Entirely forgivable.

[@paulodominguez2260]

Perfect!!!

[@annschwankhaus3735]

Brings back fond 1970's memories when a friend and I played the harp for many years in Christ Church, Cincinnati. Thank you for this fine performance.

[@sharonmurphy6947]

i sung this with my choir,and it was so much fun

[@BlueBitsGirl]

Absolutely glorious. I have sung this before with an occasional choir of very accomplished women's voices but we've never sounded quite like this! What a joy to listen to.

[@christianbrodiez5287]

Merveilleuse interprétation de cette œuvre chorale de Britten accompagnée par une harpiste de très grande qualité et dont on aimerait bien connaitre l'identité .

[@maestroz25]

Her name is Min Kim. I believe I put that in the description. Perhaps some software missed that.

[@amandawood9440]

My favourite, absolutely beautiful. I remember singing this this as a second alto each year for the nativity at school

[@ElleCee62978]

Did this from Christmas 93-95 with my high school’s choral group. Precious memories

[@martinepes1134]

C'est tellement merveilleux, tellement angélique, qu'on ne trouve pas de mots assez forts pour exprimer notre bonheur en écoutant cette oeuvre. Les voix sont... angéliques, tout bonnement.

[@hollyavillella554]

Magical! Just gorgeous voices singing challenging harmonies. I had the chance to learn and perform this music with our local chorale before the pandemic! Britton's festival has become a favorite and was the last performance I was able to participate. Thank you for sharing this sublime performance! Merry Christmas always and forever! ❤🕊️

[@georgegarcia7334]

We did these carols when I was in high school (1957 to 1961)! Except we did them with all male voices! I really liked "This Little Babe" and "Balulalow" in this performance. Also "I sing of a maiden"! I listen to these every year.

[@אביהחדאד-ג7ת]

now, THAT'S a perfect performance!!!

[@odettefrancois4735]

Hermosa y difícil obra 😊, saludos desde Chile 🇨🇱🎶🎻🎶🎻🎶🎹💚

[@mariuchadelci5666]

Wonderful!! That choir are absolutely fantastic, even the conductor and the harpist, but this choir it's speechless!!

[@Fifigafifi]

bravo, all of you.

[@DGaryMoore]

As a former semi-professional harpist form the 60s and 70s, I certainly remember this piece as part of the bread and butter for harpists, especially around Christmas. This is a wonderful performance of this piece. However, I must admit that I prefer a well trained boy choir to women's voices. This group does any excellent job of singing in a pure style, without vibrato, but is not as satisfying to me as a boy choir. Again, I love this performance and am only expressing my musical preference.

[@davidrichie9570]

Beautiful performance by a young chorus singing for a miserably sparse audience of old people. Where will it end?

[@BlueBitsGirl]

The church is nearly full. They had the first three rows roped off. Lots of camera angles show many many people attended.

[@rougetrader666]

Excellent rendition.

[@lesliecolyer_brown6208]

Simply angelic.

[@savioalves1234]

Great performance... I love 6:27, this girl is an angel.

[@yordankaacosta2849]

Stand up!!! That was excellent!!!

[@eupholiacunningham563]

I did this in college 15 years ago. Loved it. Great job ladies.

[@beforeourveryeyes]

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@lucys.5542]

Beautiful.

[@annelee6876]

Thanks!!

[@NiennaLadyOfTears]

I remember doing snippets of this in choir in Jr. high. Unfortunately not the whole thing.

[@truthlivingetc88]

Why are you a Lady Of Tears though ?

[@annaritacecchini3588]

Bravissime

[@joyjohnson7112]

I wish You Tube would let us know where the concert took place and the name of the group who sang!

[@prinhana]

Bravo harpist!!!!!!!

[@DavideMartiniCommentatore]

Superb! I'm looking hard for the performance of this piece by Cantoría Alberto Grau, from Venezuela (about 20, 25 years ago). If anyone knows where to find it, I beg you to share!

[@gaylespencer6188]

Anyone know the name of church?

[@maestroz25]

The Church of the Nativity in St. Paul, MN

[@gaylespencer6188]

Thank you, @@maestroz25

[@МарияГот-ж1и]

3:40 11:00

[@OmiPerry18]

8:13

[@sofalynx]

11:00

[@paulinacalzadas9702]

10:00 I sing

[@andrewpfeiffer6218]

Excellent singing, but a male director controlling a female choir really bothers me. Why are men always crowding out women from leadership positions?

[@maestroz25]

This recording is the women's section from a mixed choir. The mixed choir sang the second half of this concert. If you'd like to hear their men's section alone check this out kzbin.info/www/bejne/jqbCoH-Ja52toqc

[@leabracker9528]

As a female director of a women's choir and feminist I don't agree. To have a choir sing this well, the director needs a certain skill and if the only person with the required skills is male, so it is.

[@jonb6417]

How very unexciting. Without disparaging the voices or the excellent harpist, this is exactly the kind of sound that does not suit C of C. It was written for kids, preferably a trained, boy choir. You don't ask a little boy to sing Casta Diva. So don't get sopranos singing this.

[@bismuth_gallium]

8:23