St John's Voices | A Ceremony of Carols | Benjamin Britten

[@Broadwould]

Studied this for 'O' Level Music in 1973/4. Can still remember every note of every Carol.

[@diannawright2020]

WORSHIP always brings Glory to HIM❣️

[@rachelbarlow9382]

Let's remember who it was who conjured all this up: Benjamin Britten! What a man!

[@LisMcGowan]

fabulous rendition - and the harpist is amazing!

[@bmaurier1]

Growing up in California in the 50s & 60s, my parents did not play "traditional" Christmas music, popular or otherwise. We heard that in other folks homes, or shopping malls and elevators. Britten's Ceremony of Carols was then and still is my basic Christmas soundtrack. I have no words to describe the effect it still has on me when I hear it, whatever the season. Hypnotizing? Stunning, for sure, still, after so many years. Evocative of some of the most special times of my life. Compliments to the singers, director, harpist, the wonderful acoustics of that chapel, and the unseen sound engineer(s?) who captured the performance. Your collective artistry took this old musician to a very personal, very special place. Thank you all.

[@jangeisler342]

I used to sing these beautiful hymns in Chorus at an American Army High School in Orléans, France, in the '70s. I never forgot them, but through the early years of computers never found them, and now here they are in all their beauty, truly celebrating the season. Thank you.

[@ljubicakatarina]

What a great harpist❤🎉👏👏👏

[@maryrose7467]

This is the very best production of Britton’s Ceremony of Carols I have ever heard! Absolutely stunning! Thank you.

[@sistertheresecarson7743]

Utterly beautiful. I play this year round.

[@schumannshow299]

Blown away by this, thank you for your service. Amen 🙏 Revelation 21.3 ☀

[@StarShippCaptain]

Nicely done!! Thank you for such vocal (and accompaniment) beauty! Harpist was wonderful!

[@nataliadiolosa3530]

Such an emotional rendition of this amazing and very difficult work of Britten. You delivered It so beautifully! Congratulations!

[@bigpossum]

0:00 1. Procession Hodie Christus Natus Est 2:01 2. Wolcum Yole 3:22 3. There is no rose 5:59 4. That yongë child 7:43 5. Balulalow 9:18 6. "As Dew in Aprille" 10:19 7. This Little Babe 11:52 Interlude 16:14 8. In Freezing Winter Night 20:27 9. Spring Carol 21:40 10. Deo gracias - Adam lay i-bounden 22:47 11. "Recession" "Hodie Christus natus est"

[@TheresaMadame]

Thank you kindly for t.he documentation!

[@pberger4334]

We are performing this at our Detroit Concert Choir Christmas concerts (3 this year!) SATB, we have done it SSA in the past! Wonderful tone and blend! congratulations!

[@carolinewallis-newport1068]

Amazing clarity in this wonderful performance. I really enjoyed it.

[@k1ng.jack_music]

The duet was very beautiful!

[@mousikakallitexnimataekdoseis]

Very nice!!! Bravo!!☺

[@unmotdencouragement1094]

7:43 Balulalow O my deare hert, young Jesu sweit, Prepare thy creddil in my spreit, And I sall rock thee to my hert, And never mair from thee depart. But I sall praise thee evermoir with sangës sweit unto thy gloir; The knees of my hert sall I bow, And sing that richt Balulalow!

[@unmotdencouragement1094]

10:19 This Little Babe This little Babe so few days old, Is come to rifle Satan’s fold; All hell doth at his presence quake, Though he himself for cold do shake; For in this weak unarmèd wise The gates of hell he will surprise. With tears he fights and wins the field, His naked breast stands for a shield; His battering shot are babish cries, His arrows looks of weeping eyes, His martial ensigns Cold and Need, And feeble Flesh his warrior’s steed. His camp is pitchèd in a stall, His bulwark but a broken wall; The crib his trench, haystalks his stakes; Of shepherds he his muster makes; And thus, as sure his foe to wound, The angels’ trumps alarum sound. My soul, with Christ join thou in fight; Stick to the tents that he hath pight. Within his crib is surest ward; This little Babe will be thy guard. If thou wilt foil thy foes with joy; Then flit not from this heavenly Boy!

[@unmotdencouragement1094]

21:40 Deo Gracias Deo gracias! Deo gracias! Adam lay i-bounden, bounden in a bond; Four thousand winters thought he not too long. Deo gracias! Deo gracias! And all was for an appil, an appil that he tok, As clerkès finden written in their book. Deo gracias! Deo gracias! Ne had the appil takè ben, the appil takè ben Ne haddè never our lady a ben hevenè quene. Blessèd be the time that appil takè was. Therefore we moun singen. Deo gracias!

[@sofiacostantini7491]

Wonderful

[@herbchilds1512]

Notice the "social distancing" in effect at the time this was recorded, probably 2021.

[@unmotdencouragement1094]

22:47 Recession Hodie Christus natus est, Hodie Salvator apparuit, Hodie in terra canunt angeli, Laetantur archangeli: Hodie exsultant justi, dicentes: Gloria in excelsis Deo. Alleluia!

[@unmotdencouragement1094]

9:18 As Dew in Aprille I sing of a maiden That is makèles: King of all kings To her son she ches. He came al so stille There his moder was, As dew in Aprille That falleth on the grass. He came al so stille. To his moder’s bour, As dew in Aprille That falleth on the flour. He came al so stille There his moder lay, As dew in Aprille That falleth on the spray. Moder and mayden was never none but she; Well may such a lady Goddes moder be.

[@aquietsense3868]

thats rather nice

[@amy-xj2ib]

9:15 , 21:36

[@stephenkunst7550]

I would have preferred boys & or or girls singing the work. This choir has one or two singers with vibrato, which marrs the effect.

[@danielhughes441]

Vienna Bous Choir with vibrato. However, I understand the point you are making. They should have smoothed the vibrato

[@jonb4020]

Competently sung, but a travesty. This is for boys' voices. Trebles can't sing Casta Diva properly; sopranos cannot sing this properly.

[@angelastrach9452]

It is beautiful. It's just different. What is not 'proper' about it?

[@jonb4020]

@@angelastrach9452 Try imagining a boy singing Casta Diva, then you'll understand what "proper" means in the context I used the word. Some things are meant to be sung by boy trebles, some by female sopranos. That is not to denigrate the ability of any good singer(s) of either gender, of course, who may sing a work. Have you ever heard Erlkoenig sung by a woman, and felt that it was right? Have you ever heard Liebestod sung by a tenor and felt that it worked?

[@simonevandenheuvel3354]

Britten's 'A Ceremony of Carols' was originally conceived for women's voices, and given its first broadcast on the BBC Home Service in January 1943 by the same female ensemble who gave the first live performance.

[@SSB-im9mn]

@@simonevandenheuvel3354 Whilst not denying your basic point, there is more to it. Britten revised his opinion after the first performance, possibly hearing in it something akin to what we hear here, and, as he also knew how boys' voices sounded, deciding that they were far better suited to the concept. I think if you look around KZbin for other versions, you will maybe accept the validity of my first point. But if not, well, we are all entitled to our views, and I wish you and yours a happy new year!