Lichfield Cathedral Choristers sing Christmas Carols (1972) Sleeve Notes

Transcribed from the LP sleeve, these are the sleeve notes written to accompany this recording of the Lichfield Cathedral Choristers. The record is available to listen to at

Directed by Richard Greening, Organist and Master of the Choristers,

and accompanied by the Assistant Organist, Peter Noyce, unless otherwise indicated.

Side 1

Silent night - arr. Richard Greening (soloist: James Lockyer)
An arrangement by Richard Greening of the well known tune

Lute book lullaby - Richard Rodney Bennett
This early work of Richard Rodney Bennett takes its name from a lute book by William Ballet dating from the early 17th century. Ballet himself set the words to music in the style of his own period, an echo of which lingers in Bennett's music. The carol was written for the pupils of Betteshanger School.

Behold, I bring you glad tidings - Maurice Greene, arr. Richard Greening (Harpsichord: Robert Watt Boyd; Violoncello: John Clemson; Double Bass: Peter James)
Maurice Greene was Organist of St. Paul's Cathedral in the time of Handel and most of his anthems were for solo voices with some choruses. This treble solo (sung here by all the choristers) begins his 'Anthem for Christmas Day' taken from his Second Book of Anthems, published by Walsh in 1743. It is one of the few anthems which Greene wrote to words from the New Testament (Luke II). The continuo part, originally intended for organ, has been realised by Richard Greening. The solo originally ended in the dominant and was followed at once by a chorus. The repeat of the ritornello at the end is editorial.

Away in a manger - Alfred Noyce (soloists: James Lockyear, Andrew West)
Alfred Noyce was the father of the present Assistant Organist of Lichfield Cathedral. He composed this charming music to the familiar words while he was Organist of Rugby Parish Church.

As I outrode this enderes night - Gerald Hendrie
Gerald Hendrie wrote this lively music for the choristers of Norwich Cathedral. The shepherds' pipes are heard fading into the distance at the end.

The Birds - Benjamin Britten (soloist: Andrew West)
Though this is not strictly a carol, Hilaire Belloc's words speak of the infancy of Christ and Britten has added music which matches their charm and simplicity.

Ah, my Saviour (from Christmas Oratorio) - J S Bach (echo voice: Andrew West; Oboe: John Sankey; Chamber Organ: Peter Noyce; Violoncello: John Clemson; Double Bass: Peter James)
This aria, with its attractive echo music in the oboe and voice parts, comes from Part IV of the Christmas Oratorio. Usually in performances of the oratorio the soprano soloist is echoed by another soprano standing at a distance. In this performance the solo is sung by a number of boys, and the echoes by a single boy.

Organ: Marche de Rois Mages - Theodore Dubois (Organ: Peter Noyce)
Theodore Dubois was an active composer, teacher and organist. He succeeded Saint-Satins as Organist of the Madeleine in 1877 and was head of the Paris Conservatoire 1896-1905. His organ music is slight in importance, but the 'March of the Magi Kings' has been included for two reasons, apart from its attractiveness. It is an organ piece specifically connected with Christmas, though it is not much played nowadays. It employs the amusing device of a deliberate fault known as a cypher (or note sticking on). The player is advised to engage an assistant to hold down the key throughout the piece, or else to place a weight on the key. Peter Noyce uses a small wedge of folded paper. Dubois intended the continuous note to suggest the guiding star continuing unchanged over the various harmonies beneath it. The cypher device is particularly appropriate since the Cathedral organ is now in a precarious condition and it is to undergo an extensive and costly restoration during 1973.

 

Side 2

Away in a manger - W J Kirkpatrick (soloist: Holger Aston)
Kirkpatrick's famous tune makes an interesting comparison with the setting by Alfred Noyce on Side one.

The Blessed Virgin's Cradle Song - Sir Edward Bairstow (soloist: Andrew West)
This favourite late Victorian carol setting was written when Sir Edward Bairstow was Organist at Wigan Parish Church. All the boys sing the verses, and there is an additional solo part to round off each section.

Song of the Nuns of Chester - 15th century, ed. David Wulstan
This mediaeval carol is taken from the Processional of the Convent of S. Mary, Chester. The words are in Latin, the solo voice announcing the text and the chorus answering with lullabies. The exact meaning of the words is not as important as the atmosphere created by the beautiful tune.

When Christ born of Mary free - John Gardner
The mediaeval English words are set to modern music by John Gardner (op. 55). The only similarity with the previous carol is the absence of accompaniment.

Blessed be thou hevene Quene - 13th century, ed. HK Andrews
This, though it is possibly the earliest music on this disc (13th century) has a fresh and appealing tune. The suggestions of knightly chivalry in the words are rooted in the secular music of the period.

A new year carol - Benjamin Britten
The quiet calm of Britten's music, written in 1934, is closely akin to some of the best English folk songs.

From virgin's womb - William Byrd (String accompaniment: The Duggan Consort (Celia Davis, Susan Jacob, Geoffrey Duggan, John Clemson))
Byrd set these splendid words (by Francis Kindlemarsh) for solo voice with string accompaniment. There were four verses in the original, separated by choruses which have been omitted in this performance. The source is Songs of sundrie natures (1589).

O men from the fields - Arnold Cooke
Described as ‘A cradle song’, Arnold Cooke's quiet tune matches perfectly the words by Padraic Colum,

Chanticleer's carol - Norman Fulton
Norman Fulton's forceful and exciting music, to the words by William Austin (d. 1633), was commissioned for The Cambridge Hymnal. Choristers enjoy singing the fast phrase especially, since it ends with a note of 15 beats, which is further extended by a pause.

Three different places were used for the recording of this disc. All the items with piano, harpsichord and string accompaniment were recorded in the Great Hall of the Bishop's Palace at Lichfield (now part of St Chad's Cathedral School). This hall has a resonant acoustic. Numbers 3, 4 and 5 on side two were also recorded in the Great Hall. Three items (side one numbers 5 and 8, side two number 2) were recorded in the choir of the cathedral using the cathedral main organ, which is almost a semitone sharp to standard pitch. In the choir of the cathedral there is little resonance. All the remaining items (side one numbers 1 and 7, side two number 1) were recorded in the Lady Chapel of the cathedral. The organ used for part of these items is an 18th century chamber organ of three stops, restored by Noel Mander. The Lady Chapel has a fairly resonant acoustic.

All the instrumentalists involved are at present working in the Midlands. Two of them — Dr Peter James and Robert Watt Boyd — are members of the cathedral choir. All the boys study instrumental music as well as singing. Andrew West has passed Grade VIII of the Associated Board with distinction. He is a flautist and is going on to Malvern as a scholar.

The cover photograph shows the choristers in front of the altar and reredos of the Lady Chapel with the famous glass from Herckenrode in Belgium glowing in the East window.

The Choristers
James Lockyer (Head Chorister), Andrew West (Deputy Head Chorister), Jamie Adamson, Holger Aston, Robert Boyce Shaun Carvill, Frederick Dunstan, Jeremy Grinnell-Moore, Christopher James, Robert Langford, Crispin Morton, Andrew Mould, David Newell, James Newell, Adrian Peacock, William Ring, Jeremy Summerly, David Winfield.

Produced by Richard Greening

Recorded by Harry Mudd

Cover Notes by Richard Greening

Cover Photograph by John Rackham of Lichfield

Record first published 1972

Cover printed by West Brothers Printers Limited, London