In December 2017 we sang a superb Christmas cantata composed by one of our members, Mark Harrison. It goes through the Messianic story - man's fall, the hope of a Messiah, the role of Mary, the shepherds, the wise men, and looks forward to the crucifixion and its horror. However, it ends on a note of joy amd hope with an audience chorus plus choral embellishments. It lasts about 30 minutes ("If sung at the correct tempo" says the composer!) so with something such as a couple of short carols, as we did in 2017, fills half a concert well and makes a wonderful end to the evening. We actually got a standing ovation.
We thought other choirs may be interested in singing it so we've put copies of the first page of each movement to give you a feel for it and you may download this one page and print it off to get a better idea of how it may sound.
Should you be interested in singing either the whole work or just an individual movement, please contact our Librarian for details.
Hodie Christus Natus Est - an exciting opening movement setting the scene for Christmas as a season of hope.
Felix Culpa - A total change of mood using the ancient words of Adam lay y-bounden.
I sing of a Maiden - Another setting of ancient words, I sing of a maiden bringing in the soprano soloist as well as the choir.
Lullaby with Christmas Meditations - a simple, restful lullaby with Mary and her baby and lines for soprano and baritone soloists. Then a reminder of what happened to that gentle babe before returning to the mother's protection and the lullaby.
Shepherds-Hey! - deliberate punctuation to prevent confusion. A rumbustuous song from the shepherds on the hills outside Bethlehem. This is a good 'stand alone' movement.
Gloria - a great baritone solo over a deceptively simple looking ground by the choir. Quite a virtuosic movement setting part of the Latin words of the Gloria.
Light of the Gentiles - hymn like movement with a very catchy chorus but imaginatively arranged and telling the story of the Wise Men who are the first to take the message of the Christchild to the world beyond the Jews.
Finale - a reminder that we are celebrating Christmas. This movement opens with a short reprise of the first movement's opening. Then a tune is introduced whiich spreads across the choir before the audience get to sing it. After that it is a glorious mash-up of carol quotations and original material by the choir on top of the audience ground of the simple verse Eventually the audience is quietened and the choir finishes with a repeated 'Rejoice'.