Bill Ives leads the men and boys' Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford, in a diverse selection of carols for Advent and Christmas. The collection includes plainsong, Renaissance and Baroque motets, and anthems and carols from the 19th and 20th centuries. There are only a few widely familiar pieces, such as "O come, O come, Emmanuel"; "Gesù Bambino"; "In dulci jubilo"; and "Hark! The herald angels sing," and a handful likely to be known to fans of English cathedral singing, including "Of the Father's heart begotten," Mathias' ...
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Bill Ives leads the men and boys' Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford, in a diverse selection of carols for Advent and Christmas. The collection includes plainsong, Renaissance and Baroque motets, and anthems and carols from the 19th and 20th centuries. There are only a few widely familiar pieces, such as "O come, O come, Emmanuel"; "Gesù Bambino"; "In dulci jubilo"; and "Hark! The herald angels sing," and a handful likely to be known to fans of English cathedral singing, including "Of the Father's heart begotten," Mathias' "Sir Christèmas," Gardner's "Tomorrow shall be my dancing day," and Britten's "A Hymn to the Virgin." The other works, though, are attractive, fit well on the album, and should appeal to listeners looking for Christmas music from slightly off the beaten path. The selections provide a nice timbral variety, ranging from unaccompanied plainsong to the boys alone, the men alone, small ensembles, and the full choir accompanied by organ. The tone of the album is mostly reverent, but the...
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