Somerville College Choir, Oxford
Will Dawes (director)
Oxford’s Somerville College Choir under its director Will Dawes presents this compelling new programme of seasonal choral works solely by female composers from across the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, and including no fewer than eleven world premieres.
This wide-ranging selection of repertoire reflects Somerville’s unique role as the only non-denominational college chapel at Oxford, as well as remaining true to its founding principle of enabling women. Together these works tell a different story of the nativity but also of the times we live in, when diversity and equality capture the spirit not only of Christ, but Christmas itself.
Album Booklet (PDF)
About the Artists: Somerville College Choir, Oxford; Will Dawes
Cecilia McDowall (b.1951)
1. O Oriens
Abbie Betinis (b.1980)
2. Behind the clouds *
Anna Semple (b.1997)
3. Drop down, ye heavens *
Pamela Decker (b.1955)
4. Veni, veni Emmanuel *
Cheryl Frances-Hoad (b.1980)
5. There is no rose
Kerensa Briggs (b.1991)
6. A tender shoot *
Sarah Cattley (b.1995)
7. Ivy, chief of trees *
Judith Bingham (b.1952)
8. The Dawn of Redeeming Grace
Joanna Marsh (b.1970)
9. O magnum mysterium *
Errolyn Wallen (b.1958)
10. Peace On Earth
Yshani Perinpanayagam (b.1983)
11. In Bethlehem above *
Shruti Rajasekar (b.1996)
12. Star of Rohini *
Sarah Quartel (b.1982)
13. This endris night
Jeanne Demessieux (1921–68)
14. Adeste fideles (from Twelve Choral-Preludes on Gregorian Chant Themes, Op. 8, No.2)
Tamsin Jones (b.1972)
15. Noel: Verbum caro factum est *
Judith Weir (b. 1954)
16. My Guardian Angel
Anonymous. French 16th century,
arr. Janet Wheeler (b.1957)
17. Ding Dong Diggety! *
Anonymous, traditional,
arr. June Nixon (b.1942)
18. The holly and the ivy
Ghislaine Reece-Trapp (b.1992)
19. Alleluia! A New Work is Come on Hand
Cecilia McDowall
20. Gaude et laetare *
* world premiere recording
Credits
© 2022 Resonus Limited
Ⓟ 2022 Resonus Limited
Catalogue No. RES10310
Producer: Adrian Peacock
Engineer: Dave Rowell
Editors: Adrian Peacock, Will Brown & Matthew Bennett
Executive producer: Adam Binks
EAN: 5060262793428
Cover image: Watercolour painting of Winter Forest by Carinha Scobeleva (shutterstock.com)
Release date: 4 November 2022
