Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Carols and Christmas music have always formed a part of the Cambridge Singers’ repertoire, and this album picks out some of director John Rutter’s personal favourites. 19 of the 23 items are from earlier releases: 'Christmas With The Cambridge Singers' (1989) and 'Christmas Day In The Morning' (1993). If you have both of these collections there are four previously unreleased tracks to tempt you, namely “The Holly And The Ivy”, “Shepherds, In The Fields Abiding”, “Gabriel’s Message”, and “Lully, Lulla, Thou Little Tiny Child”. The collection comprises carols in four categories: English Traditional Carols, such as “The Somerset Wassail”; European Traditional Carols; Choruses and Motets, including Berlioz’s “The Shepherds’ Farewell”, Adam’s “O Holy Night”, de Victoria's “O Magnum Mysterium” which is the oldest song in the album, and Handel’s “For Unto Us A Child Is Born”. The closing category is Composer’s Carols with pieces by Leighton, Britten, Warlock, Tavener, and, to conclude, Vaughan Williams’ epic “Fantasia On Christmas Carols”. The musicianship is superb throughout and I doubt if there will be a better Christmas album released in 2003.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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