Reviewed by Catherine E Francis

Wells Cathedral School Choir has been training choirboys (and nowadays girls) since the 12th century and regularly performs around Britain and abroad. Given that pedigree, it is not surprising that this choir is acknowledged as one of the best of its kind - a fact amply illustrated by this ethereal recording. A bumper album of 26 tracks totaling 75 minutes, the recording concentrates largely on lesser known Christmas carols, interspersed with Bible reading and a handful of more familiar titles. And that s the beauty of this haunting album because if, like me, you re sick to death of dusting off the same old carols year after year, it s a joy to discover a whole new world of sacred music for Christmas. My only criticism is that some of the tracks are very short - around the two minute mark - and, especially with such unfamiliar songs, if there are 16 verses, I want to hear them all, not just five of them' Printed lyrics would also have been helpful. But that aside, if plainsong and choral music is your bag, this sumptuous album will leave you with goosebumps.

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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