Our view: If you but one carol book for choirs, this is the one to get. All your favourites in one book!
74 of the most …popular items from Carols for Choirs 1, 2 and 3 in one volume, plus 26 pieces new to the series. The volume contains both accompanied and unaccompanied items, and the Order of Service for a Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. Orchestral and brass ensemble accompaniments for many of the items are available on hire.
About the authors:
Born in 1919, David Willcocks began his musical career as a chorister at Westminster Abbey, later winning scholarships to Clifton College and King’s College, Cambridge. Following war service, he was elected Fellow of King’s College, and later became Organist of Salisbury and Worcester Cathedrals, conducting the Three Choirs Festival whilst at Worcester.
Willcocks returned to King’s College, Cambridge as Director of Music from 1957-1974, with the first collection of his arrangements in the Carols for Choirs series publishing in 1961. He was Director of Music at the Royal College of Music from 1974-1984, and was knighted in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Honours List in 1977. Willcocks also conducted The Bach Choir for 38 years, retiring in 1998.
Sir David died in September 2015.
John Rutter studied music at Clare College, Cambridge and first came to notice as a composer and arranger of Christmas carols and other choral pieces during those early years; today his compositions, including such concert-length works as Requiem, Magnificat, Mass of the Children, The Gift of Life, and Visions are performed around the world.
John edits the Oxford Choral Classics series, and, with Sir David Willcocks, co-edited four volumes of Carols for Choirs. In 1983 he formed his own choir The Cambridge Singers, with whom he has made numerous recordings on the Collegium Records label, and he appears regularly in several countries as a guest conductor and choral ambassador.
John holds a Lambeth Doctorate in Music, and was awarded a CBE for services to music in 2007.
Adam lay ybounden, Warlock
All my heart this night rejoices, Ebeling
Alleluya, a new work is come on hand, Wishart
Angels, from the realms of glory, Willcocks
Angelus ad virginem, Willcocks
As with gladness men of old, Willcocks
Ave plena gracia, Maxwell Davies
Away in a manger, Kirkpatrick/Willcocks
A babe is born, Mathias
Birthday Carol, Willcocks
The cherry tree carol, Willcocks
Child in a manger, Rutter
A child is born in Bethlehem, Willcocks
Christmas night, Rutter
Coventry carol, Rutter
Coventry carol, Shaw
Cradle song, Rutter
The crown of roses, Tchaikovsky
Deck the hall, Willcocks
Ding dong! merrily on high, Willcocks
Ding dong! merrily on high, Wood
The first Nowell, Willcocks
Gabriel to Mary came, Willcocks
Gabriel’s message, Willcocks
God rest you merry, gentlemen, Willcocks
Good King Wenceslas, Willcocks
A great and mighty wonder, Praetorius
Hail! Blessed Virgin Mary, Wood
Hark! the herald-angels sing, Mendelssohn/Willcocks
He is born the divine Christ-child, Willcocks
I saw three ships, Rutter
I saw three ships, Willcocks
I wonder as I wander, Niles/Rutter
Il est né le divin enfant, Willcocks
In Dulci Jubilo, Pearsall
In the bleak mid-winter, Holst
In the bleak mid-winter, Darke
Infant holy, infant lowly, Willcocks
The Infant King, Willcocks
It came upon the midnight clear, Willcocks
Jesus child, Rutter
Jesus Christ is risen today, Willcocks
Jesus Christ the apple tree, Poston
Jingle, bells, Pierpont/Willcocks
Joy to the world, Mason/Rutter
Joys seven, Cleobury
King Jesus hath a garden, Wood
Kings of Orient, Hopkins/Willcocks
Lo! he comes with clouds descending, Willcocks
Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming, Praetorius
Longfellow’s carol, Percival
Lord of the Dance, Carter/Willcocks
Lute-book lullaby, Ballet/Shaw
A maiden most gentle, Carter
Mary’s Lullaby, Rutter
A merry Christmas, Warrell
Myn lyking, R. R. Terry
Nativity carol, Rutter
A New Year carol, Britten
O come, all ye faithful, Wade/Willcocks
O come, o come, Emmanuel, Willcocks
O little one sweet, J. S. Bach
O little town of Bethlehem, Vaughan Williams/Armstrong
O little town of Bethlehem, Walford Davies
O Queen of heaven, Rogers
Of the Father’s heart begotten, Willcocks
Once, as I remember, Wood
Once in royal David’s city, Gauntlett/Mann/Willcocks
Out of your sleep, Rodney Bennett
Past three a clock, Wood
Personent hodie, Holst
Quelle est cette odeur agréable?, Willcocks
Quem pastores laudavere, Rutter
Rise up, shepherd, and follow, Rutter
Sans Day Carol, Rutter
See amid the winter’s snow, Willcocks
The shepherds’ farewell, Berlioz
Shepherds in the field abiding, Willcocks
Shepherds left their flocks a-straying, Rutter
Shepherd’s pipe carol, Rutter
Silent night, Gruber/Willcocks
Sing aloud on this day!, Holst
Sir Christèmas, Mathias
A spotless Rose, Howells
Star carol, Rutter
Still, still, still, Ledger
Stille Nacht, Gruber/Willcocks
Sussex carol, Willcocks
There is a flower, Rutter
There is no rose, Stevens
This Christmas night, Williamson
This joyful Eastertide, Wood
The three kings, Cornelius/Atkins
Tomorrow shall be my dancing day, Willcocks
The truth from above, Vaughan Williams
The twelve days of Christmas, Rutter
Unto us is born a son, Willcocks
Up! good Christen folk, and listen, Woodward
A virgin most pure, Wood
Wassail song, Vaughan Williams
Wexford carol, Rutter
What cheer?, Walton
When Christ was born, Jacques
Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing?, Willcocks
While shepherds watched their flocks, Willcocks
Ye choirs of new Jerusalem, Gauntlett/Willcocks
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