Christmas Albums: Welcome Yule - A Chorister's Christmas

Welcome Yule - A Chorister's Christmas

John Gardner Tomorrow shall be my dancing day; William Mathias Salvator mundi; Toccata giocosa* – William Mathias David Leigh, organ; John Rutter Dancing Day;Gerald Near Carillon on a Ukrainian carol**; Trad Irish, arr Alice Parker Wexford Carol –(Trad English, arr Stuart Nicholson I saw three ships come sailing in

The Choristers and Schola of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin
Directed by Stuart Nicholson**
David Leigh - *piano and organ
Tom Little - piano
Tanya Houghton - harp
Bernard Reilly and Richard O’Donnell - percussion

Regent REGCD587
https://www.regent-records.co.uk/

Next week, as Advent begins and we all get ready for the Christmas season, I will be reviewing a series of discs to aid your preparations.

This Regent disc, the first out of the stable, showcases the excellence of the Choristers and Schola of Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. It kicks off with John Gardner’s Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day, an exuberant start with its wonderful rhythmic percussion and piano. The choirs perform this firm Christmas favourite with a wonderful balance and tone.

This disc is a welcome addition to the catalogues, offering a unique blend of rarely recorded Christmas music for upper voices, including William Mathias' Salvator mundi, a delightful cycle of Christmas songs for choir, and an uplifting piece.

Only two instrumental soloists use the organ. David Leigh plays Mathias’ enjoyable Toccata Giocosa, a piece I was glad to be reintroduced to. I enjoyed the excellent performance, as I did the Carillon on a Ukrainian carol by Gerald Near performed by Stuart Nicholson. Both organists know the instrument well, using its full tonal colour to great effect with especially thrilling crescendos. 

Sir John Rutter is no stranger to Christmas music, and here he has arranged some traditional carols for upper voices with lovely harp accompaniments in a cycle titled Dancing Day. The carols are arranged into two sets of three, each preceded by a harp solo. Rutter thoughtfully arranges each carol, creating an attractive suite. The trebles excel with lyrical lines beautifully phrased.

Nicholson concludes this disc with his own lively arrangement of I Saw Three Ships, which brings the programme to a joyous close.

Throughout, Nicholson showcases the skill of his excellent set of choristers, complemented by Tanya Houghton's enchanting harp playing, which is a pleasant addition. Additionally, both David Leigh and Tom Little's piano accompaniments, which are sympathetic to the voices and demonstrate dynamism, contribute to an enjoyable and uplifting experience.