December 5 @ 7:00 pm – 8:45 pm
Festive music, quiet wonder and Christmas cheer
Christmas starts here!
For anyone who cherishes the sound of choral singing, the magical stillness of a candlelit church, and the seasonal comfort of mince pies and mulled wine, St Peter’s Singers have the perfect evening in store.
Guiding you through the Christmas story, the choir will sing some of your favourite carols and invite you to join in too! You will also hear some reflective modern pieces inspired by ancient texts. Leave the seasonal stress at the door and immerse yourself in both the joy of celebration and a welcome moment of calm.
Proceeds will be shared between St Oswald’s Church and St Peter’s Singers
The programme features a splash of French flair with two contrasting Latin Motets by Francis Poulenc: the radiant Hodie Christus natus est (‘Today Christ is born’) and the atmospheric Videntes stellam (‘Seeing the star’). Also on the bill is Cecilia McDowall’s moving setting of the Old English carol There is no rose of such virtue, written for King’s College, Cambridge’s renowned 2021 Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.
The performance lasts approximately 90 minutes, including a short interval where seasonal refreshments will be served.
St Peter’s Singers are passionate about the music we sing and want to share it with as many people as possible. We do all we can to make anyone who comes to our concerts feel welcome and at ease. So if you’ve not tried this music out before, why not come along and bring a friend? Everyone is welcome.
What to expect at a St Peter’s Singers concert
Programme
Advent
| Advent Responsory | Richard Marlow |
| This is the Record of John | Orlando Gibbons |
| Never weather-beaten sail | Hubert Parry |
| Wachet auf | arr JS Bach |
| There is no rose of such virtue | Cecilia McDowall |
| Carol for all to sing |
Nativity
| Hodie Christus natus est | Francis Poulenc |
| Infant Holy | trad Polish arr David Willcocks |
| Dormi Jesu | John Rutter |
| Carol for all to sing: O Come all ye faithful |
Interval
| Break forth O beauteous heavenly light | JS Bach |
| In the stillness | Sally Beamish |
| The Word made flesh | Philip Wilby |
| The Shepherds’ Farewell | Hector Berlioz |
Epiphany
| Videntes stellam | Francis Poulenc |
| Bethlehem Down | Peter Warlock |
| The Three Kings | Peter Cornelius |
| Carol for all to sing: We three kings of orient are |
Finale
| Calypso Carol | John Bertalot |
Please note: St Peter’s Singers makes every effort to provide accurate and complete information, but reserves the right to make minor variations to the programme if circumstances demand them.
Accessibility
St Oswald’s Church has an accessible entrance and an accessible toilet. There is room for wheelchairs in the main listening area.