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Plum Pudding Trad. Arr. VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Wassail Song John CLARE: December* Tomás Luis da VICTORIA: O Magnum Mysterium William BYRD: This day Christ was born From The Wakefield Plays: God’s Speech * Kenneth LEIGHTON: Lullay, Lulla Rhian SAMUEL: Jolly wat the shepherd Anon.: I sing of a Maiden* Max REGER (arr. Broadbent): Virgin Mary’s Slumber-Song (Mariä Wiegenlied) Peter CORNELIUS (arr. Atkins): The Three Kings T.S. ELIOT: The Journey of the Magi* Samuel BARBER: Twelfth Night Laurie LEE: Christmas in Seville (excerpt)* Francisco GUERRERO: Virgen Sancta Trad Spanish, arr. Andrew CARTER: Esta Noche Dylan THOMAS: Memories of Christmas* Trad. arr. WALFORD DAVIES: The Holly and the Ivy E. V. LUCAS: Christmas Decorations* Trad Welsh arr. Broadbent: Deck the Hall John Julius NORWICH: The Twelve Days of Christmas* Trad. arr. Andrew CARTER: The Twelve Days of Christmas Cpt. R. J. ARMES: Christmas Truce (A Letter)* Leonard CLARK: Singing in the Streets* Franz GRÜBER arr. Broadbent: Silent Night Dame Felicity Lott (soprano) *Gabriel Woolf (narrator) Emily Woolf, Clair Porter, Helen Semple (sopranos) Andy Mackinder (baritone) Joyful Company of Singers/Peter Broadbent Rec. 30 Nov 2002, Champs Hill, Pulborough, Sussex DDD ASV WHITE LINE CD WHL 2150 [77’44"]

Perhaps it’s not surprising that ASV give Felicity Lott top billing on the sleeve of this CD for she is, after all, a wonderful artist. People buying the disc should be warned, however, that she only contributes to four of the tracks. One of these contributions is the well-known Cornelius/Atkins Three Kings, which I have never heard sung by other than a baritone. Suffice to say, Dame Felicity sings it radiantly. As I listened through the disc for the first time I began to realise that the programme has been compiled with rare intelligence. There are several items that complement each other. Thus, for example, the reading from the medieval Wakefield Play is followed by Kenneth Leighton’s carol from the Coventry Play. Later on the aforementioned Three Kings is followed immediately by the T. S. Eliot poem, marvellously read by Gabriel Woolf. Those who buy this disc will find that the programme contains further examples of thoughtful juxtaposition. Though the accompanying documentation does not make this clear it seems that the CD is, in fact, a "live" recording. However, for much of the programme the audience is commendably silent and it was only at track 16 when G