Christmas

A dance tune, the Branle de Poitou, from Arbeau's late 16th century Orchesographie used by John Rutter  in his carol Christmas night wth which our vocal ensemble Ochoeur sand in this year's carol concert in Aigues Mortes

I write on Christmas morning with the sounds of BBC Radio 3, as so often, in my ears, and the fresh memory of the Kings College Cambridge Nine lessons & carols in my mind.  The short season of Christmas music each winter is a highlight in my life, with memories stretching back to my teens with the small choir of Friends' School Saffron Walden which sang each year in Trafalgar Square and on the steps of St Pauls Cathedral.  Like so many things that used to be possible for amateur groups, these places are now no doubt far more highly regulated as performing spaces!

The Kings service was special, its centenary and Stephen Cleobury's last after over 35 years as organist/director of the choir.  I was moved to hear the choice of carols, taking in so many favourites and without the quantity modernity that has sometimes made it less easy for people like me to listen to.  The new commission this year, O Mercy Divine by Judith Weir was perfect for the occasion, and included an accompaniment by solo cello which she describes as "a musical flying carpet" for the choir to "tread and later float above".  I loved hearing Ding Dong Ding, the Harold Darke In the Bleak Midwinter, Elizabeth Poston's Jesus Christ the Apple Tree and many others that have become familiar over many years.  The choir sounded particularly good.  I wonder who will continue the tradition in future years at Kings.,
Our own Christmas concert is at present the only performance we give as Ochoeur, and for several years we have been fortunate to be welcomed in the little protestant Temple in Aigues Mortes, which has a fine acoustic and holds a cosy 100 if full, so our smaller audiences do not rattle about!  We are currently 6 singers though we are very much hoping to expand to our intended complement of 8, 2 to a part in 4-part music.  Highlights this year included  Nigel Reavley's 6-voice arrangement of Britten's Hymn to the Virgin.  and the Norwegian Ola Gjeilo's A Spotless Rose, as well as settings of In Dulci Jubilo by Gesius and Bach - the Bach is a splendid and stately setting with a running bass line.  I always find myself at a slight disadvantage since all my fellow choristers have more experience of church music in services than I do, and I am still learningvarious things about chants and so on - this year we opened with a Matins Responsory based on music by Palestrina.

More Christmas music to come before I pack away the carol parts for another year, and we're hoping to be in Lichfield Cathedral for the Epiphany carol service '(sung by their chamber choir of which our old friend Andy Dunham is a part - he used to sing in our Christmas concerts in France) before we head back to France and another interesting musical year there.

I end with another little illustration from the dance tutor Orchesographie, this one of the musician Capriol who appears in the title of the suite by Peter Warlock of tunes  taken from the book.   Happy Christmas and new year 2019 to all who read this.  A little tribute to our lovely son and kind host this Christmas, Jeff, whose life is much tangled up with drums and drumming!