Christmas 2026 Concert

'A Millennium of Christmas music'

Our Christmas concert this year is a feast of music spanning the millennium, ranging from medieval songs to a contemporary Polish lullaby by Roxanna Panufnik. At the heart of the concert lie two great canticles - an extrovert and joyful setting of the Magnificat by the eighteenth century composer Francesco Durante, featuring soloists from the choir, and James MacMillan’s haunting Nunc Dimittis.

Works from the 12th to 21st century, including:

O Come, O Come Emmanuel            Gregorian chant, traditional   

Salutation Carol                                    Medieval dance

Alle Psalitte                                            Anon, French 13th/14th/15th century

Verbum Patris                                        Anon, French 12th century

Gaudete                                                  Piae cantiones 15th century

There is no rose                                    15th century, arr Stevens

Personent hodie                                    14th century German arr. Holst

Magnificat                                               Durante (wrongly attributed to Pergolesi) 18th century

Alleluya, a new work is come on hand  Peter Wishart 20th century

Hark! the herald-angels sing               Mendelssohn, arr. Willcocks  19th century

The Crown of Roses                              Peter Tchaikovsky 19th century

Coventry Carol                                       1591 version  16th century

Lute book lullaby                                  Ballet, arr. Shaw 17th century

Nunc Dimitts                                         James MacMillan 21st century

A Babe is Born                                      William Mathias 20th century

Stars                                                        Oliver Tarney 21st century

O Come all ye Faithful                         Traditional         

Sleep, Little Jesus, Sleep                    Roxanna Panufnik 21st century