St Clement Danes, Thursday 12 December 2024
Programme
O Radiant Dawn – James MacMillan (b. 1959)
O Radiant Dawn by Scottish composer Sir James MacMillan is one of the Strathclyde Motets and was composed in 2007. The text is an English translation of O Oriens, a 6th Century antiphon (short liturgical chant). This is one of the “Great O” antiphons traditionally used in the Roman Catholic Vespers service during the last seven days of Advent. Spare harmonies foretell the coming dawn and the imminent birth of Christ.
ALL: Once in Royal David’s City – H. J. Gauntlett (1805–1876)
Once in Royal David’s City is a Christmas carol originally written as a poem by Cecil Frances Alexander. Since 1919, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at the King’s College Chapel, Cambridge has begun its Christmas Eve service with Dr Arthur Henry Mann’s arrangement as the processional hymn. The carol was the first recording that the King’s College Choir under Boris Ord made for EMI in 1948, and features a Willcocks descant that makes the final verse a particular favourite for many.
I believe in Father Christmas – G. Lake (1947 – 2016), arr. Jonathon Rathbone (b. 1957)
I believe in Father Christmas was written by singer, songwriter Greg Lake (of King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer) with lyrics by Peter Sinfield. It was released as a Christmas single in 1975 and reached no. 2 in the UK Singles Chart. A song in protest at the commercialisation of Christmas, the lyrics are bitter-sweet, but it remains a perennial Christmas favourite nonetheless. This evening’s jazzy close harmony arrangement was written for the Swingle Singers by their one-time singer and musical director Jonathon Rathbone.
Adam Lay Ybounden – Rufus Frowde (b. 1978)
The text for Adam Lay Ybounden comes from an anonymous 15th century English Christian song. It relates the biblical events of Genesis Chapter 3 on the Fall of Man and has been set to music by various composers over the years. This evening we are delighted to perform for you a setting with brilliant harmonies written by our Musical Director Rufus Frowde. The first performance of the piece was given by Vivamus at the Royal Academy of Arts Carols in December 2014.
Nova, Nova – Iain Farrington (b. 1977)
Nova, Nova by English composer Iain Farrington was commissioned by the Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge for their advent carol service in 2022. It sets a 15th century English text which tells of the angel Gabriel visiting Mary with the news that she will give birth to Jesus. This is exuberant jazz-influenced music which challenges us to click our fingers, stamp our feet and clap our hands while singing repeated notes at incredible speed. The effect is truly exhilarating.
Es ist ein Rose Entsprungen – M. Praetorius (1571–1621), arr. Jan Sandstrøm (b. 1954)
This version of Es ist ein Rose entsprungen (Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming) was written in 1990 by Jan Sandstrøm, one of Sweden’s most celebrated composers. The piece is based on seven phrases from the original setting of this text by the German Baroque composer Michael Praetorius. It is written for two a capella choirs with the Praetorius melody in choir one being enveloped in Sandstrøm’s shimmering harmonisation sung by choir two.
ALL: O Come, O Come Emmanuel – arr. Andrew Carter (b. 1939)
O Come, O Come Emmanuel is a traditional advent hymn with a tune rooted in 15th century France. The text was translated into English from the original Latin in 1851 by the priest and scholar John Mason Neale (1818–1866). It paraphrases all seven of the “Great O” antiphons, one of which provided the text for our opening piece O Radiant Dawn. We invite you to join us this evening in singing the final verse of this stirring arrangement by English composer Andrew Carter.
Tomorrow shall be my Dancing Day – trad.
Tomorrow shall be my Dancing Day is an English carol which first appeared in print in 1833 in a book of Christmas carols collected by the antiquarian William B. Sandy. It is, however, certainly much older than that and may date back as far as the 16th century. The text narrates the story of the life of Jesus in his own voice and has been set to music by many composers including Holst and Stravinsky. This evening’s performance pairs the text with its traditional tune.
Ring Out, Wild Bells – Melinda Nixon Allred
Ring Out, Wild Bells was written by Melinda Nixon Allred, an American composer and arranger, as an alternative setting for a hymn sung at her church every year after Christmas. The hymn’s text is taken from a poem by Lord Alfred Tennyson inspired by bells ringing in a country parish on New Years’ Eve. It celebrates the ringing out of the old, the ringing in of the new and the hope which that brings.
ALL: O Little Town of Bethlehem – arr. R Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
O Little Town of Bethlehem is a carol based on a text written in 1868 by the American Episcopal clergyman Phillips Brooks. He was inspired to write the poem after visiting the village of Bethlehem. The carol remains popular on both sides of the Atlantic but is sung to different tunes. The tune generally used in the UK is an arrangement by Ralph Vaughan Williams of an English folk ballad. We invite you to join us in singing it this evening along with the classic descant by English organist Sir Thomas Armstrong.
Lie Still and Slumber – Alan Bullard (b. 1947)
The carol Lie Still and Slumber was written by English composer Alan Bullard in 2023 and we are proud to be sharing its first performance with you this evening. His earliest work was written in 1967 while a student of Herbert Howells at the Royal College of Music and he has continued to write music all his life. Lie Still and Slumber is a beautiful setting of a cradle song by English writer and theologian Isaac Watts (1674–1748).
My Lord has Come – Will Todd (b. 1970)
After the emotional response it received from our audience last Christmas, we are pleased to be revisiting My Lord has Come by the Durham-born composer Will Todd. His music covers a wide range of styles and genres but he is perhaps best known for his choral works of which this has become a firm favourite. My Lord has Come was written “in a few minutes” in 2010 for the 5th edition of the carol book “Carols for Choirs” and is a setting of the composer’s own words.
The Holly and the Ivy – arr. J. Gardner (c. 1917–2011)
The Holly and the Ivy is a traditional British folk Christmas carol. The first publication of the words and the tune together was by folk song collector Cecil Sharp in 1911. It is, however, thought that the carol is likely to date back to at least medieval times and to have been passed on throughout the generations as part of an oral tradition. This evening we invite you to join us in singing a jazzy upbeat arrangement written by John Gardner for St Paul’s Girls’ School while he was the school’s Director of Music.
Three Kings of Orient (We Three Kings) – J. H. Hopkins (1820-1891), arr. Martin Hindmarsh (b. 1952)
Three Kings of Orient is a setting of the well-known carol by Surrey based singer and composer Martin Hindmarsh. This arrangement was written for the Choir of HM Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace where Martin has sung for over 17 years as a Gentleman-In-Ordinary. From time to time we work with Martin in rehearsal and are delighted to share his wonderful setting of this carol with you this evening.
Good King Wenceslas – arr. J. Wichell
Good King Wenceslas is the story of a Bohemian king going on a wintry journey to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen (26 December, the Second Day of Christmas). The legend is thought to be based on the life of the historical Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia (907–935).
Christmas Improvisation – Richard Hills
Our Associate Director of Music, Richard Hills, performs an organ improvisation inspired by Christmas.
ALL: O Come, All Ye Faithful – J. F. Wade (c. 1711–1786)
O Come, All Ye Faithful (originally written in Latin as Adeste fideles) has been attributed to various authors, including not only John Francis Wade but also King John IV of Portugal. The English translation, written by the Catholic priest Frederick Oakeley in 1841, is used in most English-speaking countries. The carol has served as the penultimate hymn sung at the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by the Choir of King’s College Chapel, Cambridge and it closes our concert this evening. We invite you to join us in singing your hearts out to the glorious arrangement written by Sir David Willcocks.
Performers
Vivamus
Vivamus is a small, London-based chamber choir who singing a diverse and challenging range of repertoire, from well-known classics to new works by living composers. We rehearse weekly at St Clement Danes RAF church and aim to perform at least four times a year at venues in and around central London, including St Martin-in-the-Fields and St James’, Piccadilly. We also organise away weekends to sing in UK cathedrals.
Rufus Frowde, Musical Director
Rufus read music at Oxford University (where he was Conductor of the Oxford University Philharmonia, Organ Scholar of Merton College and a tenor in Schola Cantorum. He performed his Finals Recital as a violinist). He subsequently became Organ Scholar of Worcester Cathedral. In 2003, Rufus took up his post as Organist and Assistant Director of Music at the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace. He combined this with prize-winning postgraduate study in Choral Direction and Church Music at the Royal Academy of Music before embarking on a freelance career as a conductor, organist, accompanist and composer. He joined Vivamus in 2008.
He is a passionate educator and is heavily involved in the work of Hertfordshire Music Service as an orchestral conductor and animateur (most notably as Artistic and Musical Director of the Hertfordshire Schools’ Galas at the Royal Albert Hall) and with the Chorister Outreach Programme at St Albans Cathedral. He also delivers the music curriculum at Samuel Lucas Primary School, Hitchin.
Rufus appears as a conductor and organist on the Divine Art, Diversions, Resonus Classics and Signum Classics labels and has broadcast on national television and radio. Contemporary music features highly in Rufus’s diary and he has conducted and played for numerous premieres including works by Judith Weir, Richard Allain, Ben Parry, Anne Dudley, Graham Ross, Sasha Johnson Manning, Richard Sisson and Will Todd. He has given organ recitals at numerous UK cathedrals and at Westminster Abbey. He is also active as a composer. His carol ‘Adam lay bounden’ was given its premiere at the Annual Carol Service for the Royal Academy of Arts.
Richard Hills, Organ
Richard Hills is widely acknowledged as one of the very few musicians to have bridged and mastered the divide between the classical and theatre organ worlds. Having studied with William Whitehead at Rochester Cathedral he went on in turn to the organ scholarships of Exeter College Oxford, Portsmouth Cathedral and Westminster Abbey where his teachers included Rosemary Field and David Sanger. He now combines a freelance solo career with continuo, choir-training and teaching work and is the Organist of St Mary’s, Bourne Street, a central-London church noted for its Anglo-Catholic Liturgy and fine musical tradition. In January 2022 he also took up the position of Director of Music and Organist of the West London Synagogue, and is only the fifth holder of that post since 1859.
Richard’s career in the theatre organ world has been equally prestigious. He has numerous prizes and awards to his credit, both in this country and in the USA, where he was named ‘Organist of the Year’ in 2010 by the American Theatre Organ Society. He has appeared many times as a soloist on national and international TV and Radio in programmes as diverse as BBC Radio 3’s ‘Choral Evensong’ and BBC Radio 2’s ‘Friday Night is Music Night’, and he made his solo debut at the BBC Proms in 2013. He returned again to the Proms as a soloist in 2015, and appeared with the BBC Scottish Symphony and John Wilson Orchestras during the 2019 Proms season. 2019 also saw a solo recital at London’s Royal Festival Hall, alongside concerts in the USA, Europe and Sweden. His many recording credits include, most recently, a disc of British music made on the magnificent dual-purpose Compton organ of Southampton’s Guildhall, which earned a five-star review in Choir and Organ magazine.
Richard is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists and a strong supporter of the work of the UK’s Cinema Organ Society, to whom he serves as Musical Adviser.
Support Vivamus
If you are interested in supporting the choir or any of our future concerts, please let us know.