O Holy Night
Choir of St Johns’ College, Cambridge/Christopher Gray
Alexander Robson (organ)
rec. 2024/25, Chapel of St John’s College, Cambridge, UK
Signum Classics SIGCD913 [72]
It was always the case that, in terms of Cambridge colleges, Christmas was for King’s and Advent belonged to St John’s. In broad terms that’s probably still true, but St John’s are making a proper assault on King’s territory with this, their second disc of Christmas music. (They’ve released three Advent albums, however, which kind of makes its own point.)
This is a lovely disc, either way, with lots to enjoy. It opens with a lovely performance of the title track in as close as possible to Adam’s original version, not John Rutter’s probably-now-more-frequently-heard one. The verses, only two of them, are done as a treble solo by an unnamed chorister, and he does a wonderful job, though his enunciation is very Oxbridge with slightly guttural slurs, particularly in the first verse, which aren’t to my taste; but if they’re to yours then you’ll melt at the sound.
O Holy Night really brings the scale of the building to life, with the organ gently rippling in the background, as does Philip Ledger’s arrangement of the Sussex Carol, with its altogether more assertive role for the organ. Several of the unaccompanied numbers, on the other hand, bring you much closer to the intimacy of the choir’s sound alone. Sally Beamish’s In the stillness sounds like it’s happening right next to you, and confirms how approachable and appealing it is as a piece of music. You already knew that about Pearsall’s In dulci jubilo, of course, though this performance, the least successful thing on the disc, is a little slow and lachrymose, and could do with a kick, as well as some of that sweet jubilation they sing about.
There are no premieres here, but plenty of contemporary composers. I really enjoyed the dance-like energy of Tamsin Jones’ Noel: verbum caro factum est, and Errolyn Wallen’s gently twittering, hypnotically beautiful Peace on Earth confirms itself as a modern classic (thought it’s interesting that the words, written by the composer, are completely secular). I was less struck by Becky McGlade’s take on In the Bleak Midwinter, but Jonathan Dove’s The Three Kings ends the disc on the strongest possible note, even if this performance doesn’t replace the spectacularly good performance by the adult singers of Gabrieli. At the other end of the time scale, the medieval There is no rose sounds both ancient and contemporary when sung with such direct forthrightness as here.
Two very different multi-movement works sit at the disc’s centre. Herbert Howells directed the choir during the Second World War, and his Three Carol Anthems are sung with beauteous focus. It’s lovely to have them as a set, because it brings to light the rarely heard Sing Lullaby, and any chance to hear the gorgeous Here is the Little Door is very welcome. There is no similar link with Francis Poulenc, of course, and his Quatre motets pour le temps de Noëlinhabit a completely different musical tradition, but they’re sung every bit as well, culminating in a celebratory Hodie Christus natus est. Another core composer, Mendelssohn, gets a rare outing for a festive section of Christus. It’s like a miniature Lutheran church narrative in the manner of Schütz or Bach, but with a healthy dollop of 19th century Romanticism thrown in, a fascinating extract from a work only rarely heard on these shores nowadays.
This is, of course, the first Christmas disc the choir has released since Andrew Nethsingha stepped down and was replaced by Christopher Gray. It’s a testament to Gray’s skill, and perhaps to the continuity of the John’s tradition, that you can’t hear the join. Phrases are shaped with just as much direction and perception, and the choir follow his direction with precision.
The recording quality is of the excellent standard that all of John’s own label recordings have established, and the booklet contains very full notes with sung texts.
Gray slightly apologises in the booklet notes that his aim “has not been to break new ground with repertoire, but to ensure that the classics remain fresh for the current generation.” Some might criticise his choices for failing to push the envelope, but I can’t imagine there’ll be many listers who complain at what is a very beautifully realised Christmas disc, and a welcome present for any music-lover.
Simon Thompson
Other review: John Quinn (October 2025)
Contents
O Holy Night – [Adolphe Adam]
In the stillness – [Sally Beamish]
Noel: verbum caro factum est – [Tamsin Jones]
Sussex Carol – [Traditional arr. Philip Ledger]
There is a flower – [John Rutter]
There is no rose – [Anonymous]
Three Carol-Anthems – [Herbert Howells]
In dulci jubilo – [Robert Lucas Pearsall]
Peace on Earth – [Errolyn Wallen]
When Jesus our lord was born in Bethlehem…Say, where is he born…There shall a star from Jacob come forth [Felix Mendelssohn]
Stille Nacht – [Franz Xaver Gruber arr. Simon Morley]
Quatre motets pour le temps de Noël – [Francis Poulenc]
In the Bleak Midwinter – [Becky McGlade]
The Three Kings – [Jonathan Dove]
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