All the Stars Looked Down: A John Rutter Celebration
The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge
Britten Sinfonia/Daniel Hyde
rec. 2023/25, Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, UK
Texts included
King’s College Cambridge KGS0075 SACD [71]
Christmas would not be Christmas without The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge. Whether it is the annual service of Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols or one of their numerous records devoted to Seasonal music, they are as significant a part of the celebrations as are mince pies, turkey, and pigs in blankets. And what would Yuletide be without Sir John Rutter? Often known as Mr Christmas, he has made a major contribution to carols and hymns; many became standard favourites. But this attribution is a little unfair: he has produced much that is secular or that pertains to other dates in the Christian calendar.
The present album, a celebration of John Milford Rutter’s 80th birthday – he was born on 24 September 1945 – focuses on his legacy of Carol and Choral traditions. The album features orchestral originals and arrangements, played by the Britten Sinfonia, conducted by Daniel Hyde, the current Director of Music for the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge. The selection includes well-loved carols alongside less well-known pieces.
Among the original Rutter carols are the beautiful Dormi, Jesu, written for the Carols from Kings concert in 1998. The tender Nativity Carol is the earliest of his surviving works, completed when he was sixteen. He composed the title track, All the stars looked down,in 2023 in memory of Stephen Cleobury, who was Director of Music at King’s College in 1982-2019; the touching text was penned by English author, journalist, poet and Christian apologist G.K. Chesterton. All Bells in Paradise from 2012 celebrates Christmas joy.
Of considerable interest are the two extracts from Rutter’s Five Meditations for orchestra: What Sweeter Music and Candlelight. These are 2003 transcriptions of short choral works from the nineteen-eighties. He explains that he made these arrangements so that “listeners could allow their imaginations to roam at will as they [heard] the music” rather than be subject to the “specific meanings and references” of the original texts. It is a pleasing conceit. I only wish that all five Meditations could have been included on this disc.
Another aspect of this recording lies in its orchestral treatments of beloved carols – bold, full-blooded reworkings that rekindle familiar tradition with fresh spirit. Among them are gutsy, brilliant takes on David Willcocks’s iconic arrangements of Hark! the Herald Angels Sing and O Come, All Ye Faithful, now clothed in orchestral grandeur.
Carols not from Rutter’s pen include Philip Ledger’s serene A Spotless Rose, the rarely heard O little town of Bethlehem written by Henry Walford Davies, completed by Daniel Hyde and orchestrated by Stephen Cleobury. Childhood favourite, Away in a Manger, is heard in a delicate arrangement by David Hill. Unto us is born a son from Piae Cantiones has been realised by David Willcocks. This group concludes with Daniel Hyde’s evocative orchestration of Ralph Vaughan Williams’s take on the Sussex Carol.
The remainder of the programme features traditional carols arranged by John Rutter. Particularly lovely is Parisian composer Adolphe Adam’s O Holy Night. One of his most cherished pieces is the Sans Day Carol, realised from an old Cornish song. The collation of texts that make up the Hereford Carol was originally coupled with a traditional tune, arranged by conductor and organist Christopher Robinson, and subsequently orchestrated by Rutter. Child in a Manger was based on a traditional Celtic melody; the music deploys a simple lullaby, developed into an attractive meditation on the Incarnation. Finally, everyone’s well-loved Silent Night by Franz Xaver Gruber is given an almost symphonic treatment, complete with an orchestral interlude.
The performance is impeccable: the singing is perfect, the accompaniments sympathetic, the recording excellent. David Hyde and John Rutter’s liner notes are most helpful. The texts are included. The beautifully illustrated booklet includes details of the performers.
This lovely compilation of Christmas music features the indisputable talents of John Rutter. It will appeal to his fans, old and new. Happy Birthday, Sir John!
John France
Previous review: John Quinn (November 2025)
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Contents
Felix Mendelssohn, arr. David Willcocks – Hark! the herald angels sing.
Philip Ledger – A spotless rose
John Rutter – All bells in paradise
English traditional, arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams, orch. Daniel Hyde – Sussex Carol
Adolphe Adam, arr. John Rutter – O Holy Night
Henry Walford Davies, orch. Stephen Cleobury & Daniel Hyde – O little town of Bethlehem
John Rutter – Five Meditations for Orchestra: III. ‘Candlelight’
Cornish traditional, arr. John Rutter – Sans Day Carol
From ‘Piae Cantiones,’ arr. David Willcocks – Unto us is born a son.
John Rutter – Five Meditations for Orchestra: I. ‘What sweeter music’
Traditional, arr. Christopher Robinson, orch. John Rutter – Hereford Carol
Traditional, arr. John Rutter – Child in a manger
John Rutter – Dormi, Jesu
John Rutter – Nativity Carol
John Rutter – All the stars looked down.
Franz Xaver Gruber, arr. John Rutter – Silent night
English traditional, arr. David Hill – Away in a manger
John Francis Wade, arr. David Willcocks – O come, all ye faithful
