Spirit of. Christmas. Supporting

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Valentine Merritt
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1 Spirit of Christmas Supporting

Spirit of Christmas St George s Bristol Saturday 16 December 2017 Liberty Brass Ensemble Nigel Nash Christopher Finch Birthday Carol Balulalow Audience carol: It came upon the midnight clear The Lamb

2 Spirit of Christmas St George s Bristol Saturday 16 December 2017 Liberty Brass Ensemble Nigel Nash Christopher Finch Birthday Carol Balulalow Audience carol: It came upon the midnight clear The Lamb Bell Carol Reading: Ring Out Wild Bells Christmas Day Audience carol: God rest ye merry, gentlemen We three kings The Magi s gifts Reading: from Cider with Rosie The Holly and the Ivy D. Willcocks Warlock adap. Sullivan Tavener Mathias Tennyson Holst arr. D. Willcocks arr. Allwood Richard Allain Laurie Lee Jonathan Willcocks - INTERVAL -

3 This year s charity: St Peter s Hospice Reading: Little Donkey Gaudete Reading: And anyway, St Vitus was a better dancer What sweeter music In the bleak mid-winter Audience Carol: The first Nowell Sleigh ride Wendy Cope arr. Brian Kay Michael Green John Rutter Philip Stopford arr. D. Willcocks Leroy Anderson Rudolphus Tim Warren The eight short pieces that make up this work all use the same theme. See if you can spot it in each one. The pieces are: Plainsong - Madrigal - Ode - Cantata - Aria - Oratorio - Carol 1 - Carol 2. Reading: Deck the Halls Audience Carol: O come all ye faithful Ding Dong! Merrily on high Jingle bells Bill Bryson arr. D. Willcocks arr. Nicholson Pierpont, arr. Willcocks In consideration of other members of the audience, please make sure mobile phones, musical ties and other electronic devices are switched off. It is not permitted to record or photograph the choir during the performance.

4 AUDIENCE CAROLS 1. It came upon the midnight clear That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth To touch their harps of gold: Peace on the earth, good-will to men, From heaven s all-gracious King! The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing. 2. Still through the cloven skies they come, With peaceful wings unfurled; And still their heavenly music floats O er all the weary world: Above its sad and lowly plains They bend on hov ring wing; And ever o er its Babel-sounds The blessed angels sing. 3. Yet with the woes of sin and strife The world has suffered long; Beneath the angel-strain have rolled Two thousand years of wrong; And man, at war with man, hears not The love-song which they bring: O hush the noise, ye men of strife, And hear the angels sing. 4. For lo! the days are hastening on, By prophet-bards foretold, When, with the ever-circling years, Comes round the age of gold; When peace shall over all the earth Its ancient splendours fling, And the whole world send back the song Which now the angels sing.

5 1 God rest you merry, gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay, For Jesus Christ our Saviour Was born upon this day, To save us all from Satan's power When we were gone astray: Refrain: O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy; O tidings of comfort and joy. 2 From God our heav nly Father A blessed angel came, And unto certain shepherds Brought tidings of the same, How that in Bethlehem was born The Son of God by name: Refrain 3 The shepherds at those tidings Rejoicèd much in mind, And left their flocks a-feeding In tempest, storm, and wind, And went to Bethlehem straightway, The blessèd babe to find: Refrain 4 But when to Bethlehem they came, Whereat this infant lay, They found him in a manger, Where oxen feed on hay; His mother, Mary, kneeling Unto the Lord did pray: Refrain 5 Now to the Lord sing praises, All you within this place, And with true love and brotherhood Each other now embrace; This holy tide of Christmas All others doth deface: Refrain 1. The first Nowell the angel did say Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay; In fields where they lay keeping their sheep, On a cold winter s night that was so deep. Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell, Born is the King of Israel! 2. They lookèd up and saw a star Shining in the east, beyond them far, And to the earth it gave great light, And so it continued both day and night.

6 3. And by the light of that same star Three wise men came from country far; To seek for a King was their intent, And to follow the star wherever it went. 4. This star drew nigh to the northwest; O er Bethlehem it took its rest, And there it did both stop and stay Right over the place where Jesus lay. 5. Then entered in those wise men three Full reverently upon their knee, And offered there in His presence Their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense. 6. Then let us all with one accord Sing praises to our heavenly Lord, That hath made heav n & earth of naught, And with His blood mankind hath bought. Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell, Born is the King of Israel! 1. O come all ye faithful Joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; Come and behold him, Born the King of angels. O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord! 2. See how the shepherds Summoned to his cradle, Leaving their flocks, draw nigh with lowly fear; We too will thither Bend our joyful footsteps. O come 3. Lo, star-led chieftains, Magi, Christ adoring, Offer him incense, gold, and myrrh; We to the Christ-child Bring our hearts oblations. O come 4. Child, for us sinners Poor and in the manger, Fain we embrace thee with awe and love; Who would not love thee, Loving us so dearly? O come 5. Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation, Sing all ye citizens of heaven above: Glory to God in the highest. O come

He enjoyed further competitive success in 2013 when Wells Cathedral School Choralia became the first British choir in over a decade to reach the grand final of the internationally revered Let the

7 Christopher Finch is an acclaimed choral conductor and accompanist. He rose to national prominence in 2010 when he led the Wellensian Consort to the title of BBC Choir of the Year 2010, the UK s premier choral competition. He enjoyed further competitive success in 2013 when Wells Cathedral School Choralia became the first British choir in over a decade to reach the grand final of the internationally revered Let the Peoples Sing competition. He is greatly in demand as a conductor, accompanist, vocal coach, répétiteur and teacher. He is currently acting Head of Vocal Studies in the specialist music faculty of Wells Cathedral School. A passionate advocate of the importance of singing in education, Christopher is actively engaged in Photo: Debbie Scanlan outreach programmes as a choral advisor and guest conductor. Appointed as music director to Bristol Bach Choir in January 2012, Christopher combines this with his commitments conducting the Wellensian Consort, Choralia, Wells Cathedral School Chapel Choir, and one of Bath s leading chamber choirs, A Handful of Singers. Christopher has performed and collaborated with some of this country s finest performers, composers and ensembles, including; Richard Hickox; John Rutter, Charles Hazelwood, Bob Chilcott, John Tavener, Will Todd, Brian Kay, Charivari Agréable, Canzona, Arve Henriksen, Patricia Rosario and Iestyn Davies amongst many others. Performances, workshops and recordings have taken Christopher to many parts of Europe, the USA and the Far East, and his recordings have been broadcast worldwide. Nigel Nash came to Bristol to read Music at the University during which time he conducted opera performances and appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He now teaches organ and piano at Millfield School in Street and at Badminton School. Since his appointment as Bristol Bach Choir s accompanist in 1998, Nigel has played for the choir in numerous concerts in Bristol, Oxford and Gloucester and on tour in Paris, Oporto, Prague, Dresden and Iceland as well as leading and conducting Bristol Bach s Rentachoir. Throughout the autumn of 2011 Nigel became the choir s acting Music Director, conducting them in concerts at St Mary Redcliffe and St George s, Bristol. A fellow of the Royal College of Organists, Nigel is currently a deputy organist at Bristol Cathedral, plays for Millfield School s regular school services in Wells Cathedral and has given recitals in Bristol Cathedral, St. Mary Redcliffe and in Bristol University s Great Hall. It was there, in 2007, that he played for a degree ceremony where the distinguished organist and renowned Messiaen scholar, Jennifer Bate, received an honorary doctorate. Elsewhere, he has performed organ concertos by Handel and Poulenc with the Bristol Philharmonic Orchestra and Bristol Ensemble. Liberty Brass Ensemble comprises five of this country's leading young professional brass players. They are all students at London's most prestigious music colleges, and between them have performed with some of the most respected conductors and orchestras throughout the world.

8 Music Director: Christopher Finch Registered Charity No PATRONS Victor and Anthea Barley Tony and Diana Beckingsale Mike and Liz Bell Ruth and Jonathan Bolgar Christine Buckley Colin Carroll Peter Dart and Annabel Martin David and Julia Dean Angela Dixon George and Cynthia Dobson Gareth and Jill Dodds Penny Dodds Julian Dudley Antony and Rachel Evans Sarah Evans Ms Alison Farnill Susan Garnier Penny Garrett Dr Naomi Gillingham Althea Hamlyn Chris and Helen Hill Geoff Hill Ian Hopley Jenny and John Huskins CHOIR Maggie Kirby Sheila Lang Dave and Chris Lewis Gillian Lewis John and Gaynor McCarthy B McGowan Elizabeth Mildner Ian and Breeda Morton Eve Nash Tony and Alison Peck Dr Graham Pegg Mary Quirk & Chris Williams Mr Colin Reed Michael Seeley Valerie Shelton Diana Smith Rob and Angela Thackray Mrs Rosemary Thomas Dave Vorley Chris and Andrew Watson Pete and Joanne Weston Colin Williams S Robin and Aurelie Wright Sopranos: Polly Beck, Julie Borowski, Fiona Bowden, Gill Cato, Helen Cooper, Heidi Couper, Cynthia Dobson, Alison Grant, Lucy Griffith, Tamzin Howard, Emma Lovell, Sarah O Grady Altos: Andrea Argent, Jessica Best, Ellie Case, Kirsten Cunningham, Alison Dawson, Pat Harrad, Natasha Melia, Carolyn Morgan, Melanie Reed, Danni Rochman, Bridget Simpson, Caroline Taylor, Emily Thornton, Helen Thouless, Judith Vorley, Margaret Williams Tenors: Adrian Dimmock, Mike Garnier, Richard Griffith, Nigel Nash, Phil Neville, Gui Rego, Jonty Rougier, Tim Warren Basses: Tim Case, Michael Cullen, Julian Dale, Marcus Evans, Angus Gregson, Chris Hall, Rupert Handley, Vince Hobbs, Paul Stephens, Graham Thornton, Rod Thouless, Paul Tilbury, Basile Vigneron

Carols for the Eve of Christmas Wednesday 24th December 2014 at 5.00pm

Carols for the Eve of Christmas Wednesday 24th December 2014 at 5.00pm ST JAMES S CHURCH, PICCADILLY Piccadilly, London W1J 9LL Tel: 020 7734 4511 Fax: 020 7734 7449 E-mail: enquiries@st-james-piccadilly.org Website: www.st-james-piccadilly.org Rector: The Revd Lucy Winkett.