"This disc is an enjoyable and approachable collection of music suitable for Christmas and winter but with originality amongst the familiar. It features the choirboys of Christ Church Oxford where I have enjoyed their singing at services over forty years. I’ve also followed Howard Goodall’s progress with great interest since his student days, at Christ Church and in the band “Halfbrother”. His piece lies at the centre of this collection of well known choral pieces. The record was made at a North Oxford Church rather than Christ Church and the sound throughout is A1. This is an ideal record for an uncle or aunt (or nephew or niece) who would like something both familiar and slightly different at Christmas.

This is very much a record for the long winter evenings or to play on Christmas Day prior to cracking open a bottle and with the fire crackling in the grate! Here we have the boys only, without the men and instead of the organ the splendid Catrin Finch on the harp.

The set commences with two familiar pieces by Franck and Gounod and gives the listener time to adjust to the sound of trebles and harp. Psalm 23 is not Goodall’s brilliant “Vicar of Dibley” version but one by Schubert. As a reviewer recently exclaimed I didn’t know this existed. Note to myself:- must look through the 40 CD Hyperion collection! Ave Maria is charming and reminds me of the final sequence of “Fantasia”. Other standouts are Cantique de Jean Racine which the full choir gave us last term, and Handel’s Largo which works very well as a solo. I wonder if young Joe Armon-Jones who performs this very well is destined to become another Andreas Scholl, whose version is sublime? The other soloist Gregory Bannan alternates with Joe at the start of Fauré’s Ave Verum. The two voices work beautifully with the harp as accompaniment. This deserves regular playing on Classic FM this December!

The centre-piece of the disc is Winter Lullabies. This six movement work begins cheerfully with Thomas Campion’s Now Winter nights enlarge with fine singing by the choir and harp. Stille Nacht has a different tune to the familiar and is excellent and has touches of magic. This is followed by “Crossing the border” where the listener recognizes that the mood has changed from the optimistic start. Theo Dorgan’s inspiration is new to me but I recognize his Irish origins. This makes for a refreshing surprise and again the engineers have artistically captured the voices and harp; not always easy. We are moved to the Dominican Republic for Duérmete mi niño which means, ‘Go to sleep little baby”. It’s quite lively and upbeat if the purpose is to get the little darling to sleep! Once again the mood changes with our friend Anon’s Sorrowful Lullaby. The combination of voices and harp again evokes a bleak snow-filled landscape. It’s a fine example of how successful Stephen Darlington has been in producing a first rate choir whilst maintaining the boys’ enthusiasm and dedication. As the notes point out “richly robust”!

This fine sequence ends with Goodall’s Lullaby of winter which very effectively draws together ideas from the previous movements. I was really impressed and knocked out by this piece. If that is all you hear I urge you to do so, but you’d miss a fine and inventive collection."

David R Dunsmore
Music Web International

"Soothe your spirit and refresh your soul with beautiful music for your winter days and nights, performed by the boys’ choir of Christ Church, Oxford, and Welsh harpist Catrin Finch. In addition to beloved Christmas favorites such as Ave Maria and Cantique de Noel, the relaxing program includes new music by Howard Goodall, awardwinning composer of theme music for many British TV series, including The Vicar of Dibley. Listening to the luscious sounds of the harp, you’ll understand why His Royal Highness Prince Charles appointed Finch as the official Harpist to the Prince of Wales."

BBC America Shop

The Christ Church choristers participated in what must be one of the most glittering social occasions of the year. On Saturday 10 June a party was held at Althorp, Princess Diana’s old home and resting place, to launch the Raisa Gorbachev Foundation, a charity dedicated to help children suffering from leukaemia. Hosted by Mikhail Gorbachev and former KGB spy, billionaire Alexander Lebedev, the guests enjoyed a “Russian midsummer fantasy”.

The Sunday Times (18 June) described the scene:

“The evening began with guests….wending their way through the parkland of the 8,500-acre estate. People in 18th-century dress sat in the trees…Strange figures with wolves straining on leashes roamed the grounds. A camel played nomad on the lawns. As champagne and oysters were served in front of the house, a troop of Cossacks charged from the woods and whirled gracefully into an “equestrian ballet”.

As the guests passed through Althorp’s hall, the “Christ Church Cathedral..choir sang from a balcony” and as dinner aproached “children appeared dressed as fairies; they played out a mime that drew 400 guests into a giant marquee.”

The boys were in good company. Other musicians appearing during the evening included Andrei Gavrilov, the Black Eyed Peas and Bono!

Other Updates

Up and Coming Events updated to include Christmas services for 2006

The Cathedral Choir spent a week’s residency in Porto, Portugal in July 2006. During this time they rehearsed with a Portuguese choir in preparation for two concerts in the magnificent Casa da Música on 14 and 15 July. An all-Mozart programme, to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the composer’s birth, included the Coronation Mass K.339, Magnificat and Laudate Dominum from the Vespers K.339, Ave verum corpus K.618, Litany K.195 and Sancta Maria K.273.

Rave reviews from Portugal!

A wonderful and miraculous blending of voices, with clear crisp ensemble and an enviable quality of sound...Christ Church Choir's performances were wonderfully professionally done...I should mention the excellent conducting of Stephen Darlington and the superb performance of the soprano, Rebecca Outram, in the sublime Agnus Dei.

Publico 17.7.2006

The sound of Christ Church Choir has a vocal and technical richness which rivals that of the finest professional choirs...The English soprano, Rebecca Outram, has a truly phenomenal voice. It was as if we were in heaven on an unrepeatable journey to the transcendental.

Vox Potucalense 19.7.2006

The choir has just recorded a CD of choral music by Egon Wellesz (1885 - 1974), including the Mass in F minor, the Missa Brevis and other works. A pupil of Guido Adler in musicology and of Schoenberg in composition, Wellesz taught at the University of Vienna before being appointed Reader in Byzantine Music at Oxford and Fellow of Lincoln College from 1939 until his death.

Gramophone magazine gives special recommendation to two Christ Church re-releases of Lassus (NI 5150) and Palestrina (NI 5394).

'Oxbridge choirs have become synonomous with the repertory of the High Renaissance and two of the best known are represented here in particularly fine recordings.'
Gramophone November 2005