This recording marks the Naxos début of the City of London Choir, which is described by The Times as a 'leader among non-professional choruses'.
Cultural Impact
Charles Dickens's novel "A Christmas Carol" is credited with helping to revive the concept of Christmas 'spirit' in 19th-century England.
Album & Artwork
The cover art for this album, "In Terra Pax: A Christmas Anthology," features "An Angel Playing a Flageolet" by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, a Pre-Raphaelite painter.
Historical Context
In England, carols were suppressed by the medieval church, then suffered further blows during the Reformation and Cromwell's Protectorate, with Christmas Day even abolished by parliamentary decree in 1647.
Composer Biography
Ralph Vaughan Williams, a central figure in the Christmas music renaissance, was an atheist who later drifted into 'cheerful agnosticism' but remained drawn to the pantheistic possibilities of Christmas music.
Historical Context
All the pieces on this album, though many trace centuries-old roots, were composed during the twentieth century.
Notable Performances
The form of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols was first instituted at King's College Chapel, Cambridge, on Christmas Eve 1918, marking a renaissance for Christmas music.
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