Choir of King's College, Cambridge - "Abide with Me"

The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge - Carols From King’s

The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, is one of the world’s best-known choral groups. Founded in the 15th century, it ranks among the oldest of its kind, and, while originally created for singing the daily services in the college chapel, now enjoys an international tour schedule that has seen it perform all over Europe and beyond. Every Christmas Eve, millions of people tune in to watch the choir’s A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s – a service which has been continuously broadcast since 1928.

Recorded in 1994, this reissue joins the group’s already extensive discography of Christmas music – recordings that have enhanced its worldwide fame and reputation. The compilation mixes some of the best-loved traditionals, including Once in royal David’s city and O Come all ye faithful, with more recent repertoire – such as Rutter’s rousing What Sweeter Music and Judith Weir’s striking Illuminare, Jerusalem (specially commissioned by the choir for its 1985 annual service). Also featured are traditional German, French, Dutch and Polish carols (including two settings of Dulce Jubilo) – works which, together with Pärt’s enchanting Bogoróditse Dyévo, contribute to a wonderfully eclectic disc that provides over an hour of festive cheer.

00:00:00 Once in royal David’s city
00:04:41 Rejoice and be merry
00:06:11 Ding dong, merrily on high
00:08:19 What Sweeter Music
00:12:37 O little town of Bethlehem
00:16:17 A Spotless Rose
00:19:25 Heer Jezus heeft een hofken (organ variations)
00:26:44 King Jesus hath a garden
00:30:10 The Lamb
00:33:39 Bogoróditse Dyévo
00:34:55 Infant holy, infant lowly
00:36:43 Illuminare, Jerusalem
00:39:12 While shepherds watched
00:41:54 Quittez, pasteurs
00:45:05 In dulci jubilo (organ prelude)
00:48:06 In dulci jubilo
00:50:46 The First Nowell
00:56:09 Coventry Carol
00:59:17 Personent hodie
01:01:49 O come all ye faithful

The Solemnity of All Saints - "For All the Saints" - Choir of King's College, Cambridge

A recording of the great Vaughan Williams tune (SINE NOMINE) by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge.

Choir of King's College, Cambridge - Come Down, O Love Divine

Come Down, O love Divine is a hymn that is loved around the world. This particular version is performed by the world renowned Choir of King's College, Cambridge and led by director of music Stephen Cleobury. Verse 2 is particularly charming as the male only first half breaks into a full choir fortissimo harmony for the second half.

Choir of King's College, Cambridge - Once in Royal David's City

The Choir of King's College, Cambridge - "This Joyful Eastertide"

60 Years of Carols from King's

An amazing documentary broadcast on the BBC Christmas Day 2014. Features rare footage from many years of the Carol broadcasts since 1954 and revealing interviews with giants of Choral composing today such as John Rutter and Bob Chilcott, both past choral scholars at Kings. As well as an interview with Jonathan Willcocks son of the great Sir David Willcocks who will be 95 this year. An unbelievably good Christmas gift and treat.

Choir of King's College, Cambridge - "My Song is Love Unknown"

The choir of King's College, Cambridge sing "My Song Is Love Unknown." The choir are joined by the congregation in singing Samuel Crossman's words to the beautiful melody "love unknown" composed by John Ireland.

Easter from King's 2014

The Choir of King's College, Cambridge - "Surely, He Hath Borne Our Griefs" - Handel

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from the Choir of King's College, Cambridge

From the 2010 Christmas Eve Service.

Choir of King's College, Cambridge - "In Paradisum" - Gabriel Fauré

The Choir of King's College, Cambridge - Hosanna to the Son of David

The Choir of King's College's sings Thomas Weelkes' Hosanna to the Son of David, the common Catholic and Anglican Introit for Palm Sunday Mass. The Conductor is Dr. Stephen Cleobury.

Hosanna to the Son of David;
Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord;
Hosanna, thou that sittest in the highest heavens!
Hosanna in excelsis Deo!

Christmas Past and Christmas Present at King's

Back in 2008, as the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King's College Cambridge marked its ninetieth birthday, former choir member Brian Kay uncovers the WWI origins of the service and explores its enduring appeal.

Those sharing their memories include former director of music Philip Ledger and organ scholar-turned-conductor Sir Andrew Davis.

Choir of King's College, Cambridge - "O How Amiable are Thy Dwellings" - Sir Hubert Parry

O how amiable are thy dwellings, Thou Lord of hosts.
My soul hath desired long to enter into the courts of the Lord.
My heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.

Yea, the sparrow hath found her an house
And the swallow a nest where she may lay her young.
Even thy altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.
Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house;
They will be alway praising Thee.

Blessed is the man (woman) whose strength is in Thee,
In whose heart are Thy ways.
Who, going through the vale of misery use it for a well
And the pools are filled with water.
They will go from strength to strength and unto the God of Gods appeareth every one of them in Sion.

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer. Hearken, O God of Jacob.
Behold our God, our defender and look upon the face of Thine anointed.

For one day in Thy courts is better than a thousand.
I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
Than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness.

For the Lord God is a light and defense.
The Lord will give praise and worship
And no good things shall be withhold from them that live a godly life.
O Lord God of hosts! Blessed is the man (woman) that putteth his (her) trust in Thee!

Glory be to the father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be!
World without end, Amen.

Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge - "When I Survey The Wondrous Cross"

Pentecost Sunday

"And when the days of Pentecost were drawing to a close, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a violent wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as of fire, which settled upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in foreign tongues, even as the Holy Spirit prompted them to speak"  (Acts 2, 1-4).

  Choir of King's College, Cambridge - "Come Down, O Love Divine"

Come down, O love divine, seek Thou this soul of mine,

And visit it with Thine own ardor glowing.

O Comforter, draw near, within my heart appear,

And kindle it, Thy holy flame bestowing.

O let it freely burn, til earthly passions turn

To dust and ashes in its heat consuming;

And let Thy glorious light shine ever on my sight,

And clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

Let holy charity mine outward vesture be,
And lowliness become mine inner clothing;
True lowliness of heart, which takes the humbler part,
And o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.

And so the yearning strong, with which the soul will long,
Shall far outpass the power of human telling;
For none can guess its grace, till he become the place
Wherein the Holy Spirit makes His dwelling.

The Fifth Sunday of Easter

Choir of King's College, Cambridge - 'This Joyful Eastertide'

The Palestrina  Choir (Ireland) - 'Regina Caeli' 

1 - 'Regina Caeli', Gregorian
2 - 'Regina Caeli', Aichinger

Founded in the 1890's by Dr. Vincent O'Brien, then a music teacher at St. Mary's Place Christian Brothers School in Dublin, and under the patronage of Edward Martyn, an associate of W.B. Yeats in the Irish Literary Theater, later to become the Abbey Theater, the Palestrina Choir provides liturgical music for St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral in Dublin.  Many famous soloists, including the legendary John McCormack, were first trained as choristers in the Palestrina Choir.

The choir has given concerts throughout Ireland and abroad and has featured regularly on radio and television.

The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields and Choir of King's College, Cambridge - Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring

"There is sweet music here that softer falls
Than petals from blown roses on the grass,
Or night-dews on still waters between walls
Of shadowy granite, in a gleaming pass;
Music that gentlier on the spirit lies,
Than tired eyelids upon tired eyes;
Music that brings sweet sleep down from the blissful skies."

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Choir of King's College, Cambridge - 'What Sweeter Music' - John Rutter

What Sweeter Music

By Robert Herrick (1591-1674)

What sweeter music can we bring
Than a carol, for to sing
The birth of this our heavenly King?
Awake the voice! Awake the string!

Dark and dull night, fly hence away,
And give the honor to this day,
That sees December turned to May.

Why does the chilling winter’s morn
Smile, like a field beset with corn?
Or smell like a meadow newly-shorn,
Thus, on the sudden? Come and see
The cause, why things thus fragrant be:
‘Tis He is born, whose quickening birth
Gives life and luster, public mirth,
To heaven, and the under-earth.

We see him come, and know him ours,
Who, with his sunshine and his showers,
Turns all the patient ground to flowers.
The darling of the world is come,
And fit it is, we find a room
To welcome him. The nobler part
Of all the house here, is the heart.

Which we will give him; and bequeath
This holly, and this ivy wreath,
To do him honour, who’s our King,
And Lord of all this revelling.

What sweeter music can we bring,
Than a carol for to sing
The birth of this our heavenly King?