Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

This fascinating collection grew out of a performance of Mathias' Ave Rex (1970) that is based on several medieval melodies. The choir's repertoire has been extended back in time to the roots of Mathias' sequence so we have plainchant, Renaissance and Baroque through to the twentieth century (including Poulenc and, of course, Willcocks). It is amazing that so many marvellous hymns have been based on just a few chapters of the New Testament but then, of course, the whole concept of the Incarnation is amazing. If your knowledge of Christmas hymns goes back only as far as the Wesleys this is a good place to start exploring further.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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