Category: music

The Coventry Carol

February 28, 2023

Wikipedia tells us that this is an English Christmas Carol dating from the 16th century. The original author is unknown, although the oldest known text was recorded by Robert Croo in 1534. It was performed in Coventry as part of a mystery play called the Pageant of the Shearman and Tailors … More The Coventry Carol

This Little Babe – Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

February 14, 2023

One of my favourite mantras used in these monthly articles that carols are not just for Christmas. They are also for Advent, Epiphany, Lent and Easter. I may be stretching a point, but this piece is here in January to represent the flight to Egypt, and the fragility of a new-born baby, sent to be God’s warrior … More This Little Babe – Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

Myn Lyking

January 10, 2023

Cast your mind back. December 2020 was a bleak time. Only a few people were allowed in our churches, and major festivals and services were pre-recorded. Great efforts were made to increase our digital output, with carols broadcast daily as part of our first Digital Advent Calendar. Identifying, learning, recording, editing and publishing 24 different – and suitable – carols is a bit of a challenge, and we were struggling to make up numbers. And then Tom messaged me one evening with some ideas. He had been browsing “100 Carols for Choirs”, and suggested this one along with some others. It was perfect … More Myn Lyking