What Advent treats await us in the parish advent calendar today? It’s Carol and Tom singing “While Shepherds Watched” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, followed by Michael Knaggs reading “Candles Banish Darkness” … More Digital Advent Calendar 2024: day 17
This is an ancient carol, probably dating from the late medieval period, and based on a mystery play. It tells the story of Jesus’ life from his own perspective, from the annunciation of Mary to the manger, his baptism by his cousin John, his forty days in the wilderness, betrayal by Judas Iscariot, trial, death and resurrection … More Tomorrow shall be my Dancing Day – (Trad., arr. Various)
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
Did you know that carols, like puppies, are not just for Christmas? According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, a carol is a song characteristically of religious joy, associated with a given season, with uniform stanzas or verses that may alternate with a refrain … More The Crown of Roses – words Pleshcheev (1825-93) tr. Drearmer, music Tchaikovsky (1840-93)
St Margaret's Church Prestwich 