Benjamin Britten - A Ceremony of Carols

S:t Jacobs Ungdomskör performs Benjamin Britten's A Ceremony of Carols in concert, at S:t Jacobs Kyrka 2014-01-06.

Conductor: Mikael Wedar
Harp: Margareta Nilsson

0:00 1. "Procession"
2:16 2. "Wolcum Yole!"
3:52 3. "There is no Rose"
6:34 4a. "That yonge child" (solo: Emma Persson)
8:19 4b. "Balulalow" (solo Elina Wallinder)
9:49 5. "As dew in Aprille"
11:01 6. "This little Babe"
12:42 7. "Interlude" (solo harp)
16:50 8. "In Freezing Winter Night" (solo: Jeanette Britan, Hannes Lissenko, Anna Erikssson, Jacob Helldén)
20:57 9. "Spring Carol" (solo: Jorunn Palmkvist, Jennika Antila)
22:22 10. "Deo Gracias"

Please like, comment and subscribe to our channels:

[bravaLiz]

NOT that anyone may care, but.... I have sung this. I was 18 years old. Years later, I conducted it in professional public performance. It is a most important work. I do SO LOVE Mr. B.B. And this particular performance video is quite fine. I also wish to thank the person who shared this post with us. "Wolcum Yole" everyone.

[psychedelicacynical]

as someone who learnt and performed this entire piece in a choir concert as well was so beautiful and nostalgic to watch and listen to

[gemmi]

A few years ago my friend took me to a performance of this just before Christmas. I was expecting Christmas carols so when I arrived and she explained I was disappointed. Until they started singing. And now this is part of me.

[gapont]

the mix of the sound of the choir and the harp is something delicious.

[patriciaherrera]

I sang this in a girls choir with my sister in Sao Paulo Brasil. I was solist and responsible of trainning the english pronunciation of the girls. I think that everybody who sang this felt like an angel. Thanks for sharing it and bring me a so grateful memory . I was 14 then, now 40 years has been passed. <3

[stephenarnold]

Fantastic! Thank the Lord above that there are still people who are able in this age to master the concert harp in spite of the lack of instruments and teachers in schools, problems of transportability, astronomical costs of entry-level harps, etc., etc. A joy from start to finish.

[francoaragosta]

A strange and wonderful work! It's decidedly "modern, " yet it evokes a sense of mystery and wonder that seems very ancient and far removed from the world we live in today. It gives me goose bumps and feeling of deep serenity at once The lively movements only add to the atmosphere of inner peace. Odd, quietly delicately brilliant, unforgettable.

[Vss]

I was 6, my parents were in a choir together, and they sang this beautiful piece. Since I went to every rehersal I know most of the songs, and play it every year. I'm in my 30's now, and I get to pass it on down to my son who gets to hear this now.

[mlreed]

I sang this when I was in a youth girls choir. I can't remember how old I was, 13-17. Our choir director loved having performances, and our church had 5 choirs! In one performance we did, we were up in the balcony of a church, and there were other choirs on the main level. We were the "angels" who sang from above ! :) I'm now 72 and I still remember some parts of some of the songs we sang from the Ceremony of Carols. It was a beautiful experience! They all were, and I feel very blessed to have been able to participate in all the beautiful songs we sang!

[carolwilson]

I sang this 50 years ago when I was in choir at SUNY Plattsburgh and haven’t heard it since. Thank you so much for this beautiful performance.

[natalien.]

Orthodox father Rafailo says that when we sing at church the Angel's sing with us and we can hear it in the fullness and the holiness of the sound ♡

[bonnieoles]

I sang this in my church choir when I was a young girl. One choir was at the front of the church, and our girls choir was up in the balcony, like angels. I still have fond memories of singing these songs and am so grateful that I had that opportunity. Hearing these people singing these songs is such a treat! A big thank you to them!

[heathergun]

I sang this at Bristol University in the 1970s. Still find it very exciting and listen every Christmas.

[amberhawke]

My first exposure to Britten's 'A Ceremony of Carols' was in high school when we sang excerpts from it for our Christmas concert. It was an SATB version as well, I sang bass. For "This Little Babe" we separated across the stage so that the round part had a very defined stereo imaging. I always thought that This Little Babe would make a good surround sound piece, having the choir spread out around the audience. This performance is wonderful, I'm glad that I finally found an SATB performance! It brings back memories of 40+ years ago.

[Zephaniahverse]

Hallelujah (Praise the Lord), res miranda (a thing to wonder at), pares forma (three in one), Gloria in Excelsis Deo (Glory to God in the Highest), gaudeamus (let us celebrate), transeamus (let us cross over).
Sums up my Christian faith as I enter my 41st year of it. Thanks for posting this impeccable performance!

[MarkHarmer]

As a harpist myself, I love the harpist's gesture right at the end of the last movement. Made me smile!

[JT-tqti]

We sang this in my school choir when I was in 7th grade in California (enlightened choir director!). I sang the Yonge Child solo as a boy soprano. I was a bit scared, but ever since this has been a most special piece for me. It transports me back to the young me. And it was one of many formative musical experiences that made me a professional musician. I went into classical piano performance and now teach at a university in California. You don’t have to be a professional to know that there is something special about this piece of music.

[hockneyfication]

The Interlude took me into another sphere for which I have no words. It is so pure and innocent I had to cry.

[deanklous]

O ha'shem how beautiful the Christians sing, I can imagine the Lord himself sitting there quietly taking it all in,
TODA RABA
SHALOM

[christopherheinemann]

I love the harp players expression at 23:38-23:39 where she almost silenced the sound but caught herself.