Fantasia on Christmas Carols - Vaughan Williams, John Rutter, Cambridge Singers

'Fantasia on Christmas Carols' Ralph Vaughan Williams
From ‘The Cambridge Singers Christmas Album’

Composer R. Vaughan Williams
Conductor John Rutter
Baritone Stephen Varcoe
Cello Stephen Orton
Choir The Cambridge Singers
Orchestra The City of London Sinfonia

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Fantasia on Christmas Carols
Vaughan Williams began collecting folk-songs around 1906, and the Fantasia of 1912 was one of the early fruits of his new-found enthusiasm for the genre. A composer’s note in the score tells us that ‘this Fantasia is founded upon the following traditional English carols: (1) The Truth sent from above (Herefordshire), (2) Come all you worthy gentlemen (Somerset), (3) On Christmas night (Sussex), (4) The fountain (Herefordshire, tune only), together with fragments of other well-known carol tunes.’ [These include The first Nowell, A virgin most pure, and Here we come a-wassailing.] All these carols are woven into a succinct and structurally well-knit fabric which, like so much of the best Christmas music, seems to encompass both mystery and joy. The Fantasia was an immediate success (it was premièred at the 1912 Three Choirs Festival in Hereford) and has remained one of its composer’s most-played works.

LYRICS:
This is the truth sent from above,
The truth of God, the God of love:
Therefore don’t turn me from your door,
But hearken all, both rich and poor.

The first thing which I will relate
Is that God did man create,
The next thing which to you I’ll tell,
Woman was made with man to dwell.

And they did eat, which was a sin,
And thus their ruin did begin,
Ruined themselves, both you and me,
And all of their posterity.

Thus we were heirs to endless woes,
Till God the Lord did interpose,
And so a promise soon did run,
That he would redeem us by his Son.

Then, after this, ’twas God’s own choice
To place them both in Paradise,
There to remain, from evil free,
Except they ate of such a tree.

Come all you worthy gentlemen that may be standing by,
Christ our blessed Saviour was born on Christmas day.
The blessed Virgin Mary unto the Lord did pray.
O we wish you the comfort and tidings of joy!

Christ our Blessed Saviour now in the manger lay
He’s lying in the manger, while the oxen feed on hay.
The blessed Virgin Mary unto the Lord did pray.
O we wish you the comfort and tidings of joy!

On Christmas night all Christians sing
To hear the news the angels bring;
News of great joy, news of great mirth,
News of our merciful King’s birth.

When sin departs before thy grace,
Then life and health come in its place.
Angels and men with joy may sing,
All for to see the new-born King.

Solo
God bless the ruler of this house and long on may he reign,
Many happy Christmases he live to see again!
God bless our generation, who live both far and near
And we wish them a happy New Year.

Choir (at the same time)
From out of darkness we have light,
Which makes the angels sing this night,
‘Glory to God and peace to men
Both now and evermore, Amen.’

R. Vaughan Williams (1872–1958), based on English traditional melodies
Words: English traditional

The Cambridge Singers Christmas Album
John Rutter selects some of his favourite Christmas carols, old and new, from classic Cambridge Singers recordings, including several of his own arrangements, closing with Vaughan Williams' majestic 'Fantasia on Christmas Carols'.

John Rutter, English composer and conductor, is associated with choral music throughout the world. His recordings with the Cambridge Singers (the professional chamber choir he set up in 1983) have reached a wide global audience, many of them featuring his own music in definitive versions. Among John’s best-known choral works are Gloria, Requiem, Magnificat, Mass of the Children, and Visions, together with many church anthems, choral songs and Christmas carols.

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[thomasmaughan]

Oh my gosh. Sends chills up my spine.

[lhunzeker]

Ah, John Rutter, Vaughan Williams and Cambridge Singers....A perfect combination.I shall download this recording immediately. I love Apple Music.

[brunodelconte]

Absolutely marvelous. Can I be an honorary Englishman ?

[johnspeller]

Wonderful. It is also instructive to remember that I have sung around 90% of this. Thanks for the memory!

[gilw.]

This is quite beautiful. Thank you for sharing.