Britten - Christ's Nativity / Gritton, Wyn-Rogers, Holst Singer, Layton [Import]

Benjamin Britten (Composer), Stephen Layton (Conductor), Lucy Bailey (Conductor, Performer), David Goode (Performer), Susan Gritton (Performer), Ruth Morris (Performer), Louisa Keily (Performer), William Lyon Lee (Performer), Catherine Wyn-Rogers (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Lucy Bailey, David Goode, Susan Gritton, Ruth Morris, Louisa Keily, et al.
• Conductor: Stephen Layton, Lucy Bailey
• Composer: Benjamin Britten
• Audio CD (November 21, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Hyperion UK
• ASIN: B000002ZWU
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #354,673 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. A Boy Was Born, Op.3: Theme: A Boy Was Born

2. A Boy Was Born, Op.3: Var l: Lullay, Jesu

3. A Boy Was Born, Op.3: Var ll: Herod

4. A Boy Was Born, Op.3: Var lll: Jesu, As Thou Art Our Saviour - Connor Burrowes

5. A Boy Was Born, Op.3: Var lV: The Three Kings

6. A Boy Was Born, Op.3: Var V: In The Bleak Mid-Winter

7. A Boy Was Born, Op.3: Var Vl (Finale): Noel!

8. A Hymn To The Virgin - Ruth Morris/Hatty Webb/William Lee/Christopher Head

9. Christ's Nativity: Christ's Nativity

10. Christ's Nativity: Sweet Was The Song - Catherine Wyn-Rogers

11. Christ's Nativity: Preparations

12. Christ's Nativity: New Prince, New Pomp - Susan Gritton

13. Christ's Nativity: Carol Of King Cnut

14. A Shepherd's Carol - Jeremy Davies/William Lee/Lis Cook/ Lucy Bailey

15. Jubilate In C

16. Te Deum In C - Louisa Keily

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a voice teacher and early music fan, November 27, 2006

By 

George Peabody "Ariel" (U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Britten - Christ's Nativity / Gritton, Wyn-Rogers, Holst Singer, Layton (Audio CD)

BRITTEN AND GRITTON WITH YOU I AM SMITTEN!!!!

This present disc brings together a selection of Britten's choral music for Christmastide, a season he much enjoyed, to the end of his life. The earliest is 'A Hymn to the Virgin' composed on July 9, 1930,and was first performed at St. John's Church on January 5, 1931, at which time his Mother sang the alto part in the solo quartet. The anonymous 14th century text in praise of the Virgin Mary is set for two contrasted groups of voices, one large, the other small.

'Christ's Nativity' is a fascinating choral work from Britten's student days, and is here receiving its first recording. There are 5 settings, all of which were written at different times starting with January, 1931. They are: 'Christ's Nativity'-'Sweet was the Song'-'Preparations'-New Prince,New Pomp'-'Carol of King Cnut'. Eventually, Britten reordered them into a "Christmas Suite". It's first complete performance waas given as part of the 1991 Adelburgh Festival by the Britten Singers.


"A Boy was Born", for mixed voices and boys' choir, is written in the form of an instrumental theme and variatons. There are five variations in sequence on a theme heard at the outset. They are:(1) A Boy Was Born (2) Variation 1 'Lullay,Jesu' derived form the theme in the form of a 'lullay' ostinato thruout (3) Variation 2 'Herod" is a scherzo that includes superimposed (Bartokian) 4ths. (4) Variation 3 'Jesu, As Thou Art Our Saviour' juxtaposes choral homophony with lovely pentatonic melismas from the Boys Choir (5) Variation 4 'The Three Kings' consists of a processional coming out of the distance, passing by, and disappearing (6) Variation 5 'In the Bleak Midwinter' the folk-song melody of the 'Corpus Christi Carol (boys choir) is heard against a background of women's voices. (7) the 'Finale-Noel' comprises an elaborate and very exciting rondo structure in which additional carols are incorporated in episodes.The first performance of 'A Boy is Born' was given Feb.23, 1934.


Britten set a poem by Auden ( a friend of his) 'A Shepherd' s Carol' in March of 1942. Auden suggested that the accompanying music should be either Jazz or folk-song, and Britten complied; thus the easy laid-back nature of the setting, redolent of American "pop" music


The recording is completed by a pair of compositions unrelated to Christmas, but fine examples of Britten's liturgical music.


The Holst Singers have long been one of my favorite choral groups, largely because they often sing repertoire that is not as commonly performed or recorded; not the case, however, with this disc. There is an excellent boy soprano featured in parts of 'A Boy Was Born' (Connor Burrowes)and a very enjoyable quartet in 'A Hymn To The Virgin'. Susan Gritton (soprano) and Catherine Wyn-Rogers (contralto)contribute beautifully in their solo passages and The St. Paul's Cathedral Choristers are delightfully divine!

What a wonderful collection of music, and performed superbly by all participants! The genius of Britten is displayed herein for all to marvel and enjoy.!!!!

5.0 out of 5 stars "A Boy Was Born" is pure genius!, November 24, 2004

By 

Anonymous (California USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Britten - Christ's Nativity / Gritton, Wyn-Rogers, Holst Singer, Layton (Audio CD)

I can't agree more with David Vernier's review above. "A Boy was Born" is one of my favorite choral works in existence. This recording is the best of the three that I've heard (the others being The Sixteen/Collins and Corydon Singers/Hyperion).