Christ Church Cathedral Choir - Holst & Walton: Christmas Music (1987)

Here's a disc that will be warmly welcomed by those who enjoy twentieth century English choral music: Make We Joy -- Music for Christmas by Holst & Walton. Though some of the works here stretch the definition of Christmas music, all of them are quite lovely, especially in these performances by Christ Church Cathedral Choir under the direction of Stephen Darlington. A choir of mixed boys and men, the Christ Church singers boast a lush tone, a warm blend, and a keen sense of rhythm, and Darlington is clearly an old hand at getting them to give their best to the material. The 11 mostly a cappella settings -- four are for chorus and organ -- show both composers at their most traditional and their most English, and nothing on the program would disturb even the most conservative listener. Recorded and released in 1987, the digital sound here is deeper and more present than many discs from that time. Though dedicated fans of the two composers may already have recordings of some of these works, the program and performances here are so attractive that this disc may prove irresistible.