It is surprising that the final chorale harmonization has not become famous as a Christmas carol, for it is a wonderful melody, beautifully harmonized. The work is suffused with earthy and realistic touches bathed in an otherworldly heavenly glow. The wonderfully sunny nature of the Gloria, with its distinctive melodies and rhythms, and the brilliance and variety of textures displayed in the eleven movements of this work, make it a tremendously appealing example of late Baroque sacred music.Ĭharpentier’s In Nativitatem Domini Nostri Jesu Christi portrays, with delicacy and passion, the age-old story of the Evangelist calling the shepherds to Bethlehem, there to find Joseph, Mary and the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.īach composed the Christmas cantata Ich freue mich in dir in Leipzig in 1724 for the Third Day of Christmas. The featured work in this Baroque Christmas concert is the familiar and popular Gloria by Vivaldi. Julius Katchen (piano), London Symphony Orchestra, Benjamin Britten. Handel: Messiah chorus ‘For unto us a child is born’ Soloists: Lois Johnston, Cathy Sim, Claire Barton, Ben MaddenĬharpentier: In Nativitatem Domini Nostri Jesu Christi H414 The text for this cantata, describing the splendours of an American-Indian wedding banquet, is from the well-known epic poem “The Song of Hiawatha” by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s cantata Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast Garden’s anniversary with our own, and so texts involving natural imagery seemedĬhristopher Marshall's For What Can be More Beautiful? Into the Garden commissioned and premièred by City Choir Dunedin (Photos credit: Ian Thomson)Ĭhristopher Marshall's For What Can be More Beautiful? The Joy of Fruit commissioned and premièred by City Choir Dunedin (Photos credit: Ian Thomson) Ive collected these files for the convenience of various local choirs. Here is a clickable Table of the available Midi Files. There is an excellent performance of this Work by Kings College Choir, under David Willcocks, on YouTube starting here.

When we approached him we mentioned the confluence of the Botanic Files made originally using MidiPlay Benjamin Britten Rejoice in the Lamb. In Dunedin for two years while a Mozart Fellow at the University of Otago inġ994-6. Although now living and working in Florida, Christopher Marshall is a New Zealander, and lived

To mark the 150th anniversary of the Dunedin Choral Society (now performing as City Choir Dunedin). The Southern Sinfonia provided orchestral support and David Burchell was the musical director and conductor.Ī happy coincidence was the celebration in 2013 of the 150thĪnniversary of the Dunedin Botanic Gardens, and the theme of this concert also reflectedįor What Can Be More Beautiful? was composed by Christopher Marshall Thinking back to the 'Nature's Bounty' concert on 23 March 2013, the first concert in City Choir Dunedin's very exciting and successful 150th anniversary celebration year, we are pleased to present these recordings from that performance.

Britten rejoice in the lamb midi files