12 Carols for Christmas, No. 2: O little town of Bethlehem - Walford Davies
This list runs the risk of being all rather wild twentieth and twenty-first century stuff, so let's head that off at the pass with this rather conventional and lovely setting of "O little town of Bethlehem" by H. Walford Davies.
One of the nice thing about this carol is it bypasses that perpetual tension over hymn tunes in American churches: ST. LOUIS or FOREST GREEN?
Oh, let's just have the choir sing that one, shall we?
But it also sort of begs the question: where are the wild contemporary settings of this text?
Here are the carols from this year's Carols from King'sprogram programme from the BBC. Note that these are mostly different carols than the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols which is broadcast live on the radio on Christmas Eve.
1 Hymn: Once in Royal David's City
2 Sussex Carol - arr. Willcocks
3 In dulci jubilo - arr. Pearsall
4 O little town of Bethlehem - Walford Davies
5 Sans Day Carol - arr. Rutter
6 Silent night - arr. Cleobury
7 Angels from the realms of glory - arr. Jaques
8 The Shepherd's Carol - Chilcott; Blessed be that Maid Mary - arr. Cleobury
9 Hymn: While shepherds watched their flocks by night
10 The Three Kings - Cornelius
11 Coventry Carol - medieval
12 Bethlehem Down - Warlock
13 Hymn: The first Nowell
14 I wonder as I wander - Rütti
15 Personent Hodie - arr. Holst
16 O holy night - Adam, arr. Rutter
17 Hymn: Hark! the herald angels sing
Closing Credits
This is all well and good, but if you're like me, and you're feeling extra Christmassy, just press play on all the videos in quick succession.
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