The Midnight of your Birth: 5 Carols for Upper Voices

Christmas carols, sacred and secular, have often referred to nature, including trees (cherry, holly) and birds (swans, geese, doves). These five carols, with words by Charles Bennett, make striking use of images from the natural world. . . Scorings vary from unison to SSA, and with a solo voice. Bob Chilcott writes that 'I have always felt that carols need tunes and I have done my best to write some that might stick in the memory.' He has done so with a delightful freshness and artful simplicity. (Gordon Appleton, CMQ Sunday by Sunday, September 2018)

The new carol texts make for a semi-continuous cycle, employing nature as an invocation for incarnation. The poetry is more suggestive of the Nativity narrative rather than a rehashing of conventional details, and the thematic center is a message of kindness and welcome. Musically, Chilcott is firmly in his personal idiom, a style that flirts with some commercial tendencies without ever abandoning accepted ecclesiastical reserve. He writes ably for voices, and the lines nearly sing themselves. These would be attainable for most treble choirs . . . The music is charming in the best of senses, and at times even bewitching . . . Each of the pieces could also be excerpted and would stand alone well. (Jason Overall, Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians, November 2018)

Demands on the choir are modest, and these pieces are accessible to a wide range of ensembles. For those familiar with Katie Melua's album or wanting attractive settings of popular carols, these four arrangements will be a welcome arrival. (Jason Overall, Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians, November 2018)

The Midnight of your Birth is a charming collection of five carols by Bob Chilcott for upper voices and piano. Equally suited to women's choirs and youth choirs, the carols range from unison ('The Blackbird with One White Feather') to three parts, with one ('The Angel did Fly') featuring a mezzo-soprano solo. The texts, all by long-term collaborator Charles Bennett, weave an imagery of birds and the natural world with the Christmas narrative. Chilcott's music is the perfect match, combining characteristically singable melodies with pleasing harmonic colours, buoyant syncopation, and tender reflection. Containing five fresh and accessible carols, this book is the ideal addition to any upper-voice choir's library.