Andrew Downes - Ballads for Christmas

Ballads for Christmas

Instrumentation

high voices and harp/piano

Other Information

8 Christmas poems from around the world

The Huron Carol; Pilgrims in Mexico; The Virgin´s Cradle Hymn; The Mother´s Song; Shepherd´s Carol; Christmas 1924; The Holly Bough; New Year Bells.
Commissioned by the Midland Chamber Players and first performed on 17th December 1992 in Birmingham Cathedral by Hillcrest School Chamber Choir directed by Valerie Pither, with Robert Johnstone, harp. Second performance by the same choir the following year. Performed in Christchurch Priory in December 1993 and 1994 by the Rilstone Singers, conducted by Martin Schellenberg, with Susan Drake, harp. Several annual performances by the Halesowen Girls’ Choir, conducted by Margaret Pickford, with Keith Bradley and Heather Howell, piano, in Halesowen Church and other Worcestershire churches as well as the Birmingham Buddhist Centre. Other performers have included the Cadon Chorus, Cornwall.  The Chapel Choir of Royal Holloway, University of London, directed by Lionel Pike, have also performed all of the ballads and have recorded the Shepherd´s Carol from the collection on their CD entitled ‘Whom do you seek, Shepherds?’ (Royal Holloway Recording 3689 RHC DPL 07/95). First London performance 4th December 2004 by the Millennium Scholars with Tanya Houghton, harp, directed by Paula Downes. Also directed by Paula Downes, the Millennium Scholars in Boston Massachusetts gave the first USA performance on 14th December 2005 at the Friends Meeting House, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

 The Mother´s Song from the collection has been several times broadcast on Dutch Radio. .

´Ballads for Christmas is a highly effective work which, coupled with its directness and economy, should secure it a firm place in the Christmas youth choir repertory.´
THE BIRMINGHAM POST