Both the Folk Songs of the Four Seasons and this arrangement of In Windsor Forest are world premiere recordings. The Folk Songs of the Four Seasons is a substantial work by Vaughan Williams, over 40 minutes long, for women's chorus and orchestra. It is the most significant of his works never to have been recorded in any format.The Folk Songs of the Four Seasons was commissioned by the Women's Institute and first performed in 1950. The work has a Prologue and four sections: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.The coupling is the rare arrangement for women's voices, by Guthrie Foote and Vaughan Williams, of the Cantata In Windsor Forest based on choruses from the opera Sir John in Love.This new Albion recording is issued to mark the 90th birthday of Sir David Willcocks on 30 December, 2009. Sir David is world famous for his recordings for EMI and for his work at King's College, Cambridge and the Bach Choir. For Sir David to record another major Vaughan Williams disc at the age of almost 90 is remarkable in itself and will ensure national and international interest in this recording.

This recording brings together music composed in a variety of contrasting yet complementary forms, from Gregorian chant to more elaborate, polyphonic music, set to words that explore the rawest human emotions, death, sin and repentance. The death of a loved one is a particularly distressing experience, and over the centuries composers have channeled their grief into their most moving and emotional works. In the 1850s Brahms composed the German Requiem after he lost his mother, and FaurŽ's Requiem was also composed after his mother died. Britten produced the imposingly bleak and Mahlerian Sinfonia da Requiem after the death of his parents. In this recording, the grief of Mary, the mother of Christ, is portrayed in Palestrina's masterful setting of the Stabat Mater, composed for Pope Gregory XIV. Another moving portrayal of grief is Weelkes's intimate depiction of the pain of David upon learning of his son Absalom's death, When David heard. Allegri's Miserere concerns the belief in a higher power and the submission to it. Set to Psalm 51, the work was recognized by its composer and the Vatican as being of such beauty that its publishing was forbidden. No score was to leave the Papal Chapel. The child Mozart was famously shown the score, and he copied it from memory in the 1770s and in effect released this remarkable work to the wider world.

Reflection celebrates 500 years of music-making in the English Parish Church. Over the centuries, on a daily basis, music has played an enormous role in enhancing the experience of Christian worship. The legacy is a vast body of music in many different styles to be enjoyed by Christians and non-Christians alike. Reflection focuses on those works of great beauty which provide spiritual nourishment and a place of sanctuary from today's busy lives. Reflection features familiar composers such as Byrd, Tallis, Bach, Mozart and Elgar giving over an hour's music to soothe the soul.

The Bach family was one of hardworking provincial craftsmen, in which the family craft was passed (apparently along with the first name Johann) from one generation to the next-in this case, the craft was music. In 17th century Thuringia, a region of Central Germany and hotbed of Lutheranism, they were many careers in music to choose from, a town, church or court musician, or an instrument maker, and the Bachs were active in all those fields. Johann Sebastian, recognizing the gift of his genealogy, compiled his own family history in 1735 and possessed an archive of works by his forbears, with some pieces copied out in his own hand. England's excellent mixed-voice Clare College Chapel Choir, formed in 1971, performs these 11 rarely-heard gems perfectly: Johann Christoph Bach's (1642-1703) 'Lieber Herr Gott,' 'Es ist nun aus,' 'Der Gerechte, ob er gleich,' 'Ich lasse dich nicht' and 'Furchte dich nicht;' Johann Bach's (1604-1673) 'Unser Leben ist ein Schatten,' Johann Michael Bach's (1648-1694) 'Herr, du lassest mich erfahren' and 'Sie lieber Tag willkommen;' and Johann Ludwig Bach's (1677-1731) 'Unsere Trubsal.' Listening to this wonderful stuff, it's clear that Johann Sebastian's heritage was a highly appreciated, major factor in his own genius.

This highly regarded chorus is considered to be one of the top university choirs in England and one can both see and hear why on this well-produced DVD. Filmed in the famous Clare Chapel, the fine performances by the choir makes this video a real treat. Features John Rutter's 'Gloria', Britten's 'Festival dec deum' and 'Rejoice in the Lamb:, Bernstein's 'Chichester Palms' with five negro spirituals by Sir Michael Tippet. With 68 tracks and a 2.45 hours running time this DVD is also well priced.

Enjoy this top-notch choir and get in the Christmas mood by both watching and listening to some wonderful singing directed by Timothy Brown. Filmed at St. Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England

Famous for his keyboard works Sweelinck was also a skilled composer for voices as well, and composed over 250 works for voice (chansons, madrigals, motets and Psalms). Some of Sweelinck's innovations were of profound musical importance, including the fugue-he was the first to write an organ fugue which began simply, with one subject, successively adding texture and complexity until a final climax and resolution, an idea which was perfected at the end of the Baroque era by Bach. This is a world premiere recording of the complete Latin Motets, including the Christmas motet Hodie Christus natus est.

The choral works of Henry Purcell (1659 -95) are sung here with near perfection under the direction of Timothy Brown.

Rutter's Requiem, from 1985, is wildly popular among modern choirs, audiences, and record shoppers. It is offered here in the world premiere recording of its chamber version, making what is considered a concert piece more suitable for liturgical purposes or intimate venues. This, along with many of his other works, has a direct, uncluttered, almost folksy air to it, while hardly ever lapsing into banality. Just when you begin to think, 'Ah, I've heard this kind of stuff before', up Rutter comes with some ingenious device or harmonic twist that grabs even the most jaded ear. And he knows how to hold such a comparatively larger-scale composition together, too. This is one of Rutter's finest and most convincing works. It consoles, implores, worships, affirms, reassures, and mystifies-everything that a good requiem is supposed to do. Instrumental accompaniment (single flute, oboe, cello, harp, and timpani, plus percussion) is spare, but expert and tasteful. Rutter has a long and fruitful history with the Clare College Choir, having led them himself in quite a few outstanding recordings. They perform here with their usual depth, sensitivity, technical finesse, and bright, clear sound.

When you have one of England's premiere choirs being directed by one of England's foremost director while singing some of the finest traditional carols then you most certainly have yourself a wonderful holiday recording. Noted baritone Simon Vaughn is featured and many of the songs are accompanied by the Clare College Orchestra.

Bringing together the voices of adults and children, Rutter's Mass of the Children is scored for mixed choir, soprano and baritone soloists, orchestra, and the irresistible charm of a children's choir. Rutter's skilful writing for these forces together with his sensitive interweaving of both the Latin Mass texts and Thomas Ken's renowned morning and evening hymns for Winchester College, gives the whole work the framework of a complete day, from waking to sleeping. This has resulted in one of his finest and most moving works to date.