John Rutter

Review: This songbook is part of the Oxford Choral Classics series and gathers in one volume sixteen of the finest motets and related pieces for the season of Christmas. The collection gives due space to the magnificant works of the Renaissance period, with well-known motets such as Victoria's O magnum mysterium and Sweeelink's Hodie Chritus natus est placed alongside works by Byrd, Palestrina and Mouton. There are also works from later peiods, including Bruckner's Virga Jesse, an estatic motet in praise of Christ's birth, and Cui's fervant and sonorous setting of the Magnificat. As such, the collection is an outstanding and richly varied survey of the repertoire, and provides a superb choice of pieces for all choirs seeking a broad selection of music for this season.

Songlist: Virga Jesse floruit, O magnum mysterium and Beata Virgo, Magnificat, Quem vidistis, pastores, Riu, riu, chiu, Resonet in laudibus, Omnes de Saba venient, Frohlocket, ihr Volker auf Erden, Nesciens mater, Hodie Christus natus est, O beatum et sacrosanctum diem, In dulci jubilo, Quem pastores laudavere, In dulci jubilo, Hodie Christus natus est, O Magnum Mysterium

Review: The Oxford Choral Classics gathers together over three hundred of the world's choral masterpieces into a unique series of seven volumes that span the whole of Western choral literature. Each volume contains all of the established classics of its genre under a single cover, in authoritative new editions and at a budget price. European Sacred Music is the second volume in the series and a fabulous value for money. From the Allegri Misereri to the Victora O vos omnes, John Rutter and co-editor Clifford Bartlett have researched the best available sources and provided excellent new English singing translations and sensible, practical keyboard reductions.

Songlist: Miserere, Cristus factus est, Otche nash (The Lord's Prayer), O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht, Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Muhseligen?, Ach, arme Welt, Geistliches Lied, Ave Maria, Christus factus est, Os justi, Locus iste, Magnificat, O vos omnes, Cantique de jean Racine, Panis angelicus, Jubilate Deo, O vos omnes, The Cherubic Hymn (Izhe kheruvimyi), Ave aris stella, Ave Virgo sanctissima, Pater noster, Dixit Maria, Crux fidelis, Ave Maria, Adoramus te, Christe, Ave verum Corpus, Timor et tremor and Exaudi Deus, Crucifixus a8, Psalm 48 (Richte mich, Gott), Verleih uns Frieden, Beatus vir, Cantate Domino, Christe, adoramus te, Ave verum Corpus, Exsultate Deo, Tu es Petrus and Quodcumque ligaveris, Sicut cervus, Salve Regina, Bogoroditsye Dyevo (Ave Maria), Abendlied, Unser lieben Frauen Traum, O salutaris Hostia, Psalm 23 (Gott ist mein Hirt), Psalm 100 (Jauchzet dem Herrn), Selig sind die Toten, Ave Maria, Laudate Dominum, Dostoino yest (Hymn to the Virgin), Ave Maria, Exsultate justi, Ave Maria, O quam gloriosum, O vos omnes, Jesu, dulcis memoria

Review: The Oxford Choral Classics series gathers together over three hundred of the world's choral masterpieces into a unique series of seven volumes. Each volume contains all of the established classics of its genre under a single cover, in authoritative new editions, at a budget price. Opera Choruses is the first volume in the series. Audiences will love these classic choruses, skillfully arranged as separate concert works and available for the first time together. Rutter has researched the best available sources and provided excellent English singing translations, as well as sensible and practical new keyboard reductions for rehearsal accompanists.

Songlist: Prisoners' chorus (Fidelio), Roman carnival (Benvenuto Cellini), Habanera (Carmen), March of the toreadors (Carmen), Polovitsian dances (Prince Igor), Chorus of wedding guests (Lucia di Lammermoor), Soldiers' chorus (Faust ), Chorus of encanted islanders (Alcina), Bell Chorus (Pagliacci), Easter hymn (Cavalleria rusticana), Priests' chorus (Die Zauberflote), Voyagers' chorus (Idomeneo), Coronation scene (Boris Godunov), Humming chorus (Madama Butterfly), Dido's lament, and final chorus (Dido and Aeneas), Procession of the nobles (Mlada), Prayer (Moise), Villagers' chorus (Guillaume Tell), Chorus of peasant girls (Eugene Onegin), Waltz scene (Eugene Onegin), Anvil chorus (Il trovatore), Brindisi (La traviata), Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves (Nabucco), Chorus of Scottish Refugees (Macbeth), Matadors' chorus (La traviata), Rataplan (La forza del destino), Soldiers' chorus (Il trovatore), Triumphal scene (Aida), Witches' chorus (Macbeth), Bridal Chorus (Lohengrin), Pilgrims' chorus (Tannhauser), Procession and chorale (Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg), Sailors' chorus (Der fliegende Hollander), Spinning chorus (Der fliegende Hollander), Huntsmen's chorus (Der Freischutz)

Review: This is a selection of the best-loved carols and hymns for Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, and Easter: 74 of the most popular titles from Carols for Choirs 1, 2 and 3, plus 26 titles new to the series. There are carols suitable for both sacred and secular occasions, and both accompanied and unaccompanied material. The Order of Service for a Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is included.

Songlist: A Boy Was Born, A Christmas Carol, A Great and Mighty Wonder, A Merry Christmas, A Virgin Most Pure, Adeste Fideles, All Men Draw Near, And There Were Sheperds, Angels from the Realms of Glory, As with Gladness Men of Old, Away in a Manger, Away in a Manger, Blessed be that Maid Mary, The Blessed Son of God, The Boar's Head Carol, Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light, Carol with Lullaby, Conventry Carol, Conventry Carol, Ding Dong! Merrily on High First Nowell, Gallery Carol, Girls and Boys Leave your Toys, Gloucestershire Wassail, God Rest You Merry Gentlemen, Good King Wenceslas