Britten and Pears based themselves in the USA during the war, and it was on the long transatlantic voyage back to England that A Ceremony of Carols, op.28, (along with the Hymn to St Cecilia) was composed. This setting of eleven texts from the
English Galaxy of Shorter Poems displays Britten’s immense abilities to find a huge wealth of musical textures and colors within a small-scale and intimate setting: the Ceremony is scored simply for threepart treble voice choir, solo treble voices and harp. The work brims with imaginative musical techniques and can have an incredibly dramatic impact in performance: the choir process to their places singing plainsong and, at the end, depart to the same chant.

A welcome reissue, also containing Rejoice in the Lamb and the Festival Cantata, recorded by the famous Westminster Abbey Choir and featuring Ian Bostridge!