Commissioned by Graham Ross for the choir of Clare College, Cambridge, this joyous yet reflective Christmas carol will appeal to both choir and audience. It is characterized by a soaring melody, an artful use of texture, and a gentle expressiveness, heightened by modal inflections and the organ accompaniment. The text, written by the composer, is inspired by an inscription in Durham Cathedral by the Venerable Bede: 'Christus est stella matutina'.