This refreshing carol anthology mostly travels well-worn paths, but intelligently and musically, and with arrangements sometimes slightly easier than those in other standard books of carols for choirs. Of the 63 carols, a third are unaccompanied, the remainder having keyboard accompaniments suitable for organ or piano, and 32 have orchestral accompaniments available for rental. Original languages (not English) are included for 19 carols, but 16 of those also have singing English translations. Themes from Advent (and Annunciation) through to Epiphany are well covered. In addition, there is out-of-season This joyful Eastertide and several secular carols such as Oer yw’r gw?r sy’n methu caru, better known to many of us as Deck the hall with boughs of holly and given in Welsh and English with a bucolic accompaniment. Often there are echoes of harmonic sequences or vocal part writing from previous arrangements, but there are only so many options available to an arranger, and Louis Halsey shows considerable inventiveness, for example in providing rocking accompaniments to cradle songs, or evoking trump and timbal (and soothing fl ute) in King Jesus hath a garden. Ten carols appear twice in contrasting a cappella and accompanied versions. Every choir director would fi nd it worth investing in at least one copy, especially given that all the contents are available as separate offprints or downloads.

CONTENTS

A Child this day is born
A Virgin most pure
Angels from the realms of glory *
Ave maris stella lucens miseris * (Hail! Thou wondrous star of the sea)
Berger, secoue ton sommeil profond! *
Come all you worthy gentlemen
Come, thou Redeemer of the earth
Coventry Carol *
Deck the hall with boughs of holly
Ding! dong! merrily on high
Ein Kindlein in der Wiegen (He smiles within his cradle)
Gabriel to Mary came (Angelus ad virginem)
Gaudete! *
God rest you merry, gentlemen
Good people all, this Christmas-time *(Wexford Carol)
Hail, blessed Virgin Mary! *
Hajej, nynej, Ježíšku
Here we come a-wassailing *
Il est né le divin enfant (Born to us is the Child divine)
In dulci jubilo *(Latin and German, with English Translation)
Joseph dearest, Joseph mine
Joy to the world!
King Jesus hath a garden
Noël nouvelet † (Sing a new Nowell)
Now the holly bears a berry (The Sans Day or St Day Carol)
Nowell: Tidings True * (The Salutation Carol)
O come, all ye faithful
O come, O come, Emmanuel
O Tannenbaum
Of the Father’s heart begotten
On Christmas night all Christians sing †(Sussex Carol)
Past three o’clock *
Personent Hodie * (Young and clear, voices ring)
Quelle est cette odeur agréable? (i) *
Quelle est cette odeur agréable? (ii)
Quem pastores laudavere *
Quittez, pasteurs (O leave your sheep)
Rejoice and be merry
Resonet in laudibus * (Now with joyful songs of praise)
See amid the winter’s snow
Sing lullaby! *
Still, still, still (i) *
Still, still, still (ii)
Stille Nacht (Silent night)
Sweet was the song the Virgin sang *
The angel Gabriel (i) *
The angel Gabriel (ii)
The Cherry Tree Carol (i) *
The Cherry Tree Carol (ii)
The first Nowell
The holly and the ivy
The Linden Tree Carol (i) *
The Linden Tree Carol (ii)
The Seven Joys of Mary
The Twelve Days of Christmas
This is the truth sent from above (i) *
This is the truth sent from above (ii)
This Joyful Eastertide *
Tomorrow shall be my dancing day
Unto us is born a Son
We three kings of Orient are
We wish you a merry Christmas *
What Child is this?
* = Unaccompanied