Now May We Singen Choir of Westminster School, Ben Bloor & Timothy Garrard

• Matthew Martin:
• 1 Novo profusi gaudio 03:54
• Judith Weir:
• 2 Drop Down, Ye Heavens, from Above 02:00
• Henry John Gauntlett:
• 3 Once in Royal David’s City 05:11
• James MacMillan:
• 4 O Radiant Dawn 04:23
• Ghislaine Reece-Trapp:
• 5 Alleluia! A New Work Is Come on Hand 01:51
• Andrew Carter:
• 6 Mary’s Magnificat 03:31
• John Tavener:
• 7 Ex Maria virgine: Ave rex angelorum 03:10
• English traditional, adapt. Arthur Sullivan:
• 8 It Came Upon the Midnight Clear 03:27
• Richard Allain:
• 9 Lullay, Myn Lyking 05:08
• Cecilia McDowall:
• 10 Now May We Singen 03:15
• John Rutter:
• 11 The King of Blis 03:57
• English traditional, arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams:
• 12 O Little Town of Bethlehem 03:45
• Elizabeth Poston:
• 13 Jesus Christ the Apple Tree 03:26
• Roxanna Panufnik:
• 14 Angels Sing: Jesus Christ Is Born 01:13
• Richard Wilberforce:
• 15 My Musick shine 05:07
• Felix Mendelssohn:
• 16 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 03:31
• William Mathias:
• 17 Sir Christèmas 01:33
• Alexander Campkin:
• 18 Sleep, Holy Babe 04:40
• Anonymous, arr. David Willcocks:
• 19 O Come, All Ye Faithful 04:09
• Total Runtime 01:07:11

Info for Now May We Singen

The festival of Christmas means many things to many people. Its status as an international public holiday provides a rare opportunity for families and friends from far and wide to come together. Being creatures of habit, many communities establish rituals to prepare for and mark the occasion, finding comfort in the familiarity of an annual structure. For some, the birth of Christ the Saviour is at the centre of these practices, while others regard Christmas as a secular celebration characterised by Santa and mulled wine.

These diverse, multifaceted traditions of Advent and Christmas are explored throughout Now may we singen. With works by composers of different generations, backgrounds and musical legacies, Christmas as both ancient holy day and modern, ever evolving holiday is embraced by Timothy Garrard (director), Ben Bloor (organ) and the Choir of Westminster School through bold, characterful musical interpretations.

Choir of Westminster School
Timothy Garrard, conductor
Ben Bloor, organ
Agatha Pethers, direction

Ben Bloor
is currently Organist of the London Oratory Church where he accompanies the professional adult choir for weekly Mass and Vespers and oversees the famous Downes/Walker organ. He combines this with a busy freelance recital career and the post of School Organist at Westminster School, where he teaches organ and plays for services in Westminster Abbey. Previously, he held organ scholarships at Derby Cathedral, St George’s Chapel Windsor Castle, New College Oxford and Westminster Cathedral, and was the Assistant Sub-Organist at Rochester Cathedral. Ben was the winner of the 2012 Northern Ireland International Organ Competition, and a semi-finalist in the inaugural Wadden Sea International Organ Competition held in Denmark in January 2017. He was awarded second prize in the Boston Bach International Organ Competition 2018. Ben holds a First-Class Honours degree in Music from the University of Oxford and the Limpus prize for highest marks in the 2013 FRCO examinations. He is a recipient of the Worshipful Company of Musicians’ Silver Medal for his contribution to organ-playing. Ben currently has organ lessons with Henry Fairs on a Personal Study Programme at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

Booklet for Now May We Singen