Search the internet, you'll rarely find a better performance. Beautiful tone, elegant phrases, and wonderful staggered breathing for a small group. The harpist is outstanding. What an example of concentrated musical focus. This lady knows what she's doing.
I have listened to so many performances of Britten's Ceremony of Carols, and this one is my favorite. The female voices, the soloists, the harp, the overall expression, the tempo, the dynamics, the acoustics of the space. So achingly beautiful. Thank you for sharing it.
I listen to this many times during Advent over the past couple years. It's so beautiful! Have heard Antioch at Spoleto several times. God bless all of you during this unusual holiday season of 2020.
Based on the performances I have attended of this piece, it benefits greatly from the intimacy of a small, skilled production. The delicacy of the harp is totally lost in a large cathedral treatment, and the addition of tenors and baritones just adds bombast. Keep it clean and pure like this!
Pepper Hume as someone who has performed this beautiful collection, being in a small women’s choir made it more personal, I sang this almost 6 years ago and I can still remember what it felt like singing this. Small and intimate is what this is meant for
I have heard a number of versions of the Carols. This one is one of the most delicate and heart felt versions I've heard. Antioch you have done an excellent job!
I came looking for a big cathedral sound and was instead captivated by this great small group performance. There were no passengers here. the sound was clean and refreshing.
I'm not even Christian, but this is beautiful! I'd rather hear actual Christmas hymns than some of the tacky songs that get played on the radio this time of year.
A harp is like playing a piano, but without a cover, upright, and without keys... gratitude. The voices are divine and flawless. I will redouble my personal goals of diction and speech.
Like many others who commented, I sang this in college. Hearing this performance makes me wish the men in our Chamber Choir would have sat this one out and let a handful of the women take it! This is an exquisite performance, and I am only just discovering it on RU-vid. I wonder - where are these women now and have they continued to sing? And I think maybe I will google the harpist! Thank you - absolutely beautiful.
Hi Mark! Yes, all of these ladies still sing professionally all over the place and with Antioch. Merynda, the harpist, just performed a concert for us last month. MusicSH.org
I have never heard of this group but have enjoyed Britten's music for decades. I own three versions of it. This is one of the best I have ever heard. What a great treat for the fortunate few in the audience. Thanks for sharing and thanks for RU-vid. Ron Culpepper
I sang this a few years ago in my college women's chorus. I was looking for some of my favorite classical Christmas music and Ceremony of Carols came to mind. This one of my favorite recordings of this piece to date. It really sent me back to a time when I was fortunate enough to sing this with my choir. Much love to your group and thanks for bringing back some amazing memories for me.
Wonderful singing harp playing. And such clarity in that acoustic. Just been reading about Marian hymns moving the listener from an earthly space to a heavenly one. This does it perfectly.
Congratulations on this beautiful performance! I would be grateful if you could let me know how you established the pronunciation of this amazing work of art. I listened to many renditions and noticed that even native English speakers tend to pronounce the lyrics differently. I am Italian and I am going to perform the "ceremony of carols" with my choir this Christmas. Many thanks in advance for your kind reply.
