On Christmas Night, an album featuring
St. John's College Choir, Cambridge, led by
Andrew Nethsingha, should have strong appeal for fans of men and boy's choirs and their characteristic repertoire. The choir has a sweet, youthful sound that's warmly blended. There is none of the hootiness that can trouble some men and boy's groups, but a pure and focused tone. The album's selections are what listeners have come to expect from English cathedral and college choirs: a healthy mix of very standard carols along with a few less familiar, some contemporary classic anthems, folk song arrangements, and new works recorded for the first time. The mood of the music is predominantly gentle and meditative, and even the more energetic selections, such as William Mathias' A babe is born and Ding! dong! merrily on high, maintain the reverent tone. Some of the livelier pieces, like the Renaissance vilancico Riu, riu, chiu!, would have benefited from a looser, less sober approach. Among the mostly recently composed pieces,
Michael Finnissy's Telling and
Matthew Martin's Adam lay ybounden are especially lovely. The album has a nicely resonant ambience, and the sound is clear and clean.