Christmas Year C

Christmas Eve Monday 24th December
2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8:11-16
Psalm 89:19-27
Acts 13:16-26
Luke 1:67-79

Christmas Day: Proper I
Isaiah 62:6-12
Psalm 97
Titus 3:4-7
Luke 2:[1-7] 8-20

Christmas Day: Proper II
Isaiah 9:2-7
Psalm 96
Titus 2:11-14
Luke 2:1-14 [15-20]

Christmas Day: Proper III
Isaiah 52:7-10
Psalm 98
Hebrews 1:1-4 [5-12]
John 1:1-14

The idea is that you’re supposed to use Proper III at some point, because of John’s Gospel. Most people seem to use it at Midnight Mass. Sorry, I’m not summarising all of these readings! Maybe next year.

Jennifer Higdon, O Magnum Mysterium
Text in Latin and English, moderately challenging, 6min.
SATB with three accompaniment options:
A – 2 flutes, 2 crystal glasses, chimes;
B – organ;
C – a cappella
Available from the composer’s website: http://jenniferhigdon.com/choralworks.html
Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeDqzRPK06I

Tawnie Olson, O Inexpressible Mystery
English text, SSAATBB and viola obbligato, moderately challenging, 2min 30s.
Published by E C Schirmer, available in print and download from Canticle Distributing: https://www.canticledistributing.com/catalog/product/view/id/39673/
Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9E5SMz2w4U

Rhian Samuel, So Long Ago
English text by John Pudney, SATB a cappella with soprano solo, moderately challenging, 2min 50s.
Published by Stainer & Bell: https://stainer.co.uk/shop/y154/
Recording: https://youtu.be/-9oCNhKR-ag

Rosephanye Powell, The Word Was God
English text, SSAATTBB a cappella (also available in SATB, SSAA, TTBB)
Available from J W Pepper: https://www.jwpepper.com/The-Word-Was-God/8068120.item
Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWvCNrTrx_s

Patricia Van Ness, Into Winter’s Glimm’ring Night
English text by Patricia Van Ness, SSAATTB a cappella, moderately challenging, 4min. Available from the composer’s website: http://www.patriciavanness.com/works-CM-acappella.html
Recording: http://www.patriciavanness.com/mp3/INTO%20WINTERS%20GLIMMRING%20NIGHT.mp3

This is, of course, an incomplete list. I have quite a backlog to add to the site again, as soon as things quiet down a bit on the PhD front.

May you have a happy, holy and blessed Christmas.

You can now purchase a PDF of the Cecilia’s List advance music recommendations for December 2018. It costs £3.50 and includes all four Sundays of Advent, Christmas Eve/Day, and the First Sunday of Christmas.

Featured composers include Bonnie Duckworth, Thea Musgrave, Gwyneth Walker, Melissa Dunphy, Patricia Van Ness, Helen Williams, Rhian Samuel, Rosephanye Powell, and more.

There are anthems for resources from SSAATTBB a cappella to SAB and organ, and a fair amount of SSA. There are also two hymn tunes, which could work as unison anthems for a smaller choir. Where I could find them, I’ve linked to recordings of the works, as well as to appropriate places to purchase or download the scores.

We should, of course, be including music by women in as many services as possible: it’s out there, we just have to sing it. But at Christmas it’s especially important to sing it and to ensure it’s credited properly in the order of service or pew slip, because people come to church then who don’t at other times of year. How will a young woman feel, exploring faith for the first time since childhood, to go along to a carol service and hear beautiful music, only to look it up later online and find that all of it is composed by men?

If you’re involved in planning music for worship, please use this resource. If you’re not involved in planning music for worship, please tell someone who is. Thank you.

Purchase the PDF

Cecilia's List

Music for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 2018, Year C

Advance Music Recommendations are here!