Carols from King's (BioVinyl)

An LP transfer for one of the best-selling items in the Brilliant Classics catalogue, pressed on audio-phile grade 140-gram ‘biovinyl’.
The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, is synonymous worldwide with Christmas, thanks to the annual broadcasts of its Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. The service took form in Truro Cathedral in 1880, and spread across the Anglican communion before the Dean of King’s introduced it to the College in 1918, and the BBC began to broadcast it from there in 1929.
On this compilation, as at the familiar liturgy, the sequence of carols opens with a boy treble singing the first verse of Once in Royal David’s City. This particular recording has a further historical significance, in that the solo was sung (in 1994) by Guy Johnston, who has since become a renowned cellist.
This generous 66-minute sequence features carols old and new, familiar and less-well known, from The First Nowell and O Little Town of Bethlehem to modern classics such as John Tavener’s The Lamb and Judith Weir’s Illuminare Jerusalem, both of which were commissioned by King’s for the annual service, but are now sung worldwide at Christmas time.
The sequence is rounded off, like the service, with O Come, all ye faithful, featuring the celebrated descant and last-verse harmonisation by Stephen Cleobury’s predecessor as Music Director at King’s, Sir David Willcocks. The LP is manufactured at the Optimal Media plant in Hamburg, Europe’s leading pressing plant for high-grade records, and pressed on 140-gram ‘biovinyl’.
This new substitute for the standard petroleum-derived raw material for LPs is made from recycled cooking oil and waste gases, making this record an ideal present for the environmentally conscious music-lover in your life.

Other information:
Recorded in 1994: Carols from King’s - An all-time Christmas favourite.
The disc features standards alongside more contemporary carol repertoire.
Superb by one of the world’s leading choral groups conducted by Sir Stephen Cleobury, including some moving treble solos. The Choir of King’s College in Cambridge (England) is one of the most famous choirs in the world. It was founded in the 15th century and is one of the oldest of its kind. It was originally founded for the daily services in the college chapel, but today it can also be heard on international concert tours throughout Europe and beyond.
Also available on CD:
Cat. No.: 9186
PPD: €7,50
EAN code: 5029365928626

A beautiful re-release of one of Brilliant Classics’ best-selling albums, now on Vinyl.
The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, is one of the world’s best-known choral groups. Founded in the 15th century, it ranks among the oldest of its kind, and, while originally created for singing the daily services in the college chapel, now enjoys an international tour schedule that has seen it perform all over Europe and beyond. Every Christmas Eve, millions of people tune in to watch the choir’s A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s – a service which has been continuously broadcast since 1928.
Recorded in 1994, this reissue joins the group’s already extensive discography of Christmas music – recordings that have enhanced its worldwide fame and reputation. The compilation mixes some of the best-loved traditionals, including Once in royal David’s city and O Come all ye faithful, with more recent repertoire – such as Rutter’s rousing What Sweeter Music and Judith Weir’s striking Illuminare, Jerusalem (specially commissioned by the choir for its 1985 annual service). Also featured are traditional German, French, Dutch and Polish carols (including two settings of Dulce Jubilo)