This programme plunges the audience into the atmospheric sound-world of Christmas music from the time of Elizabeth I and James I.

Helen Charlston’s beautiful voice is perfectly suited to this intimate domestic music that celebrates the joyous Christian festival.

This was an evening that stole us away to a different time and place just as much as it stole our hearts with the beauty of the music and performances. Nor did our sojourn into Elizabethan England feel undermined by the encore, which transported us to Germany with a captivating performance of ‘Es ist ein Ros entsprungen’. Music OMH

William Byrd Out of the Orient
From Virgin’s womb
In Nomines
An earthly tree, heavenly fruit
O God that guides the cheerful sun
Lullaby

Anthony Holborne Pavan: The Cradle
Galliard: Lullabie
Galliard: As it fell on hole eve
Almain: The New Yeare’s Gift

Martin Peerson Upon my lap my sovereign sits

Orlando Gibbons In Nomine
Fantazy a 4 ‘for ye great dooble bass’

Anon Sweet was the song the virgin sang

Peerson Attendite

Thomas Weelkes To shorten Winter’s sadness