Product Description Wintertime. What images does this word conjure up? The barren beauty of leaf-stripped trees amongst steadfast evergreens; the wonder of first snowfall, soft under foot; the magic of stars studding an ink-dark sky; a lone bird in silent flight. The comfort of a roaring fire and cosy slippers; the joyful togetherness of family and friends revelling in shared celebration, bringing light to deep darkness. “In many traditional yuletide carols and poems, a balance is posed between a dark, wild winter world and the intimate golden safety of human celebration. Pagan roots run deep here – particularly when it comes to the passing of the year – and festivals reflect that connection to darkness, with fires, feasts and revels that glow brightest through long nights.” – Jennifer Thorp The chosen music speaks of a time of rejoicing and celebrating with the sharing of gifts, as brought by the visitors from Sheba. The miracle of birth, central to the Christmas story, is hailed with wonder and elation. The music evokes the magical quality of dark winter nights and suggests that through them we can see God more clearly. With this broad-ranging collection of music Apollo5 invites you to ‘coorie doon’ with them and enjoy music of comfort and joy. Track Listing: 1. Good-will to men, and peace on Earth - Dobrinka Tabakova; 2. Omnes de Saba nient - Jacob Handl; 3. Laetentur coeli - William Byrd; 4. The angel Gabriel - trad. Basque arr. Fraser Wilson for Apollo5; 5. Nol nouvelet - trad. French ed. Pietro Battiston; 6. Les anges dans nos campagnes - trad. French arr. Franois Gavaert/ Samuel Greatheed; 7. Past three a clock - trad. English arr. Charles Wood; 8. Lute-book lullaby - William Ballet arr. Geoffrey Shaw; 9. The Coventry Carol - trad. English arr. Barnaby Smith; 10. I wonder as I wander - John Jacob Niles arr. John Rutter; 11.The Night - Toby Young; 12. A spotless Rose - Herbert Howells; 13. Quem pastores laudavere - James Bassi; 14. The Owl - Toby Young; 15. Make we joy now in this fest - William Walton. About the Artist The international award-winning British vocal ensemble Apollo5 delights audiences with versatile and engaging performances on the concert platform, singing repertoire ranging from renaissance, classical and contemporary choral music to folk, jazz and pop. Frequently performing in their home city of London they have sung in venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Kings Place (London A Cappella Festival) and the Barbican. They regularly give concerts at their home in the heart of the City of London, the Voces8 Centre. Apollo5 sings throughout the UK, and has enjoyed giving performances in many European countries, the USA and Asia. Last season concert highlights for the five outstanding vocalists included performing in France at the Via Aeterna Music Festival, in Poland for La Folle Journe, in Germany at the Stadhalle Heidelberg and for the Thringer Bachwochen, in Spain at the Ourense Festival, in Croatia at Diocletian’s Palace in Split, in Dublin headlining for the Irish International A Cappella Festival, in Dubai for ChoirFest Middle East, as well as collaborating in a number of concerts with the Academy of Ancient Music in the UK, and taking part at the Milton Abbey Summer School. This season the group will perform in the UK (including London’s St John’s Smith Square), France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and in the USA. They will collaborate with the London Chamber Orchestra, l’Orchestre Rgional Avignon-Provence and l’Orchestre d’Avignon. Apollo5 is part of the Voces8 Foundation, the vocal music education charity that brings the power of singing to communities around the world. Working alongside vocal ensemble Voces8 and Paul Smith the programme reaches 40,000 young people annually in the UK, Europe, the USA and Asia. The Foundation has its home at the Voces8 Centre, at St Anne and St Agnes Church. In partnership with the Diocese of London, the Foundation has established a hub for excellence in educa