Christ Church Cathedral on a starlit night is the perfect setting for carols. Not surprisingly, the annual concert of the Cathedral Singers attracted a large crowd last Friday. The magical backdrop of the college buildings, the singing of the choir and the free glass of wine made for a very pleasant evening. The programme included a mix of modern and traditional, familiar and less familiar, with occasional opportunities for audience participation.

I particularly enjoyed hearing Warlock’s Bethlehem Down with its quirky harmonies, John Joubert’s simple but very effective setting of There is no Rose and Britten's Hymn to the Virgin. These are lovely pieces and deservedly recognised as modern ‘classics. Equally enchanting was Kenneth Leighton’s gorgeous treatment of Lully, Lullay. In the programme this followed the well-known Coventry Carol on which it is based. Leighton’s version with its beautiful soprano solo part is a gem. The other highlight deserving special mention was Vittoria’s Ave Maria. The choir seemed to revel in the sinuous polyphony making a wonderful sound.

The concert opened with the cathedral in darkness. A dramatic setting of the scene for the first reading, “the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light”. This was nicely done. The concert closed with John Tavener’s setting of the same text, a bold idea but unfortunately lacking somewhat in the execution. Tavener’s God is with us, subtitled ‘a Christmas proclamation’, employs dissonance and unconventional melodic writing to create a sense of the wonder and mystery of the birth of Christ. It’s a powerful piece but not easy to sing. Perhaps a less technically challenging item would have provided a more uplifting ending.

Organist David Bannister was an assured accompanist throughout and contributed some spine-chilling chords in the Tavener.

If you’re thinking of attending next year, become a Friend of the choir. It’s free and you get access to the best seats. See www.cathedralsingers.org.uk for details.