The Cantate Choir is holding its Christmas celebration on the last night of Christmas, 5th January, at 7.30pm in St Swithun’s Church.
They will be singing a joyous selection of carols of all styles from the 16th century to the present day, including the original version of ‘The Coventry Carol’ and ‘The Lamb’ written by John Tavener.
Also included will be a selection of West Gallery carols, which have become a popular speciality of Cantate. This music belongs to the era of the 18th and 19th centuries, when the church musicians played from the galleries that existed in many churches at the west end of the building, including one at St Swithun’s. Their music is straightforward and jolly, and continued until the musicians were made redundant by the advent of organs.
The celebration is completed by light refreshments with wine or fruit juice, making an appropriate end to the Christmas period before the season of Epiphany which starts the next day.