December 24/25, 2008

Piero della Francesca, Nativity, National Gallery, London, 1470


Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes

The Nativity of Our Lord


Click to go immediately to:


Andrea del Sarto, Annunciation, Galleria Palatina (Palazzo Pitti), Florence, 1528


Bogoróditse dyévo

Bogoróditse dyévo, raduisya,
Blagodatnaya Mariye Gospod s Toboyu.
Blagoslovenna Ty v zhenakh,
I blagosloven plod chreva Tvoyevo,
Yako Spasa rodila yesi dush nashikh.

Virgin Mother of God,
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you;
Blessed are you among women,
And blessed is the fruit of your womb,
For you gave birth to the saviour of our souls.

During the festival of lessons and carols on Christmas Eve, the Cathedral Singers will perform Bogoroditsye Dyevo, the Russian Orthodox equivalent of the Hail Maria, in the glorious version by Sergei Rachmaninoff from his all-night vigil.

Click to listen to Friday’s Voices singing Rachmaninoff, Bogoroditsye Dyevo.

Performance of the Cambridge Singers, John Rutter conducting. [NML] (Info)

Click to hear Friday’s Voices sing Arvo Pärt, Bogoroditsye Dyevo.

Performance by the King’s Singers. [NML] (Info)




California Boys' Choir
One of Benjamin Britten's very popular accomplishments is his Ceremony of Carols.

Click to read about the Ceremony of Carols.

Click to hear the Ceremony of Carols performed by the California Boys’ Choir.


Francesco di Giorgio Martini, Nativity, Art Association Galleries, Atlanta, c. 1465


Anyone with online access to the Naxos Music Library, in particular cardholders of la Bibliothèque nationale du Québec and members of "Beethoven on Demand" (info ), may listen online to seven different versions of Johann Sebastian Bach, Christmas Oratorio.

Click here for The First Day of Christmas (the others to follow).