A Winter's Night: Christmas with British Composers
Benjamin Britten was only 20 years old when he wrote the a cappella Christmas cantata A Boy was Born in 1933. He revied the piece in 1955, demonstrating how highly he esteemed it even though it was a product of his youth. Although it uses an early-20th century harmonic language, rich with post-Romantic lushness and piquant dissonances, it has an ancient, almost medieval, feel about it that transports the listener to Christmases long ago. The other half of the concert features the Christmas cantata A Winter's Night by Cecilia McDowell (b. 1951) with organ, that is rich with familiar carol tunes, including opportunities for audience participation.