English Traditional Carols

Reviews / Votes

All are well-researched, with accompanying notes, as well as translations where appropriate . . . These booklets bring an opportunity to explore selections of lesser-known traditional repertoire, though remember that the earlier carols mainly feature male voices . . . There is a lot of interesting music here that deserves exploration, as does the vast quantity of new music that appears each year. * Music Teacher June 2004 * It is hardly an exaggeration to say that the publication in 1992 of The New Oxford Book of Carols caused a sensation. For many of us it showed for the first time the extent of the carol repertoire from all over the world, and in particular, presented those carols we thought we knew best in versions that were as near to being authentic as could be deduced. The performance traditions of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries were stripped away, and the pieces could be appreciated afresh . . . But if you wish to dip your toe in the water, any of these volumes (with six to eight carols in each) provides an excellent introduction to a part of the carol repertoire. Esther Jones, Church Music Quarterly Dec 03