Carols for Choirs is a collection of choral scores, predominantly of Christmas carols and hymns, widely used by English-speaking choirs.
Published from 1961 by Oxford University Press, the first volume was edited by Sir David Willcocks and Reginald Jacques, with a second volume following in 1970, edited by David Willcocks and John Rutter. The series now contains six volumes, plus a compendium edition.
In addition to music for Christmas, the collection also offers works that are suitable for other Christian festivals such as Advent and Epiphany.
The books contain choral arrangements of traditional and some specially composed carols. Some include descants by the editors (mainly Willcocks) which have become standard in the Anglican communion in the UK. Most of the first volume's arrangements were originally written for use by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge or the Bach Choir in London.
History
Carols For Choirs was originally commissioned by the organist and music editor at Oxford University Press Christopher Morris. Whilst working at St George's, Hanover Square, he realised that church choirs lacked a definitive book of Christmas carols, and felt that a single book would be more convenient than using separate pieces of sheet music and hymn books. The book was originally to be called Carols for Concerts. To edit the collection, Morris enlisted David Willcocks, Director of Music at King's College, Cambridge, and Reginald Jacques, conductor of the Bach Choir. The book was published in 1961, containing new arrangements of traditional carols, but it also popularised pieces by modern composers such as William Walton, Benjamin Britten, Richard Rodney Bennett, William Mathias and John Rutter. Carols for Choirs was an instant success and became OUP Music Department's best-selling title, with over a million copies being sold. OUP were keen to commission a second volume, but after the death of Jacques in 1969, a new editor had to be found to support Willcocks, and an undergraduate at Cambridge University, John Rutter, was recruited. Carols for Choirs 2 was published in 1970.
The Carols For Choirs series have become standard choral texts throughout the English-speaking world and were highly influential; according to the composer John Rutter, they "changed the whole sound of Christmas for everybody who sings".
On 29 December 2021, it was announced that a new volume, Carols for Choirs 6, would be published in the summer of 2023. A poll was released to suggest the colour of the new book, the most popular colour being purple. The volume was released on 13 July 2023, featuring fifty carols (both originals and arrangements).
Volumes Choir singers sometimes refer to the books by the colours of their covers, with the "green" and "orange" books (volumes 1 and 2) being the most widely used. The "blue" book (volume 3) contains a number of longer anthems. A compendium volume called 100 100 Carols for Choirs (the "white" book) consisting of 74 of the most popular items from Carols for Choirs 1, 2 and 3, plus 26 pieces new to the series was published in 1987. It contains both accompanied and unaccompanied items, as well as the Order of Service for a Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.
The "red" book (Volume 4) features fifty carols arranged for sopranos and altos. Oxford University Press extended the series with volumes appropriate for other church seasons, such as Lent/Easter. In July 2011, Oxford University Press published the fifth incarnation of the original series, Carols for Choirs 5, edited by composer Bob Chilcott, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of the first volume; it is presented in gold covers.
Other seasons
Contents
Volume/number Title Composer/Source Arrangement Seasonal use 1. 1 A Great and Mighty Wonder Old German Michael Praetorius (arr.) Christmas 1. 2 Away in a Manger William Kirkpatrick David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 1. 2b Away in a Manger Trad. Norman Reginald Jacques (arr.) Christmas 1. 3 A Boy was Born Benjamin Britten
Christmas 1. 4 As with Gladness Men of Old
David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 1. 5 And there were Shepherds Johann Sebastian Bach David Willcocks (ed.) Christmas 1. 6 A Virgin Most Pure Trad. English Charles Wood (arr.) Christmas 1. 7 Angels, from the Realms of Glory Old French Reginald Jacques (arr.) Christmas 1.8 A Christmas Carol Trad. Hungarian Zoltán Kodály (arr.) Christmas 1. 9 Blessed be that Maid Mary Trad English David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 1.10 Ding Dong! Merrily on High Traditional Charles Wood (harm.) Christmas 1.11 God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen Trad. English David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 1.12 Zither Carol Trad. Czech Malcolm Sargent (arr.) Christmas 1.13 Good King Wenceslas Piae Cantiones Reginald Jacques (arr.) Christmas 1.14 Hark! the Herald Angels Sing Felix Mendelssohn David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 1.15 In Dulci Jubilo Robert Lucas Pearsall Reginald Jacques (arr.) Christmas 1.16 Infant Holy, Infant Lowly Polish David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 1.17 I Saw Three Ships Trad. English David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 1.17 I Saw Three Ships Reginald Jacques
Christmas 1.18 It Came Upon the Midnight Clear Traditional Arthur Sullivan (arr.) Christmas 1.19 A Merry Christmas Trad. English Arthur Warrell (arr.) Christmas 1.20 King Jesus Hath a Garden Dutch Charles Wood (harm.) Christmas 1.21 Rocking Czech David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 1.22 Carol, with Lullaby Phyllis Tate
Christmas 1.23 Coventry Carol Traditional
Christmas 1.23b Coventry Carol Traditional Martin Shaw (arr.) Christmas 1.24 No Sad Thought his Soul Affright Ralph Vaughan Williams
Christmas 1.25 O Little One Sweet Old German Johann Sebastian Bach (harm.) Christmas 1.26 Adeste Fideles Traditional David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 1.26b O Come, All Ye Faithful Traditional David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 1.27 O Little Town of Bethlehem Ralph Vaughan Williams Thomas Armstrong (ed.) Christmas 1.28 O men from the fields Arnold Cooke
Christmas 1.29 Sussex Carol Traditional David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 1.30 Once in Royal David's City Henry J. Gauntlett Arthur Henry Mann (harm.) Christmas 1.31 Past three a clock Traditional Charles Wood (arr.) Christmas 1.32 Rejoice and be merry Trad. English Reginald Jacques (arr.) Christmas 1.33 See amid the winter's snow John Goss David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 1.34 Lute-book lullaby William Ballet Geoffrey Shaw (arr.) Christmas 1.35 The linden tree carol Old German Reginald Jacques (arr.) Annunciation / Christmas / Epiphany 1.36 The Blessed son of God Ralph Vaughan Williams
Christmas 1.37 The Boar's head carol Trad English Elizabeth Poston (arr.) Christmas 1.38 The first Nowell Trad. English David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas / Epiphany 1.39 The Holly and the Ivy Trad. English Reginald Jacques (arr.) Lent / Christmas / Epiphany 1.40 The Three Kings Peter Cornelius Ivor Atkins (arr.) Epiphany 1.41 The Shepherd's farewell Hector Berlioz
Christmas 1.42 Torches John Joubert
Christmas 1.43 Unto us is born a son Piae Cantiones David Willcocks Christmas 1.44 Up! good Christen folk, and listen Piae Cantiones George Ratcliffe Woodward (arr.) Christmas 1.45 We've been a while a-wandering Trad. Yorkshire Ralph Vaughan Williams (arr.) Christmas 1.46 Gloucestershire Wassail Traditional Ralph Vaughan Williams (arr.) Christmas 1.47 What cheer? William Walton
Christmas 1.48 When Christ was born Reginald Jacques
Christmas 1.49 While Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night Traditional Thomas Ravenscroft (ed.) Christmas 1.50 While the shepherds were watching Cecil Armstrong Gibbs
Christmas 2. 1 A babe is born I wys Frederick Bainton
Christmas 2. 2 A child is born in Bethlehem Samuel Scheidt David Willcocks (ed.) Christmas 2. 3 Adam lay ybounden Boris Ord
Christmas 2. 4 All my heart this night rejoices Johann Georg Ebeling
Christmas 2. 5 All this time William Walton
Christmas 2. 6 Nativity carol John Rutter
Christmas 2. 7 Deck the Hall Traditional (Welsh) David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 2. 8 Ding Dong! Merrily on high Traditional (French) David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 2. 9 Down in yon forest Traditional (English) John Rutter (arr.) Christmas 2.10 Shepherd's pipe carol John Rutter
Christmas 2.11 Hail! Blessed Virgin Mary Traditional (Italian) Charles Wood (arr.) Christmas 2.12 Here we come a-wassailing Traditional (English) John Rutter (arr.) Christmas 2.13 A new year carol Benjamin Britten
Christmas 2.14 How far is it to Bethlehem? Traditional (English) David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 2.15 Matin responsory Adapted from a Magnificat by Palestrina
Advent 2.16 Come, Thou Redeemer of the Earth Traditional (German) David Willcocks (arr.) Advent / Christmas 2.17 Il est né le divin enfant Traditional (French) John Rutter (arr.) Christmas 2.18 I saw a maiden Anonymous (Basque Noel) Edgar Pettman (arr.) Christmas 2.19 Myn lyking Richard R. Terry
Christmas 2.20 I sing of a maiden Patrick Hadley
Christmas 2.21 It Came Upon the Midnight Clear Arthur Sullivan David Willcocks (desc.) Christmas 2.22 The Cherry-Tree Carol Traditional (English) David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 2.23 Masters in this Hall Traditional (French) David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 2.24 Noël Nouvelet Traditional (French) John Rutter (arr.) Christmas 2.25 Sans Day Carol Traditional (Cornish) John Rutter (arr.) Christmas 2.26 Sir Christèmas William Mathias
Christmas 2.27 O Come, O Come Emmanuel Traditional (15th century French Processional) David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 2.28 The Shepherds' Cradle Song Karl Leuner Charles Macpherson (arr.) Christmas 2.29 Of the Father's Heart Begotten From Piae Cantiones David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 2.30 The Twelve Days of Christmas Traditional (English) John Rutter (arr.) Christmas 2.31 Once in Royal David's city Henry Gauntlett, A. H. Mann David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 2.31 Out of your Sleep Richard Rodney Bennett
Christmas 2.33 Past Three a Clock Traditional (English) John Rutter (arr.) Christmas 2.34 Personent Hodie German, 1360 Gustav Holst (arr.) Christmas 2.35 Quelle est cette odeur agréable Traditional (French) David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 2.36 Quem pastores laudavere Traditional (14th century German) John Rutter (arr.) Christmas 2.37 Quittez, Pasteurs Traditional (French) John Rutter (arr.) Christmas 2.38 Resonemus Laudibus Traditional (14th century) David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 2.39 The angels and the shepherds Traditional (Bohemian) C. H. Trevor (arr.) Christmas 2.40 Stille Nacht Franz Xaver Gruber David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 2.41 The Infant King Basque Noel David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 2.42 There is no Rose 15th century English John Stevens (ed.) Christmas 2.43 Gabriel's message Basque Noel David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 2.44 The Holly and the Ivy English traditional Walford Davies (arr.) Christmas 2.45 The Lord at first did Adam make English traditional David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 2.46 The Truth from Above English traditional Ralph Vaughan Williams (arr.) Christmas 2.47 Tomorrow shall be my Dancing Day English traditional David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 2.48 While shepherds Watched their Flocks from Este's Psalter David Willcocks (arr.) Christmas 2.49 Patapan Burgundian Reginald Jacques (arr.) Christmas 2.50 Zion hears the Watchmen's Voices Johann Sebastian Bach John Rutter (ed.) Christmas 2.Apx1 Hark! The herald angels sing Adapted from Felix Mendelssohn by W. H. Cummings
Christmas 2.Apx2 O come, all ye faithful John Francis Wade
Christmas 2.ps An Advent Carol Service (order of service)
Advent 3. 1 A babe is Born William Mathias