Accompanied Carols

Featuring a varied selection from John Rutter, Mack Wilberg, Bob Chilcott, Sarah Quartel, and Michael Higgins, you’ll find something for every choir in our new Christmas repertoire.

Upper Voices

Sarah Quartel

Long, Long Ago

This gentle yet joyful Christmas Carol sets a text that evokes imagery of Bethlehem at the time of Christ's birth: a land with olive trees and sheep on the hillside. The delicate and supportive piano accompaniment grows into a sparkly, rippling motif of triplet quavers. A version for mixed voices and piano is also available.

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April 2025

SSA & piano

2.5 mins

Very Easy

John Rutter

Star Carol

This new upper-voice version of John Rutter's enduringly popular Star Carol is compatible with both full and reduced orchestrations, as well as being suitable for performance with piano accompaniment alone.

April 2025

SSA & piano/orchestra 

3 mins

Easy

Sarah Quartel

Iesous Ahatonnia

Quartel's arrangement of the Huron Carol, renamed Iesous ahatonnia' to reflect its origins, sets new texts by Wendat poet Andrée Levesque Sioui and invites choirs and audiences to learn from the past while working to shape a better future.

May 2025

SSAA & piano

4 mins

Easy

Mixed Voices

Bob Chilcott

Alleluia! A new work is come on hand 

This joyful carol sets a medieval text celebrating the birth of Christ. The festive message is amplified by an upbeat pulse, dance-like rhythms, and jubilant repetitions of 'Alleluia!'. A punchy organ accompaniment supports and contrasts the hemiola rhythms in the choir.

April 2025

SATB & organ

4 mins

Easy – Moderately difficult 

Bob Chilcott

Ankunft (Arrival)

This dual-language publication sees Bob Chilcott collaborate with German poet and playwright Friederike Karig to write a set of three carols on the theme of moving from darkness to light. The carols guide the listener from Advent to Christmas, encouraging hope for the future in times of difficulty. All the hallmarks of the festive season can be found in this compelling work, from soaring descants to the memorable refrain of 'Licht', which brings the work to a close in a joyous exclamation.

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12 June 2025

SATB & piano/small orchestra

9 mins

Easy

Bob Chilcott

Somehow not only for Christmas 

Slow and nostalgic in flavour while retaining Chilcott's characteristic warmth and ebullience, this piece befits the text to which it is set: a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier that speaks to how the kindness shown to others at Christmas should be for 'all the whole long year through.' A harmonically rich piano part adds colour and support to the choir.

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April 2025

SATB and piano 

3.5 mins

Very easy – Easy

Michael Higgins 

Christmas Fantasy

This sparkling work draws together four well-known carols reflecting the joys of being together with friends and loved ones to celebrate the festive season, with hopes for brighter times ahead. Recordings of all four movements are available to listen to on Spotify. Enjoy the first movement below.  

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April 2025

SATB & piano/brass quintet, percussion, and organ

10 mins

Easy – Moderately difficult 

Sarah Quartel

Long, Long Ago

This gentle yet joyful Christmas Carol sets a text that evokes imagery of Bethlehem at the time of Christ's birth: a land with olive trees and sheep on the hillside. The delicate and supportive piano accompaniment grows into a sparkly, rippling motif of triplet quavers. A version for upper voices and piano is also available.

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April 2025

SATB & piano

2.5 mins

Very easy

John Rutter

Christmas Child

Christmas Child is a macaronic carol that encourages us to 'sing, rejoice at our Saviour's coming'. This lyrical retelling of the Christmas story was commissioned by the Yale Institute of Sacred Music to honour David Hill, Past Professor Adjunct of Choral Conducting and Principal Conductor Emeritus of Yale Schola Cantorum. An orchestral accompaniment is available on hire/rental.

April 2025

SATB & organ

3 mins

Easy

Mack Wilberg

O little one sweet

The lilting triple metre, legato lines, and suspensions complement the soothing beauty of this lullaby-like carol. The work was arranged by Mack Wilberg to commemorate the 80th season of the Bach Society of St Louis.

April 2025

SATB (with divisions) & organ/orchestra 

4 mins

Easy

Mack Wilberg

Sing we now of Christmas

Sing we now of Christmas is an arrangement of the early 16th-century French Christmas carol, Noël nouvelet. The music is familiar, approachable, dynamic, and engaging, and the optional percussion part creates an air of anticipatory celebration. The march-like tempo makes this suitable as a processional, opening with a light staccato accompaniment, and developing into a full, jubilant sound.

April 2025

SSAATTBB & organ (with opt. percussion/orchestra)

6 mins

Easy – Moderately difficult

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