This album from St Martin’s Voices under director Andrew Earis brings together eighteen Christmas choral works by a wide range of contemporary composers. Telling the story of the nativity, music by Cecilia McDowall, Gabriel Jackson and James Whitbourn is featured alongside pieces from the next generation of choral composers including Grace Evangeline Mason, Kerensa Briggs and Emily Hazrati. From settings of ancient texts such as O magnum mysterium and Adam lay ybounden to more modern poetry by Ursula Askham Fanthorpe and Charles Anthony Silvestri, the music spans a variety of styles and moods. Thoughtfully curated and stylishly performed, these premiere recordings narrate the Christmas story from prophecy to birth, adding fresh material to the festive repertoire and highlighting the ongoing creativity of British choral music.