This review can focus almost entirely on the music and its composer, since – quite unsurprisingly, given musicians of such distinction – all the performances are of the very highest quality. The CD itself is a latter-day equivalent of the old seven-inch black vinyl records, containing just ten pieces: (1) ‘Hodie Christus natus est’, (2) ‘Coventry Carol’, (3) ‘Adam lay ybounden’, (4) ‘Sir Christëmas’, (5) ‘In excelsis Gloria’, (6) ‘Omnis mundus’, (7) ‘Resonet in laudibus’, (8) ‘Puer nobis nascitur’, (9) ‘Personent hodie’, and (10) ‘Up! Good Christen folk’. The first five items are described as being ‘original carols’ (i.e. not arrangements of pre-existent material), while (6) to (10) are arrangements of older carols.

All the texts referred to above are to be found in the printed booklet. Indeed, they are all accessible digitally on the release page as well, and may be consulted at https://conviviumrecords.co.uk/product/clive-osgood-christmas-collection/ . 

Osgood was an organ scholar at Salisbury Cathedral; he read music at Bangor University, and has Masters’ degrees from the universities of Cardiff (Musicology) and Surrey (Composition). Trained as a teacher, he teaches both privately (piano, organ, theory) and at Reed’s School, Cobham (A Level Music). While church music features most promptly in his output, he has also written other (both sacred and secular) choral music, plus works for orchestra and chamber ensembles.

‘Hodie Christus’ gets the recording off to the best possible start, given its pizzazz: the high energy and sheer verve which prevails throughout this piece, in which succinct homophonic assertions contrast with scalic declamations of ‘alleluia’ and similarly laudatory texts. The ‘Coventry Carol’ is written in ternary form, in which a plaintive choral cry, topped by a high-pitched soprano solo lament, encloses a fierce description of Herod’s slaughter of the young children. ‘Adam lay ybounden’ begins with energetic counterpoint and builds up to confident utterances of ‘Deo gratias’. ‘Sir Christëmas’ is another very old (pre-1510) text where ‘Sir Christëmas’ is personified, his presence being powerfully evoked in this attractive, extremely vibrant setting. Lastly in this group, ‘In excelsis gloria’ is a melodious setting of a macaronic text, each stanza ending with the words of the title as a refrain; two of its verses feature beautifully-sung solos for (respectively) soprano and tenor, the soprano returning to conclude the carol.

‘Omnis mundus’ is an essentially gentle, reflective setting of a medieval Latin text. The melody of ‘Resonet in laudibus’ is well-known in both its original medieval Latin and a 19th-century English version. An astringent accompaniment in the lower voices, supporting the familiar melody, characterises this lovely carol.

The three remaining carols, (8) (9) and (10), make up a work, Sinfonia Cantiones, which received its first performance in Haslemere, Surrey, in December 2023; for these pieces Polyphony were joined by the Britten Sinfonia. All of its texts are familiar, as are the melodies, and the musical language (tonal, but infused with some jazz elements) generally matches that of carols (1) to (7). The Britten Sinfonia contribute some pungent dissonances to ‘Personent hodie’. Then, just as the CD began with a very energetic version of ‘Hodie Christus’, so it ends with a gloriously irreverent version of ‘Up! Good Christen folk’ in which both singers and players are given free rein to enjoy themselves – as are you, the listener!

For directors of proficient choirs eager to explore different Christmas repertoire this year or next, do visit Clive Osgood’s website (see above), and contact the composer for details of how to purchase copies of the pieces which appeal to you most. Meanwhile, do get hold of this excellent recording!