Ceremony of Carols

The centuries-old tradition of Christmas music has resulted in many beautiful songs in the past hundred years, from composers such as Britten, Poulenc, Howells and Dove. Britten’s collection A Ceremony of Carols stands out, but he also wrote various other delightful Christmas songs. The RIAS Kammerchor from Germany has performed numerous successful concerts at the Muziekgebouw and is one of Europe’s finest choirs. They are renowned for their warm harmonies.

Poulenc’s music, in particular, continually surprises by veering off in slightly unexpected directions. This undoubtedly makes his music challenging to sing, highlighting the RIAS Kammerchor’s celebrated skill in pure and precise harmony. They also sing The Three Kings by Jonathan Dove, one of the most popular contemporary Christmas carols.