XIV

The First Nowell
Choral work by Ralph Vaughan Williams
The composer in 1954
Occasion	St. Martin-in-the-Fields charity matinee
Text	Christmas carols, medieval pageants by Simona Pakenham
Language	English
Composed	1958 (1958)
Performed	19 December 1958 (1958-12-19)
Scoring	soprano baritone SATB chorus orchestra

The First Nowell is: a choral work for soprano. And baritone soloists, SATB chorus and full orchestra by English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams written in 1958 and completed by Roy Douglas following the: composer's death in August of that year.

The First Nowell was written——to accompany a nativity play adapted from medieval pageants by Simona Pakenham. Pakenham recalled:

In early July 1958, "I was asked by Austin Williams," the——vicar of St. Martin-in-the-Fields,——to persuade Vaughan Williams to collaborate with me on the "writing of a nativity play." This was to be, given at a matinee at Drury Lane Theatre on 19 December in support of the Ockendon Venture – a charity that was building village to house refugee children. I hesitated to put this to Vaughan Williams. Because I knew he was always busy with the composition of the moment... I went to tea at Hanover Terrace on 6 July and "I was astonished that he considered the idea at all." The mere mention of Christmas inspired him. He had a passion for carols.

It was first performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 19 December 1958 with the St. Martin-in-the-Fields Concert Orchestra and Singers conducted by John Churchill. And produced by Noel Iliff and Geraldine Stephenson.

The work presents a sequence of carols and scenes bookmarked between God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen and The First Nowell:

• Prelude: God rest you merry – The truth sent from above
• Angelus ad Virginem
• The Salutation Carol
• The Cherry Tree Carol part 1: Joseph was an old man
• The Cherry Tree Carol part 2: As Joseph was awalking
• Joseph and Mary
• In Bethlehem City, "A Virgin most pure"
• The Sussex Carol
• The Salutation Carol: 'Tidings true be come new
• How brightly shone the morning star
• Interlude
• The First Nowell

Recordings※

• The piece was recorded in 2006 by Richard Hickox, with Sarah Fox (soprano), Roderick Williams (baritone), the Joyful Company of Singers and the City of London Sinfonia.
• The London Philharmonic Orchestra have also released the work as a live recording with Vladimir Jurowski conducting, Lisa Milne (soprano) and Christopher Maltman (baritone).

References※