Un niño nos es naçido

​

An Iberian Christmas

 

Saturday 13 December 2025, 7.30pm

​

Holy Sepulchre (St Sepulchre-without-Newgate)

Holborn Viaduct, London. EC1A 2DQ

​

Conducted by David Allinson

​

Few nations celebrate Christmas with the intensity of the Spanish. 

​

Our December programme aims to dispel the cynicism of modern Christmastide with a mixture of superb motets, mass music and villancicos drawn from the Spanish golden age.

​

At the heart of our concert is the rhapsodic Missa Sancta et immaculata, which Francisco Guerrero based on a motet for Christmas morning composed by his teacher, the great Cristóbal de Morales. 

 

Several of the accompanying motets celebrate Mary’s role as the mother of Jesus, including ravishing rarities like the sweet, little-known setting of Alma Redemptoris Mater by Andreas de Silva, and the tender O Virgo Benedicta by Rodrigo de Ceballos, a composer whose quality is only recently being understood.

 

A selection of villancicos – polyphonic carols in Spanish – completes our programme, with catchy melodies and dance rhythms in works by Guerrero and Pedro Ruimonte invoking the spirit of fiesta.

 

Follow in the footsteps of los tres reyes magos and join us for an evening of Iberian festivity.

                    

​Repertoire includes

 

F. Guerrero Missa Sancta et immaculata

C. de Morales Sancta et immaculata virginitas

C. de Morales Ave Maria, gratia plena

R. de Ceballos O Virgo Benedicta

J.G de Padilla Christus Natus Est

T.L. de Victoria Ecce Dominus veniet

A. de Silva Alma redemptoris Mater

P. Ruimonte Luna que reluces

F. Guerrero Alma mirad vuestro Dios

F. Guerrero Niño Dios d'amor herido

F. Guerrero Al resplandor de una estrella