Five Saints
With Donald Macleod.
5: Nicholas. The life of Nicholas of Bari was filled with miracles, from those surrounding his conception and birth to those he performed as a priest.
He became bishop of Myra (in modern Turkey) and, as one account reveals, "from the minute the saint became a priest, one can hardly keep count of the virtue and goodness he spread about him, of the nights spent at his devotions, days of fasting, steadfast goodwill and his prayers for all." The cult of Nicholas gradually became one of the most important in the Catholic world; his special sympathy with sailors and with children became widely celebrated, and eventually he became synonymous with giving presents to children at Christmas time. Even his name evolved - to
Santa Claus. Music includes:
Britten St Nicholas (excerpts)
Harry Briggs (treble), Anthony Rolfe
Johnson (tenor), Choir of St George 's Chapel, Windsor, Corydon Singers, English Chamber Orchestra, conductor Matthew Best
Langlais Legende de St Nicholas (Suite Folklorique) The Composer (organ)
Haydn Mass in G (St Nicholas) (excerpt) Nancy Argenta (soprano), Catherine Robbin (mezzo), Michael Schade
(tenor), Alastair Miles (bass), Choir and Orchestra of the English
Concert, director Trevor Pinnock