Cecilia McDowall: ‘There is no rose’ (King’s College, Cambridge carol commission 2021)
In 2021, during her 70th birthday year, the award-winning Oxford composer, Cecilia McDowall, was commissioned by King’s College, Cambridge to write the carol for ‘A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols’ to be sung by The Choir of King’s College, directed by Daniel Hyde. Cecilia chose to set the traditional text There is no rose for unaccompanied SATB (with divisi). The carol conveys a feeling of intimacy and quiet joy, which is intended to bring a moment of stillness during the service. It is the 38th carol to be commissioned by the King’s College, Cambridge for ‘A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols’.
Based in London, Cecilia McDowall is perhaps best known for her choral works, though her output extends far beyond this and into the realm of organ music. She has won many awards including the British Composer Award Choral category in 2014 for her haunting work, Night Flight.
McDowall's distinctive style fuses fluent melodic lines with occasional dissonant harmonies and rhythmic exuberance. Her music has been commissioned and performed by leading choirs and artists, including the BBC Singers, The Sixteen, Oxford and Cambridge choirs, ensembles, and at festivals worldwide.
Music: Cecilia McDowall ‘O Oriens’, sung by The Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge. Director: Andrew Nethsingha. © Signum Records ‘Christmas with St John’s’ album. Used by kind permission.
© Oxford University Press
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