The Advent season, spanning the four weeks before Christmas, is a time of quiet anticipation and profound reflection. While its origins lie in Christian tradition, its themes – hope, peace, joy, and love – transcend boundaries, inviting all to pause and consider the deeper rhythms of life. Music, in particular, has been used for centuries to express the spirit of Advent, capturing its blend of longing and celebration, solemnity and joy.
Cecilia McDowall (b.1951)
Now May We Singen (2006)
The Sixteen
Harry Christophers (conductor)
John Rutter (1945)
Candlelight Carol (1984)
The Cambridge Singers
City of London Sinfonia
John Rutter (conductor)
James MacMillan (1959)
Veni, Veni, Emanuel: Dance–Hocket (1992)
Evelyn Glennie (percussion)
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959)
Ave Maria (Advent setting)
Riga Chamber Choir
Imamants Kokars (conductor)
J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
Advent cantata BWV 61 (1714)
Overture: Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland
Leipzig New Bach Collegium Musicum
Hans-Joachim Rotzsch (conductor)
The Themes of Advent in Music
Hope: The Ancient Call of Veni, Veni, Emmanuel
The Advent journey often begins with hope, a theme embodied in the ancient hymn Veni, Veni, Emmanuel. Rooted in the medieval O Antiphons, this haunting melody has resonated for centuries, evolving into its modern form after its inclusion in Hymns Ancient and Modern (1861). Its plaintive yet hopeful mood reflect the season’s spirit of expectation, a call for light in darkness.
James MacMillan, one of Britain’s most celebrated contemporary composers, reimagined this hymn in his 1992 percussion concerto Veni, Veni, Emmanuel. Commissioned for Evelyn Glennie and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the work transforms the 15th-century plainchant into a vituosic, rhythmically charged exploration of Advent’s tension and vitality. MacMillan’s concerto unfolds in a single, continuous movement, moving from the quiet longing of Advent to the triumphant renewal of Easter. The piece’s emotional depth and spiritual energy – particularly in its thrilling Dance – Hocket section – capture the season’s dynamic interplay of anticipation and joy.
MacMillan’s music, deeply influenced by his Scottish heritage and Catholic faith, often draws on folk idioms and sacred themes. His ability to weave tradition with innovation has earned him widespread acclaim, including a knighthood in 2015. Veni, Veni, Emmanuel stands as a testament to his gift for evoking both the intimacy and grandeur of Advent’s message.
Peace: The Serene Radiance of Candlelight Carol
Peace, another central theme of Advent, finds expression in John Rutter’s Candlelight Carol (1984). Inspired by Geertgen tot Sint Jans’ painting Nativity at Night, Rutter’s carol captures the tender intimacy of Mary cradling her newborn son, bathed in candlelight. The work’s melody and harmonies create a sense of stillness and reverence, making it a beloved staple of Christmas concerts worldwide.
Rutter is renowned for his ability to blend the warmth of the English choral tradition with touches of French harmonic colour. His works, including Candlelight Carol, are celebrated for their clarity, emotional directness, and universal appeal. Knighted in 2024, Rutter’s music continues to inspire, offering a moment of peace amid the season’s hustle.
Joy: The Festive Energy of Now May We Singen and Bach’s Cantatas
Joy is perhaps the most exuberant of Advent’s themes, and few works capture its spirit as vividly as Cecilia McDowall’s Now May We Singen (2006). This lively carol for unaccompanied SATB choir weaves 15th-century English text with Latin phrases, creating a dance-like rhythm that embodies the season’s festive energy. McDowall’s music, known for its lyrical melodies and striking dissonances, brings a sense of vibrant celebration to Advent, reminding listeners that joy is not the absence of struggle but the ability to find light within it.
Similarly, J.S. Bach’s Advent cantata Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (BWV 61, 1714) radiates joyful anticipation. Composed for the First Sunday of Advent, the cantata’s opening chorus is a triumphant call to prepare for Christ’s coming, blending urgency with warmth. Bach’s mastery of counterpoint and expressive depth infuses the work with a sense of spiritual exhilaration, a hallmark of his Lutheran tradition.
Love: The Devotional Warmth of Villa-Lobos’ Ave Maria
Love, the final theme of Advent, is beautifully expressed in Heitor Villa-Lobos’ Ave Maria (1918). This serene setting for unaccompanied choir fuses the solemnity of Latin liturgy with the subtle warmth of Brazilian folk traditions. Villa-Lobos, a pioneer of Brazilian national music, drew on his Catholic upbringing and the rich musical tapestry of his homeland to create works that are both deeply spiritual and distinctly vibrant. His Ave Maria, championed by choirs like the Riga Chamber Choir, offers a moment of devotion, a reminder of the season’s call to love and compassion.
Celebrating Advent Through Music
Advent is a season that invites reflection, not just through quiet contemplation but also through the transformative power of music. The works featured today remind us that Advent is not merely a countdown to Christmas but a time to embrace hope, cultivate peace, celebrate joy, and share love – through music and through life.
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