Vaughan Williams: The First Nowell (A Nativity Play) - Pro Arte Orchestra, Jack Miller, Director

Ralph Vaughan Williams -- THE FIRST NOWELL liner notes

THE FIRST NOWELL by Ralph Vaughan Williams employs traditional English carols to accompany and tie together the nativity story, The carols, heard alone as in this recording, are a wonderfully evocative sequence which relates the various legends, traditions, and events of the Christmas Story. THE FIRST NOWELL, which is scored for strings, winds, brass, timpani, and harp was first performed by the St. Martin­in-the-Fields Orchestra and Singers conducted by John Churchill, and produced by Noel Iliff and Geraldine Stephenson at the Theatre Royal on December 19, 1958.