Category: Factual & Arts TV
Date: 15.12.2005
Printable version
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 and St Martin-in-the-Fields Church have announced the winner of their Christmas Carol Competition - Noel Rawsthorne, from Liverpool.
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The competition, launched in July 2005, was to compose a piece of choral music to new words written by the clergy of St Martin's.
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There were more than 500 entries from all over the world vying for the Β£1,000 prize money offered by St Martin's - and a chance to hear their winning entry premiered on Radio 4's Christmas Morning Service.
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Noel, who is Organist Emeritus of Liverpool Cathedral and was senior lecturer in music at St Catherine's College for 40 years, took a day to compose the music.
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He said: "I am absolutely delighted to have won such a prestigious competition. It was right up my street as I have spent a lot of time writing choral and organ music since retiring.
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"When you already have the words, the music can sometimes just jump off the paper. It is a very joyful carol and I am particularly excited about hearing my work broadcast on Radio 4 on Christmas morning."
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Nick Danks, Director of Music at St Martin's, said: "The response to the competition was tremendous. The entries encompassed a hugely varied range of styles, which made it really enjoyable to judge, but we felt that Noel's stood out because of its memorable tune, sensitive word setting and accessibility to a wide variety of choirs."
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Andrew Caspari, Commissioning Editor at Radio 4, said: "The carol will be a very special ingredient for the Christmas Morning Service and we are delighted to have helped stimulate so many people to write a piece of Church music.
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"It has also been good to hear that so many services around the country are using settings of these remarkable words this Christmas."
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Christmas Morning Service will be broadcast on Radio 4 on Sunday 25 December at 9.00am from St Martin's, Trafalgar Square.
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Notes to Editors
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A feature also appears in the Christmas issue of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Music Magazine, which includes an interview with the winner and 'behind the scenes' information about the competition.
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JC/CR
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