Although it shares its name with the title of one of my Christmas pieces, this album is as much about the season of winter as it is about Christmas. The common themes linking all 19 tracks are of light triumphing over darkness, good overcoming evil and, ultimately, love conquering all. The first 12 tracks tell the familiar Christmas story, from the eager anticipation of the saviour’s birth (Advent ‘O’ Carol, track 1) and its foretelling by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah’s prophecy, track 2) to the annunciation (I will hold him, track 3, and O virgo virginum, track 4), to the birth itself (Carol of the crib, track 5, and Jesus Christ is born today, track 7) and its significance for humankind (In the bleak mid-winter, track 8, and Love came down, track 9). Thereafter, the visitation of the shepherds (Song of the shepherds, track 10) and the arrival of the magi at Epiphany (A present for the future, track 12) remind us that we, like the shepherds and wise men, need also to follow the light (A story of light, track 11). In the midst of this nativity narrative sits the title track (Winter light, track 6) whose words mark the transition from darkness to light.

The second part of the album takes on an altogether different tone to reflect the secular, winter themes. As a professional singer, I relish performing classical music as much as I love to perform in non-classical styles and it’s the same with composing music. Whereas the first part of this album is stylistically largely within the realms of the sacred choral music tradition, the latter leans towards jazz and folk. I wrote The three wise women (track 13) in response to a commission from St Swithun’s School in Winchester. I thought it would be fun to redress a gender imbalance: there are numerous pieces in the Christmas choral repertoire about the three wise men so it was about time for the women to have their own song. Mary, Elizabeth and Anna, 'one young, one middle-aged and one old', had vital roles to play, after all.

The remaining six tracks explore various winter themes. Alexander and I were commissioned to write Winter Songs (tracks 14-16) for the 60th anniversary of Finchley Children’s Music Group. Though conceived for children’s voices, the songs’ themes of hibernation, homelessness and human kindness are relevant to all ages and I’m delighted to have been able to record them with the sopranos and altos of London Voices. I wrote Green Christmas (track 17) during the first Covid lockdown, when environmental concerns were at the forefront of all our minds. A version of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas had been playing on the radio when the notion of an alternative, green Christmas came into my head. I originally released it as a solo song but the version on this album is a brand new SATB arrangement, by my brilliant husband, to enable choirs to sing it. Spring will come again (track 18) is a song I wrote for a larger work called Wassail! Carols of Comfort and Joy which comprises new arrangements of folk carols. I wanted my song to sound as if it too might have been an old folk song, hence the poetic structure, the compound time rhythms and the repeating refrain. The lyrics create a circle-of-life metaphor in which a couple’s relationship, from meeting to marrying to starting a family to the children leaving home and starting their own lives, is likened to the rhythm of the seasons. The album concludes with an arrangement of Auld lang syne (track 19) which I wrote many years ago when I was Musical Director of The Swingle Singers. We used to perform it as the final encore of our Christmas shows in Japan but to Chikai Inagaki’s words 'Hotaru no hikari', as it is traditionally sung by Japanese students when they graduate.

The impetus for recording this album sprang from my desire to present choirs with some contemporary yet singable winter/Christmas-themed pieces which they might like to add to their repertoire. Whether yours is a mixed voice choir, upper voice choir or youth choir, you’ll find something amongst these tracks. I love to hear from choirs who perform my music so please feel free to write to me via my website.

Winter light is dedicated in memory of my darling mum, Hilary Spaight Forbes, who died in September 2023. Having endured a life-long struggle with depression she began to experience peace of mind during the last decade of her life. For anyone who struggles with low mood I hope that the theme of this album, that there is always light to be found in the darkness, will lift your spirits. Winter months can be challenging for many of us but, whether you take comfort from the birth of Jesus bringing light into a dark world or in trusting that winter will turn to spring or in humankind’s capacity for kindness, music can provide such solace.

The photograph on the cover was taken on a winter walk in my home village of Wheathampstead. I was drawn to the way that the sunlight shone through the tree, a reminder that, even in the depths of winter, there is still light.

Joanna Forbes L'Estrange © 2024