Baritone Gareth Brynmor John to make Yorkshire Bach Choir debut at Christmas

That night the York choir will perform a trio of festive works by two Bachs – JS and CPE – at the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York, as part of the 2016 York Early Music Christmas Festival.

JS Bach’s Magnificat, with its exuberant choruses, colourful orchestration and beautiful solo writing, captures the divine joy of a pregnant Mary. No less infectious, or musically varied, is CPE Bach’s stylish 1786 setting, which energetically re-invigorates the magnificence of his father's composition.

The ever-popular cantata Wachet Auf (Sleepers, Wake) promises the ultimate musical wake-up call for Advent with some of JS Bach’s most memorable and timeless music.

Gareth Brynmor John will be joined by soprano soloists Bethany Seymour and Wendy Goodson, altos Rachel Lancaster and Solomon Hayes and tenor Jason Darnell, as well as the Yorkshire Baroque Soloists.

Looking ahead to the 7.30pm concert, conductor Peter Seymour says: "Tickets are already selling strongly for the always winning combination of Bach and Christmas. It's exciting to be performing Wachet Auf with the full colour of Bach’s orchestration and what promise to be some wonderful solo performances.

"It's always lovely to return to JS Bach’s Magnificat, which is such a joyous, infectious highlight of his extraordinary compositional output. No less extraordinary, but very different in many ways is his son CPE’s even more grand setting of the Magnificat. I believe this is the first time the piece, considered by many to be his large-scale masterpiece, has been performed in York.

"It's a challenging but immensely rewarding work with virtuosic instrumental and choral music. Listeners who are not familiar with CPE's work will be surprised both by the scale and expressiveness of the music."

Prompt booking is advised for what is likely to be a sell-out event. Tickets are on sale at £25, concessions £23, on 01904 658338 or at ncem.co.uk