Of all the Christmas pieces I've been sent so far, this is the one that has stood out: I'll definitely be foisting it on my choir for this year's carol service. Kevin Crossley-Holland's icy, bracing text has provided ample inspiration for Chilcott, who has created a carol that is at once beautiful and faintly unsettling . . . The most magical moment for me is the return of the original melody on page 7, a moment to make the members of your congregation hold their breath.

Bob Chilcott has become one of the world's most widely performed composers and arrangers of choral music. His compositional output reflects his wide taste in music styles and his commitment to writing music that is both singable and communicative. He has been involved in choral music most of his life he was a chorister and then a choral scholar in the choir of King's College, Cambridge, and was a member of the British vocal group The King's Singers for whom he made a number of popular arrangements of well-known songs from all genres. As well as being a full-time composer he is also a highly acclaimed choral conductor. He has been privileged to conduct many choirs all over the world. He is Principal Guest Conductor of The BBC Singers and in 2019 he was appointed Principal Conductor of Birmingham University Singers. His music has been widely recorded by many choirs and groups including The King's Singers, Tenebrae, and The BBC Singers.