Victor Hely-Hutchinson was born in Cape Town, South Africa, on December 26, 1901, and died in London, England, on March 11, 1947. Approximate performance of A Carol Symphony is twenty-four minutes.

The British composer, pianist, conductor, and educator Victor Hely-Hutchinson was born in Cape Town, South Africa, a son of the last Governor of Cape Colony. A musical prodigy, Hely-Hutchinson studied first in South Africa, and then in England. In 1922, Hely-Hutchinson began teaching at the South African College of Music in Cape Town. In 1922, he became a member of the staff of the BBC in London. From 1933-44 Hely-Hutchinson was a Professor of Music at the University of Birmingham. In 1944, Hely-Hutchinson became Director of Music of the BBC, a position held until the composer’s untimely death from pneumonia, in 1947.

Among Hely-Hutchinson’s compositions, the most famous is A Carol Symphony (1927). The work is in four movements, played without pause. Each movement is based upon Christmas melodies. The first (Allegro energico), in the style of a Bach chorale prelude, features O Come, All Ye Faithful. The second movement is a lively Scherzo (Allegro molto moderato) setting of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. The slow-tempo third movement (Andante quasi lento e cantabile) includes both Lullay, lullay (Coventry Carol) and The First Nowell. The finale (Allegro energico come prima) features the Symphony’s opening music, as well as Here We Come A-Wassailing and O Come, All Ye faithful.

Program notes by Ken Meltzer