The Boar's Head Festival (1999)

The Boar's Head Festival and Yule Log Ceremony is one of the oldest continuing festivals of the Christmas season, having been presented at least as early as 1340 at Queen's College, Oxford. It in time became a part of the Christmas celebration of England's great manor houses and the tradition was continued in the homes of colonial America. Its first known public presentation in America was in 1888.

The version of the festival performed by Vanguard Voices at Cherry Hill Presbyterian Church, Dearborn, was inspired by the ceremony held at Christ Church Cincinnati since 1940. Dearborn native Steven Errante set familiar and ancient carols such as Deck The Halls, The Holly And The Ivy, The Wassail Song and O Come, O Come Emmanuel as well as original music for the elaborate costumed pageant in 1972. Performed here with choir, organ and orchestra, The Boar's Head Festival is conducted by G. Kevin Dewey, himself a performer in the festival since an early age.  SOLD OUT

Track List
          1.   Prelude - Orchestra
          2.   Deck the Halls - Chorus
          3.   The Holly and the Ivy - Trimmers, Chorus
          4.   Here We Come A-Wassailing - Waits, Chorus
          5.   God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - Chorus
          6.   The Boar’s Head Carol - Herald, Chorus
          7.   Recessional - Organ
          8.   Shepherd’s Sequence - Herald, Angel, Chorus
          9.   O Come, O Come Emmanuel - Shepherds, Chorus
       10.   What Child Is This - Shepherdesses, Chorus
       11.   Kings to Thy Rising - Kings, Chorus
       12.   We Three Kings - Kings, Chorus
       13.   Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence - Chorus
       14.   O Come, All Ye Faithful - Chorus

Presented by Cherry Hill Presbyterian Church, Dearborn, Michigan.
Arrangement, orchestration, and special music by Steven Errante.
Boar’s Head Festival Orchestra
Vanguard Voices
Conducted by G. Kevin Dewey