Sir David Willcocks
Sir David Valentine Willcocks, (30 December 1919 – 17 September 2015) was a British choral conductor, organist, composer and music administrator. He was particularly well known for his association with the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, which he directed from 1957 to 1974, making frequent broadcasts and recordings. Several of the descants and carol arrangements he wrote for the annual service of Nine Lessons and Carols were published in the series of books Carols for Choirs which he edited along with Reginald Jacques and John Rutter. He was also director of the Royal College of Music in London. During the Second World War (1939–1945) he served as an officer in the British Army, and was decorated with the Military Cross for his actions on Hill 112 during the Battle of Normandy in July 1944. His elder son, Jonathan Willcocks, is also a composer.
Genre: choral, christmas
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Top Tracks
- Haydn: The Creation, Hob. XXI:2, Pt. 1: Trio and Chorus. "The Heavens Are Telling" (Chorus, Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael)
- Vaughan Williams: Hodie: III. Song. "It Was the Winter Wild"
- A Ceremony of Carols, Op. 28: IV. That Younge Child
- A Ceremony of Carols, Op. 28: VIII. In Freezing Winter Night
- See Amid The Winter's Snow
- Hark! The Herald-Angels Sing
- O sacred head, sore wounded ('Passion Chorale': English Hymnal No. 102; O Haupt voll Blud und Wunden from the St Matthew Passion BWV244 Nos. 21 & 72)
- Traditional: Ding Dong! Merrily on High (Arr. Willcocks)
- Magnificat (Formerly Attrib. Pergolesi): Et misericordia
- Fauré: Pavane, Op. 50
- Palestrina: Missarum liber secundus: No. 7, Missa "Papae Marcelli": III. Credo
- Palestrina: Missarum liber secundus: No. 7, Missa "Papae Marcelli": II. Gloria
- Palestrina: Missarum liber secundus: No. 7, Missa "Papae Marcelli": I. Kyrie
- Traditional: O Come, All Ye Faithful (Arr. Willcocks)
- It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
- Glory Be To Jesus
- Magnificat (Formerly Attrib. Pergolesi): Sicut locutus est....Gloria
- Magnificat (Formerly Attrib. Pergolesi): Suscepit Israel
- Magnificat (Formerly Attrib. Pergolesi): Deposuit Potentes
- Palestrina: Missarum liber secundus: No. 7, Missa "Papae Marcelli": VII. Agnus Dei II
Albums (50)
- Vaughan Williams: Five Tudor Portraits (2025)
- Christmas Carols (2024)
- A Festival of Lessons and Carols (2023)
- Der Messias (2022)
- King's College Choir - A Bach Christmas (2022)
- Three Christmas Cantatas (2022)
- A Festival of Lessons and Carols (2020)
- Great Cathedral Anthems, Vol. 12 (2020)
- Nicholas Maw: Life Studies - Richard Rodney Bennett: Spells (2020)
- Bach: Motets (2020)
- Christmas Choral (2019)
- A Boy Was Born (2019)
- 100 Years of Nine Lessons & Carols (2018)
- Handel Edition, Vol. 7 (2018)
- Bach, J.S.: Jesu, Priceless Treasure (2015)
- A Festival of Lessons and Carols (2015)
- Christmas from Cambridge (2015)
- A Procession With Carols (2015)
- Taverner: Tudor Church Music; Croft: Burial Service (2015)
- Tallis: Tudor Church Music II (Lamentations of Jeremiah) [Remastered 2015] (2015)
- Tallis: Tudor Church Music I (Spem in alium) [Remastered 2015] (2015)
- On Christmas Night (2015)
- Howells: Te Deum and Jubilate (Collegium Regale); Vaughan Williams: Three Shakespeare Songs (2015)
- Handel: Coronation Anthems (Remastered 2015) (2015)
- Bach, J.S.: St. John Passion (2015)
- Byrd: Mass in 5 Parts; Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis (Remastered 2015) (2015)
- Byrd: Mass in 3 Parts; Mass in 4 Parts (Remastered 2015) (2015)
- Playing Christmas Themes (2014)
- Sir David Willcocks Conducts... Haydn: The Nelson Mass (2014)
- The Christmas Book (2014)
- God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (2014)
- Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful) (2014)
- The Christmas Album (2014)
- Handel: L'allegro ed il penseroso, HWV 55 (Remastered) (2014)
- Dyson: St Paul's Voyage to Melita & Agincourt (2014)
- Choral Music by George Dyson (2014)
- Rejoice, the Lord is King: Great Hymns from Westminster Abbey (2014)
- Maw: Life Studies - Bennett: Spells (2012)
- Choral Music of David Willcocks (2011)
- Choral Music of David Willcocks (2011)
- Popplewell: Organ Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 (2007)
- Parry: Ode on the Nativity - Vaughan Williams: The Sons of Light - Holst: The Mystic Trumpeter (2007)
- Vaughan Williams, Holst & Parry: Choral Works (2007)
- Coronation Anthems (2006)
- Haydn: The Creation . Missa in tempore belli (2006)
- Bach: Cantata No 147; The Six Motets; Chorales & Chorale Preludes for Advent and Christmas (2005)
- Bach: Jesu, Priceless Treasure (2000)
- Great Choral Classics from King's (1997)
- Haydn: The Masses (1996)
- Vivaldi: Gloria; Pergolesi: Magnificat (1966)
Full machine-verifiable record (JSON-LD, dual-chain proof, every album and recording): https://artists.proofprofile.net/storage/jsonld/artists/44cd/artist-17613.json