Sir David Valentine Willcocks CBE MC (born 30 December 1919) is a British c… Read Full Bio ↴Sir David Valentine Willcocks CBE MC (born 30 December 1919) is a British choral conductor, organist, and composer. His son, Jonathan Willcocks, is also a composer.
Born in Newquay in Cornwall, he began his musical training as a chorister at Westminster Abbey from 1929 to 1934. From 1934 to 1938, he was a music scholar at Clifton College, Bristol, before his appointment as organ scholar at King's College, Cambridge.
After WWII he returned to Cambridge in 1945 to complete his studies, and in 1947 was elected a Fellow of King's College and appointed Conductor of the Cambridge Philharmonic Society. In the same year, he became the organist at Salisbury Cathedral and the conductor of the Salisbury Musical Society. He moved to Worcester Cathedral in 1950 and remained until 1957, during which time he was organist of the Cathedral, principal conductor of the Three Choirs Festival in 1951, 1954, and 1957, and conductor of the City of Birmingham Choir. From 1956 to 1974 he was also conductor of the Bradford Festival Choral Society, whilst continuing as guest conductor for their carol concerts into the early 1990s.
From 1957 to 1974 he held the post for which he is probably best known, Director of Music at King's College, Cambridge. In addition, he served as the organist of Cambridge University, conductor of the Cambridge University Musical Society, and as University Lecturer. He made numerous recordings with the college choir; the choir toured extensively, giving concerts worldwide, as well as garnering further acclaim internationally through television and radio appearances. Under the baton of Willcocks, CUMS performed Benjamin Britten's War Requiem in 1963 in (Perugia) Milan, La Scala, and in Venice. The choir subsequently performed the work in Japan, Hong Kong, Portugal, and the Netherlands. In 1960, he also became the musical director of the Bach Choir in London.
He held these positions at Cambridge until the 1970s when he accepted the post of director of the Royal College of Music. In the 1971 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), and was created a Knight Bachelor in 1977 in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Honours. He holds honorary degrees in England from the Universities of Bradford, Bristol, Exeter, Leicester, and Sussex, and from the Royal College of Music in London; in the USA from Luther College (Iowa), St. Olaf College (Minnesota), Rowan University and Westminster Choir College (New Jersey); and in Canada from the Universities of Trinity, Toronto, and Victoria B.C. All in all, his honorary degrees number over fifty. He is President of the City of Bath Bach Choir and Exeter Festival Chorus.
He has made recordings with the Bach Choir, the English Chamber Orchestra, the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the Jacques Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra as well as with the Choir of King's College, Cambridge. He also served as general editor of the Church Music series of the Oxford University Press. He is particularly known for his widely-used choral arrangements of Christmas carols, most of which were originally written for the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols at King's or the Bach Choir's Christmas concerts. They are published in the five Carols for Choirs anthologies (1961–1987), edited by Willcocks with Reginald Jacques and John Rutter. He is currently Music Director Emeritus of King's College Choir, and an Honorary Fellow of King's College, Cambridge.
Born in Newquay in Cornwall, he began his musical training as a chorister at Westminster Abbey from 1929 to 1934. From 1934 to 1938, he was a music scholar at Clifton College, Bristol, before his appointment as organ scholar at King's College, Cambridge.
After WWII he returned to Cambridge in 1945 to complete his studies, and in 1947 was elected a Fellow of King's College and appointed Conductor of the Cambridge Philharmonic Society. In the same year, he became the organist at Salisbury Cathedral and the conductor of the Salisbury Musical Society. He moved to Worcester Cathedral in 1950 and remained until 1957, during which time he was organist of the Cathedral, principal conductor of the Three Choirs Festival in 1951, 1954, and 1957, and conductor of the City of Birmingham Choir. From 1956 to 1974 he was also conductor of the Bradford Festival Choral Society, whilst continuing as guest conductor for their carol concerts into the early 1990s.
From 1957 to 1974 he held the post for which he is probably best known, Director of Music at King's College, Cambridge. In addition, he served as the organist of Cambridge University, conductor of the Cambridge University Musical Society, and as University Lecturer. He made numerous recordings with the college choir; the choir toured extensively, giving concerts worldwide, as well as garnering further acclaim internationally through television and radio appearances. Under the baton of Willcocks, CUMS performed Benjamin Britten's War Requiem in 1963 in (Perugia) Milan, La Scala, and in Venice. The choir subsequently performed the work in Japan, Hong Kong, Portugal, and the Netherlands. In 1960, he also became the musical director of the Bach Choir in London.
He held these positions at Cambridge until the 1970s when he accepted the post of director of the Royal College of Music. In the 1971 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), and was created a Knight Bachelor in 1977 in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Honours. He holds honorary degrees in England from the Universities of Bradford, Bristol, Exeter, Leicester, and Sussex, and from the Royal College of Music in London; in the USA from Luther College (Iowa), St. Olaf College (Minnesota), Rowan University and Westminster Choir College (New Jersey); and in Canada from the Universities of Trinity, Toronto, and Victoria B.C. All in all, his honorary degrees number over fifty. He is President of the City of Bath Bach Choir and Exeter Festival Chorus.
He has made recordings with the Bach Choir, the English Chamber Orchestra, the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the Jacques Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra as well as with the Choir of King's College, Cambridge. He also served as general editor of the Church Music series of the Oxford University Press. He is particularly known for his widely-used choral arrangements of Christmas carols, most of which were originally written for the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols at King's or the Bach Choir's Christmas concerts. They are published in the five Carols for Choirs anthologies (1961–1987), edited by Willcocks with Reginald Jacques and John Rutter. He is currently Music Director Emeritus of King's College Choir, and an Honorary Fellow of King's College, Cambridge.
I Saw Three Ships
Sir David Willcocks Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'I Saw Three Ships' by these artists:
Anonymous 4 & Andrew Lawrence-King I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Bing Crosby Deck the halls with boughs of holly Fa la la la…
Blackmore's Night I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas day, on…
Bruce Cockburn I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas day, on…
Bruce Cockburn (Holiday) I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas day,…
Bruce Cockburn and Jackson Browne I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas day, on…
Chicago (Holiday) I saw three ships come sailing by On Christmas Day, on…
Choir and Orchestra I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Christmas Carols I saw three ships come sailing in, On Christmas Day, on…
Clare College Singers and Orchestra I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Dan Fogelberg I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Jim Brickman I saw three ships comes sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Jonathan Rees-Williams I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Judy Collins I saw three ships comes sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Kevin Max I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Kids - Children I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Kidz Bop I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
KITCHEN 1 - Nat King Cole I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Leroy Anderson And His Orchestra I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Libera I saw three ships I saw three ships come sailing in And…
Lindsey Stirling I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Lisa Glasgow Soloist with The Regency Singers and Orchestra I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Mantovani & His Orchestra and Sammes Chorus and Singers I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas day, on…
Mario Lanza (Holiday) I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Mario Lanza / Henri René I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Mario Lanza;Paul Baron I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Matt Norris & the Moon I saw three ships a sailing in on Christmas Day On…
Mikhail Gantvarg Carmen Piazzini & St. Petersburg Soloists I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Nat "King" Cole I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Nat King Cole I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Natalie Merchant I saw a ship a-sailing, A-sailing on the sea, And it was…
Pentatonix I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Plymouth Festival Chorus and Orchestra I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Rafflex I saw three ships I saw three ships come sailing in On…
Ray Conniff & The Singers I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas day, on…
Rick Springfield I saw three ships come sailing by On Christmas Day, on…
Robert Prizeman & Libera I saw three ships I saw three ships come sailing in And…
S. Stevens I saw three ships come sailin' in On Christmas day, on…
Salvation Army Band I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Shelley Marsh Shelley: I saw three ships come sailing in, on Christmas Day…
Sonos I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
South Park I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas day,…
St. Catherine's Choir I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Sufjan Stevens I saw three ships come sailin' in On Christmas day, on…
The Cantorum Choir I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
The Choir Of Westminster Cathedral I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
The Choirs and Orchestra of Brigham Young University I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Trace Adkins (Holiday) I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Traditional Version 1: I saw three ships come sailin' in On Ch…
Twila Paris I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas day, on…
Urban Method I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
William Sandys Version 1: I saw three ships come sailin' in On Chri…
Winchester College Chapel Choir I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas day, on…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Sir David Willcocks:
O come all ye faithful O come, all ye faithful Joyful and triumphant O come ye, O…
Willie Take Your Little Drum Willie, bring your little drum Robin bring your flute and co…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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Linda Jacobsen
Divine ❤️
David Crook
Very interesting information about this carol; thanks for sharing. The story about the skulls being transported to Cologne Cathedral has more credibility than the legend of the Bethlehem Ship Canal!! But a joyful tune, wonderful singing, marvellous choir, legendary director, everyone's favourite carol arranger and the acoustic wasn't so bad after all... But I doubt if those skulls were of the wise men and who says there were only three?
Reza Chity-G
The three wise men are three due to tradition and it makes sense as there were three gifts presented to our Lord, Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. So, therefore there is a gift to correspond to each man. Of course though they could have been a part of a much larger group.
ArchivesofSound
That's a can of worms we don't feel qualified to open..!
Yorick Jenkins
Christmas 1970! I was very happy then.