What better way to wash down those mince pies than listening to this brilliant performance of Joy to the World performed by the VOCES8 Foundation Choir and Orchestra conducted by Barnaby Smith. This recording is part of 'Live from London Christmas 2023', a series of streamed concerts of an assortment of festival choral works running until 7 January.

The Joy to the World we all know and recognise was composed by American composer Lowell Mason in 1848. Lowell set the words of English minister and hymnwriter Isaac Watts that were written over a century before in 1719. The melody - a rather majestic descending major scale - was said to be based on the chorus 'Lift up your Head' from Handel's Messiah. Today Joy to the World is the most published Christmas carol in North America to date and this sublime arrangement by Taylor Scott Davis shows us exactly why that is!

Merry Christmas and we will be back with more Videos of the Day in the New Year - stay tuned!

Live from London Christmas 2023 runs until 7 January. You can find more information here. You can hear more Festivities from VOCES8 from their album 'A Choral Christmas' below via Apple Music.​