The title refers to the period between 25 December, the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord, commonly called Christmas (when the Church celebrates the Mass of Christ), and 2 February, the feast known as the Presentation of Christ in the Temple or, as it was commonly known in past centuries, Candlemas (The Mass of Candles), referring to the tradition of lighting candles during the singing of the Nunc dimittis before Mass.
 
The pieces are selections from the ‘Christmas to Candlemas’ concert programs that Ensemble Gombert has been performing annually since 1994. Often billed as “Melbourne’s carol-free Christmas concert”, ‘Christmas to Candlemas’ usually features an array of motets and a Mass setting chosen from the vast array of riches from the High and Late Renaissance.”
 
1. Jean Mouton – Nesciens mater virgo virum (a8)
2. Josquin Des Préz – Praeter rerum seriem (a6)
3. Andreas de Silva – Puer natus est nobis (a5)
4. Nicolas Gombert – Hodie nobis caelorum Rex (a5)
5. Jacobus Clemens non Papa – O magnum mysterium (a6)
6. Thomas Tallis – ‘Gloria’ from Missa Puer natus est nobis (a7)
7. Tomás Luis de Victoria – Quem vidistis, pastores (a6)
8. Jacobus Clemens non Papa – Vox in Rama (a4)
9. Orlando de Lassus – Omnes de Saba venient (a8)
10. John Sheppard – Reges Tharsis et insulae (a6)
11. Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina – Senex puerum portabat (a5)
12. Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina – Nunc dimittis (a12)
 
Singers: Deborah Summerbell, Carol Veldhoven, Fiona Seers, Maria Pisani, Claewen Jones, Kathryn Pisani, Jennifer Mathers, Belinda Wong, Niki Ebacioni, Rebecca Woods, Peter Campbell, Tim van Nooten, Vaughan McAlley, Stuart Tennant, Alexander Roose, Philip Nicholls, Tom Reid, Tim Daly