Album: Various composers, The Spirit of Christmas – Le Brocq, (Mark & Flynn)

Reviewed by Anna Picard

Opera singer Mark Le Brocq is joined by his treble son Flynn in this charming disc of seasonal songs arranged for chamber ensemble by Harvey Brough.

There's a touch of the Von Trapps in the shyly arpeggiated guitar accompaniment to "Silent Night", while Brough's string quartet scoring of the Appalachian carol "I wonder as I wander" features the sharp, glancing figures of American minimalism. Ten per cent of sales go to Headway North Cumbria, the brain injury association. Sweet music for a good cause.

Pick of the album: Brough's Neapolitan arrangement of 'Mille cherubini in coro'