David Mitchell's Christmas Cantata is a 100-minute-long contemporary oratorio for Advent, Christmas or Epiphany. Its musical language is a fusion of choral pop, township jazz, and lounge music, with shades of plainsong, Renaissance opera, and Bollywood. Though popular in style, it stands consciously in the great tradition of western sacred oratorio.It's all about voices: choruses, solos, duets, trios, quartets, octets, recitatives. You'll need a good, keen chorus who can sing the notes. And you'll need soprano and baritone soloists. They can be a bit freer in their delivery.The singers are supported by a continuo trio of piano, bass, and drums. You can put on a great performance with just these three instruments, and a flute or trumpet too.No musicians? No problem. You can download backing tracks to accompany your choir.But, if you really want to go to town, there are parts for orchestra too...