Complete Track List:

1. Dagen är kommen 04:36
2. När juldagsmorgon glimmar 02:43
3. Det är en ros utsprungen 02:24
4. Betlehems stjärna (Gläns över sjö och strand) 03:17
5. Ding, dong, merrily on high 01:53
6. Nu tändas tusen juleljus 02:32
7. Stilla natt 02:44
8. Gladelig vi sjunge dig 01:49
9. Förunderligt och märkligt 02:27
10. Vid Betlehem 04:59
11. Tre kungar 02:40
12. Härlig är jorden 02:51
13. O helga natt (Adams julsång) 04:19
14. I saw three ships 02:11
15. Jungfru Maria 02:43
16. Och det hände vid den tiden 03:03
17. Jul, jul, strålande jul 02:37
18. Ave Maria 05:51
19. Tomorrow shall be my dancing day 02:41
20. Lyss till änglasångens ord 03:03

Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker was first performed in St. Petersburg in 1890, damned with the faintest of praise by the Tsar, who remarked that it was "very nice". The composer himself expressed dissatisfaction with his music for The Nutcracker, a subject proposed by Marius Petipa and the Imperial Theatre Directorate in 1891 and first performed at the Maryinsky in December, 1892, again to a cool reception. The music itself, however, had already proved popular enough in a suite arranged by Tchaikovsky for a concert earlier in the year. The story of the ballet is drawn from E.T.A. Hoffmann's tale, Der Nussknacker und der Mäuserkönig. Set in the eighteenth century, initially in the house of the President of one of the German states of the period, the ballet opens with a children's Christmas party, at which Drosselmeyer, a slightly sinister adult, brings presents, a doll for Clara, the daughter of the house, and a toy soldier for Franz, her brother. When the children are told not to open their presents, Drosselmeyer quietens them by giving the two a pair of nutcrackers, promptly broken by Franz who tries to crack the biggest nut he can find. The Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava), the oldest symphonic ensemble in Slovakia, was founded in 1929. The orchestra's first conductor was František Dyk and over the past sixty years it has worked under the direction of several prominent Czech and Slovak conductors. The orchestra has made many recordings for the Naxas label ranging from the ballet music of Tchaikovsky to more modern works by composers such as Copland, Britten and Prokofiev. For Marco Polo the orchestra has recorded works by Glazunov, Glière, Rubinstein and other late romantic composers and film music of Honegger, Bliss, Ibert and Khachaturian. Ondrej Lenard was born in 1942 and had his early training in Bratislava, where, at the age of 17, he entered the Academy of Music and Drama, to study under Ludovit Rajter. His graduation concert in 1964 was given with the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra and during his two years of military service he conducted the Army Orchestral Ensemble, later renewing an earlier connection with the Slovak National Opera, where he has continued to direct performances.

Personnel: Julian Cole (viols, rebec, double bass, recorders, percussion); Chris Rua (viols, recorders, shawm, oboe, harp, percussion); Lisle Kulbach (recorders, rebec, psaltery, harp, viols, violin, six-hole pipe); Tom Zajac (recorders, Renaissance flute, hurdy-gurdy, Jew's harp, bagpipe, pipe, tabor, sackbut, percussion), The Young Singers from the Washington Revels, The Handbell Choir of St. Peter's School Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (background vocals).
Recorded at St. Columbia's Episcopal Church, Washington, D.C. in June 1992. Includes liner notes by Susan Cooper.

Track Listing
1. Abbots Bromley Horn Dance
2. Room's Opening Lines
3. Wassail Carol
4. Father Christmas Verse
5. Boar's Head Carol, The
6. Constant Billy
7. Here We Come a-Wassailing
8. Villagers All!
9. There Was a Pig
10. Monk's March, The
11. Dargason
12. Fra Giovanni
13. Holly and the Ivy, The
14. Fool's Verse
15. Lord of the Dance
16. Brass Fanfare
17. Masters in This Hall
18. Shakespeare Lines
19. Nova! Nova!
20. Nativity
21. Alle Psallite Cum Luya
22. Moon Shines Bright, The
23. St. George's Verse
24. Sword Dance Tunes
25. Shortest Day, The
26. Wren Song, The
27. Apple Tree Wassail
28. 12 Days of Christmas, The
29. Fool's Farewell, The
30. Sussex Mummers' Carol

There are Christians who refuse to celebrate the season because of its pagan origins, grounded in Solstice revels. These origins were made abundantly clear when John Langstaff first staged the Christmas Revels in New York City's Town Hall in 1957. The Revels, then, were a celebration of the rebirth of the New Year, but Langstaff added a twist. He would also enfold Christ -- the "Lord of the Dance" -- into his pageant, arguing that His death and rebirth fit perfectly into ancient pagan ritual. This 1978 version of The Christmas Revels offers but one version of the ever-evolving procession, featuring Langstaff as lead baritone on favorites like "The Boar's Head Carol" and "Lord of the Dance." A large cast, performing choral vocals, spoken parts, and instrumentals, brings an energetic dignity to a mixture of traditional songs, dances, ritual, and poetry. While the spoken portions of the Revels probably work better in a live theater experience, its important to remember that the program is meant as a community celebration. While some people will find this music a bit eccentric, the sort of thing one might hear on public radio on Christmas Eve; The Christmas Revels breaks away from yet another version of "Silent Night" and offers a refreshing way to celebrate the season. Pagans of all stripes will also be glad to have a holiday album to call their own. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.