Since its inception in 1991, the Singer Pur ensemble have become one of the leading a cappella choirs in Germany. These former members of the Regensburger Domspatzen are known for their tireless international activity as musical Ambassadors from the city of Regensburg. In 2013 the group won the coveted Caeciliaprijs (Belgium) and the Bavarian State Prize for music.

With their brilliant Christmas CD Singer Pur sets new standards in the interpretation of traditional carols. A special 2 CD edition. - Oehms, (translated from German text.)

CD 1
1. We tell you to love Advent - Melody: Heinrich pipe 1954 | Set: Oliver Gies (born 1973), 201 33:22
2. Nun komm - Melody: Martin Luther, 1524 | Set: 1. verse: Melchior Vulpius, 1609 2nd verse: Andreas Raselius, 1599, 3rd stanza: Johann Eccard (1553-1611), 4th verse: Johann Hermann Schein (1586-1630), 5th verse: Michael Praetorius (1571-1621) 03:09
3. Übers mountains' Maria goes - melody and sentence: Johann Eccard, 1575 03:00
4. I ??broke three drought Reiselein - melody and phrase: Hugo Distler (1908-1942) 02:03
5. Us Let's be happy and cheerful - Melody: 19th century | Set: Bernhard Hofmann (* 1959) 2:45
6. Adventlied - Es kommt ein Schiff - Melody: Andernacher Hymns, 1608 | Set: Max Reger (1873-1916 ) 2:04
7. Power up the door - Melodie: Johann Anastasius Freylinghausen (1670-1739) Hall, 1704 - Set: William Hawley (* 1950) 3:00
8. Maria went through a thorn forest - Melody: folk song from Eichsfeld to Harthausen, Spiritual Songs, 1853 - record: Hugh Keyte | Andrew Parrott, 1992 02:07
9. O you quiet time - melody: Cesar Bresgen (1913-1988) | Sentence: Marcus Schmidl (* 1971), 2015 02:46
10. Morgenstern was dark night - Melody: Georg Joseph Vogler (1749-1814) | Set: Heinz-Walter Schmitz (1944) 2:32
11. Awake! ruft uns die Stimme - Melody: Philipp Nicolai by Hans Sachs, 1513 | Set: Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750 ) 1:50
12. O Heiland, the heavens tear on - Melody: Augsburg, 1666 | Set: Reiko Füting (* 1970), 2014 03:11
13 Es kommt ein Schiff - Melody: Andernacher Hymns, 1608 | Sentence: Marcus Schmidl (* 1971), 201 54:08
14. Now, dear soul, now it is time - set: Johann Eccard (1553-1611 ) 3:05
15. Come O, O come, Immanuel - melody: Dusseldorf, 1836, 4th verse: France (15th Century.) | Set: Florian Mayr (* 1962 ) 4:09
16 And our dear Lady Dream - Melody: Hymns of Nicolaus Beuttner, 1602 | Set: Max Reger (1873-1916 ) 2:11
17. Daughter of Zion, Rejoice - Melody: George Frederick Handel, 1747 | Sentence: Marcus Schmidl (* 1971), late 20th century .2: 01
18 The night has advanced - melody: John Petzold, 1939 | Set: 1st and 4th verse: Jürgen Essl (* 1961), 2nd and 3rd verse: Helmut Brand, 1991 03:48
19. How beautifully shines the morning star - Melody: Strasbourg, 1538 | Set: Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) 02:43
20. Softly Falls the Snow - Melody: folk song | Set: Heike Beckmann, 2014 03:19
21. Hail, liaba Christ - melody and sentence: Fischbach Auer Liederbüch l1: 51
22. How should I receive you - Melodie: Johann Cruger, 1653 | Set: 1. verse: Friedrich Zipp (1914-1997), 2nd and 3rd verse: Johann Cruger 02:37
23 morning, children's will be what - Melody: Carl Gottlieb Hering, 1809 | Set: Samo Ivacic (* 1974 ) 2:40
24. Merry Christmas everywhere - Melody: since 1885 handed down | Set: Sören Sieg (* 1966) 3:14
Total: 2:07:44

CD 2

1. In dulci jubilo - Set: William Hawley | Text: Heinrich Suso, Peter of Dresden 03:31
2. Christnacht - melody and sentence: Florian Mayr | Text: Auguste vuz Egloffstein 2:12
3. Adventsruf - from Niederrhein | Set: Florian Mayr 03:50
4. Maria went through a 'thorn - Set: Reiko Füting 04:09
5. How a Ros - Set: Michael Praetorius 02:38
6. Come, you shepherds - from Bohemia | Sentence: Peter Wittrich | Text: Carl Riedel 2:15
7. The Savior is born - from Austria | : Hans Schanderl | Text from the county Glatz 02:52
8. Sleep well, you Himmelsknabe you - from Bavaria | Set: Hugh Keyte, Andrew Parrott, Clifford Bartlett, Text: Daniel Schubart: 02:53
9. It is scho Dumpa - from Tyrol | Sentence: Peter Wittrich 03:38
10. A child in the cradle - Set: David Overton 02:24
11. Sleep, my little baby - Set: Howard Arman 3:10
12. From the high heavens, their angels come * - Set: Claudia Reinhard 02:52
13. Still, still, still - from Salzburg | Set: Singer Pur by "Ars Musica" Vol. 2 2:00
14. O Jesus tenderly - Set: Samuel Scheidt 02:10
15. I was in deep night of death - sentence: Johann Eccard | Text: Paul Gerhardt 02:54
16. Lieb Nachtigall, wach auf - sentence: Marcus Schmidl 1:59
17. Three ships sailing I saw - from England | Sentence and translation: Wolfram Buchenberg 02:14
18. Do you remember how it happened? - Set: Marcus Schmidl | Melody: Christian Lahusen | Text: Hermann Claudius 02:54
19. Silent Night - Set: Marcus Schmidl | Melody: Franz Gruber | Text: Joseph Mohr 03:37
20. It is scho Dumpa (Dreigesang) - from Tyrol | traditional set 01:27
Total: 55:39

Not until the subdued applause at the end did it become apparent that this was taken live—the collector will own many studio jobs where the performers provide more noises off than this supernaturally quiet audience. But perhaps because he’s playing to an audience, Norrington’s L’enfance du Christ is Writ Large and taken at a dramatic tack. There’s a propulsive hustle from the opening bars as the nocturnal march becomes a frantic quickstep. Herod’s scene always tempts the operatic, but Mary and Joseph’s numbers, attractively if ringingly interpreted by Oelze and Maltman, might well be from some steamy Massenet thriller. The “Shepherd’s Farewell” skips along like a Wanderlied. One will have heard the Ishmaelites’ flute/harp trio more deftly done—many times. And the final chorus caps the piece with a solemnly oratorio-like massiveness, scanting the sublime aura of mystical reflection. Those things are in the score, and playing L’enfance du Christ in heavy quasi-operatic oils, rather than as a once upon a time pastel, is a matter of emphasis. In comparison with the suave dexterity of Philippe Herreweghe’s vivacious but refined way with it (Harmonia Mundi HMX 901632.33, Fanfare 26:4), one may find this bracingly—emphatic. Sound places soloists and orchestra up-front, with the chorus recessed a bit, all clearly detailed in spaciousness and delivered with gutsy oomph. If you’ve longed to hear its operatic potential mined, this L’enfance du Christ was made for you.

Adrian Corleonis, FANFARE

Let's face it: Christmas can get on your nerves, especially when it's the same procedure year after year. At such a time, even jazz can get on your nerves: shoddy arrangements, monotonous improvisations, and the same timeworn classics you've listened to a thousand times before. What can be done? That's an easy one: you listen to the new Christmas CD by the Opera Swing Jazz Quartet. This is old fashioned, highly refined jazz for connoisseurs played so convincingly that even people who usually abhor this kind of music will just love it.

Another exclusive Carus recording of Christmas carols from around the world featuring the Athesinus Consort Berlin, conducted by Klaus-Martin Bresgott. Containing carols from all points north-south-east and west, from the climes of the Scandinavian regions to the bush of Australia, from France, Spain, Italy, England and the Netherlands as well as Guinea, Korea, Australia, Canada and Venezuela, feast your ears on this lovely collection of holiday favorites the proceeds of which go to benefit "Liederprojekt", a charity project produced by Carus and Southwest German Radio that contributes profits to children's music education in Europe.

The tenth volume of the recording of Heinrich Schütz’s complete works presents the Weihnachtshistorie SWV 435 (Christmas Story). + Under the direction of Hans-Christoph Rademann, the Dresdner Kammerchor and the Dresdner Barockorchester perform together with renowned soloists. + The well-known Christmas Story is supplemented with additional pieces for the Christmas season, including the Magnificat SWV 468. + Founder of the Dresdner Kammerchor, Mr. Rademann is one of the most sought-after choral conductors and widely-acknowledged choral specialists in the world.

"•After the prize-winning first recording of Franz Schubert’s opera Sakontala, Frieder Bernius has now turned to his oratorio Lazarus (D 689). • Although it only survives as a fragment, Lazarus is often regarded as a forerunner of Wagner’s Parsifal because of its recitative-arioso form, and still retains its place in the repertoire. • For this live recording from the Bachfest Leipzig 2013, Bernius was joined by a distinguished line-up of soloists, the Kammerchor Stuttgart and the Hofkapelle Stuttgart."

REVIEWS:

Early Music America (Spring-2000, pp.14-15) - "...Burdick brings careful musicological research abd tasteful musicianship to this triumphant new recording of the 'Messiah'....it is a pleasure to hear strong young voices in this refreshing music....This is an exemplary 'Messiah'..."

"•The eighth CD by the ‘Musica Sacra’ Choir of the Warsaw-Praga Cathedral is an anthology of works - mostly religious in character - by Polish and foreign composers. • It features nineteen pieces by leading 20th century Polish composers and representatives of the young generation of Polish composers as well as by some of the most prominent choral music figures from abroad. • All the works were recorded in versions for female choir in various configurations."

Schubert worked for three years on this beautiful Mass. The last of his settings of the Catholic liturgy. One of the most perfect Mass-settings in the entire musical literature. The Oregon Bach Festival Chorus & Orchestra led by Helmuth Rilling hit just the right devotional, balanced tone for this devotional composition, while maintaining an aesthetic suitable for the concert hall. Conductor Helmuth Rilling is one of the most esteemed conductors of this music.

This year's Christmas CD from OehmsClassics presents the baroque specialist par excellence: Michael Hofstetter. With the Neumeyer Consort and the Ensemble Barock Vokal of Mainz, he has recorded the great and famous choruses from Handel's Messiah. As always with Hofstetter, the result is phenomenal and each tiny sonic nuance is meticulously worked out in the greatest detail.

Exclusive Collection of Christmas Carols Many renowned German-speaking singers - amongst others, Jonas Kaufmann, Angelika Kirchschlager and Christoph Pregardien - and ensembles have recorded their Christmas carol exclusively for the song project. The recordings are presented in two lavishly equipped CD boxes with elaborate illustrated booklets.

Exclusive Collection of Christmas Carols Many renowned German-speaking singers - amongst others, Jonas Kaufmann, Angelika Kirchschlager and Christoph Pregardien - and ensembles have recorded their Christmas carol exclusively for the song project. The recordings are presented in two lavishly equipped CD boxes with elaborate illustrated booklets.