When we make ourselves comfortable at home with the children at the most wonderful time of the year, songs can't be missing, of course. And the time until Christmas also passes much faster with melodies to listen to and sing along with. On this release, the Kinderchor SingsalaSing and the Ulmer Spatzen Chor present reimaginings of favorite Christmas songs, including Still, still, still, Ding Dong Merrily On High, Stille Nacht, and many more. These are songs for children, sung by children, which can also be enjoyed by young and old alike.

Frieder Bernius and the Kammerchor Stuttgart have taken on one of the most exciting pieces of Passion music in music history: "The Seven Last Words of Our Savior on the Cross." The new recording with Anna-Lena Elbert, Sophie Harmsen, Florian Sievers, Sebastian Noack and the Kammerchor Stuttgart under the direction of Frieder Bernius achieves an emotionality that can hardly be surpassed. (Carus)

Recorded as part of Carus' prizewinning "Liederprojekt" series, a charity project produced by Carus and Southwest German Radio that contributes profits to childrens' music education in Europe, this 3 CD set is an extraordinary collection of lullabies from Europa, America, Asia, Africa and Australia with selections that are at once deeply familiar to those that will delight with discovery for both the young and young at heart. With an impressive breadth of performers including Peter Schreier, Calmus Ensemble, Christian Gerhaher, Jonas Kaufmann and much more; it could be said this is the ultimate collection of lullabies that would complete any music library.

Perhaps Wilhelm Friedemann Bach is the Rodney Dangerfield of the sons of Johann Sebastian, but like that successful "don't get no respect" comedian (Dangerfield, not Bach!), there was undoubted genius and clever competence behind the creative productivity. Without question Wilhelm Friedemann, Bach's eldest son, was one of the 18th century's more inventive, adventurous, and exciting composers, and if you need proof, you'll find it all over this exceptional program, part of an ongoing series from Carus.

Friedemann was neither a copycat nor a patsy to fashion, although he certainly paid homage (occasionally) to his father's style and offered what can only be described as engaging, entertaining, and often startlingly unconventional works. In the two harpsichord concertos we find both the familiar parlance of Classical style and, particularly in the lovely, lyrical slow movements, pages directly lifted from father Sebastian: the sighing figure in the D major concerto could be from a lost aria for one of the Passions. The Adagio of the G minor concerto is worthy to stand next to similar movements from Sebastian Bach or Mozart.

The concertos spare nothing in virtuosity for the keyboard player, neither do they follow the straight, conventional path of theme and development. There are sudden twists and turns, harmonic shifts, and dazzling passages of ensemble and solo expression. The two Trios are slightly more conventional, in the Classical sense, but never lacking in appealing thematic ideas nor exciting ways to expand and develop them. The performers here are first rate, most notably harpsichordist Sebastian Wienand and violinist Anne Katharina Schreiber, and the sound recording is ideal. Three of these pieces--the two trios and the G minor concerto--purportedly are recorded here for the first time, and if so "bravo" to Carus and to these superb performers for bringing this outstanding music so immediately and memorably to our attention. Highly and enthusiastically recommended.

--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

The “Vokalhelden” [vocal heroes] from the Education Program of the Berlin Philharmonic interpret 22 children’s songs from throughout all of Europe in arrangements by Peter Schindler. + The songs are performed in their respective languages or in a German transcription. + This CD is part of the “Lieder Project” an effort that promotes and benefits singing with children. + It emphasizes quality and is designed especially for children. + Proceeds from the Lieder Project are donated to causes furthering singing with children.

Throughout the world Christmas is celebrated – and everywhere, singing Christmas carols is part of the celebrations. This limited special edition offers over 100 of the most beautiful German and international carols: For the first time, the “Weihnachtslieder” (German Christmas Carols) as well as the “Weihnachtslieder aus aller Welt” (Christmas Carols of the World) of the prize-winning LIEDERPROJEKT are being issued together in an incredible four-release set. The LIEDERPROJEKT is a charity project produced by Carus and Southwest German Radio. For every album set sold, 2 EUR will be donated to projects which promote singing with children.

The sublime Calmus Ensemble has recorded a selection of the most beautiful Christmas carols from all over the world exclusively for this CD collection. Containing carols from Denmark, Germany, England, France, Ireland, Croatia, North America, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Russia, Sweden and Spain as well as "Silent Night" in several languages, the holidays just got a bit more cozy with this beautiful collection of songs and the worthy "Liederprojekt" which contributes to children's music education has another valuable addition to it's discography.

HOMILIUS Habe deine Lust an dem Herrn. Kommt her und sehet an die Wunder Gottes. Brich dem Hungrigen dein Brot. Die Elenden sollen essen. Domine ad adiuvandum me. Magnificat in C. Deo dicamus gratias. Ich will den Herrn loben. Mir hast du Arbeit gemacht. Dennoch bleib ich stets an dir. Die richtig für sich gewandelt haben. Lasset euch begnügen. Wo ist ein solcher Gott. Der Herr ist meine Stärke. Siehe, den Herrn Auge sieht • Stefan Schuck, cond; sirventes Berlin • CARUS 83.266(Text and Translation)

HOMILIUS Warum toben die Heiden. Frohlocke, Zion, dein Erlöser. In der Zeit meiner Not. Kommt, frohe Völker. Steig, Allgewaltiger, von deinem festen Sitze • Rainer Johannes Homburg, cond; Marie-Pierre Roy (sop); Henriette Gödde (alt); Knut Schoch (ten); Markus Köhler (bs); Handel’s Company Ch; Handel’s Company • CARUS 83.267 (71:10 Text and Translation)

HOMILIUS MUSIK AN DER DRESDNER FRAUENKIRCHE: Jubiläumsedition • Various performers • CARUS 83.268 (2 CDs: 141:14 Text and Translation)

With three exceptions—a 1980 recording of organ works issued by Arion, a 1985 CD of motets released by MDG (reviewed by J. F. Weber in 8:6), and the 1992 Berlin Classics set of the St. Matthew Passion (see the enthusiastic review in 18:3 by Martin Anderson)—the revival of the music of Gottfried August Homilius (1714–1785) appears to be entirely an endeavor of the Carus label. Like CPO, a label which has also devoted much effort to reviving the work of neglected German composers, Carus—the publishing division of which is producing a complete edition of the works of Homilius—is to be congratulated for both its courage and discernment in selecting this repertoire for revival. Along with Anderson, Weber, Brian Robins (in a review of a disc of cantatas in 29: 6), and Michael Carter (in multiple reviews in 29:2, 29:6, and 30:6), I concur in ranking Homilius as an unjustly overlooked figure who composed works of unfailingly high quality that fully merit renewed attention.

Since the biographical data for Homilius is scattered throughout multiple previous reviews, I will summarize it here in one place for convenience. The son of a Lutheran pastor, Homilius was born in Porschendorf, a village southeast of Dresden. He attended school in Dresden in 1722 after his father’s death, and then came to Leipzig in about 1735, where (according to Johann Nikolaus Forkel) he studied keyboard with Bach and occasionally substituted for him at the Nikolaikirche organ. In 1742 he was appointed organist at the Frauenkirche in Dresden, and in 1755 was appointed Kreuzkantor of the Kreuzkirche, which made him music master for the city’s three main churches (the third one being the Sophienkirche), serving in that position until his death 30 years later. He composed some 180 sacred cantatas and 60 motets, several Passion settings, a Christmas oratorio, and chorale preludes for organ.

While firmly anchored in the late Baroque and showing the influence of Bach (and perhaps, even more, of Telemann), the music of Homilius also clearly evinces the absorption of the Empfindsamkeit aesthetic of the mid-18th century. There is less use of devices such as fugue and counterpoint (though these are far from absent), and correspondingly greater employment of primary melodic lines with chordal accompaniment. This is particularly true of the motets featured on the first CD here, where the settings are highly homophonic, though still quite challenging technically; the cantatas by contrast adhere more closely to the older Baroque stylistic contours. What makes this music so enjoyable is Homilius’s talent for shapely and expressive thematic lines, which unfailingly fall gracefully and gratefully on the ear. Had not his music, like that of Bach’s sons, been so unfairly eclipsed for so long, some of his melodies might be as familiar to us today as those of Bach. What he does lack, of course, is Bach’s stunning originality, daring, and ingenuity; his music is well crafted but comfortable and safe rather than challenging and provocative. But then, it is hardly fair to blame any other composer for not being Bach, Mozart, or Beethoven.

With the first two items listed above, Carus has now issued 10 sets devoted to Homilius, and these uphold the extremely high standards of quality of their predecessors. Both the sirventes Berlin (the lower case letter of the first word being the usual unfortunate and now hopelessly clichéd current naming affectation) and the Handel’s Company Choir are both exceptionally polished vocal ensembles, and the instrumentalists of Handel’s Company are an equally crackerjack company. All four vocal soloists are quite accomplished, and conductors Stefan Schuck and Rainer Johannes Homburg lead energetic, crisply pointed performances that engage one’s attention at every turn. The recorded sound is ideally balanced, clear and yet warm; detailed booklet notes and complete German (or Latin when occasionally required) texts with English translations are provided.

Readers may be puzzled as to why I have said nothing until now about the third set listed above. The reason is that it is not a new release, but rather an anthology drawn from previous releases in the Carus series. More specifically, it features three of the four cantatas (omitting Selig seid ihr, wenn ihr geschmähet werdet ) from Carus 83.183 (reviewed by Michael Carter in 29:2) with soloists, chorus, and instrumentalists conducted by Roderich Kreile; the closing chorale from the St. John Passion on Carus 83.261 (reviewed by Carter in 30:6) featuring the same performers; the Christmas Oratorio from Carus 83.235 (reviewed by J. F. Weber in 32:4) with assembled forces under the leadership of Ludwig Güttler; and two cantatas, four chorales, and an oboe sonata from Carus 83.261 (not reviewed) again with various performers led by Güttler. Once again, Carus is to be praised and congratulated in that, with the exception of the Passion excerpt, instead of offering bleeding chunks it provides the more extended works (the oratorio and five cantatas) complete, so that the release is actually worth acquiring in its own right rather than being a sampler disc to audition once and discard. The same care has been taken as with the original releases to provide detailed booklet notes and full original texts with English translations. This is a veritable model of how such compilations ought to be done, and increases my already high estimation of the quality of this label. In sum, the whole lot is highly enjoyable and heartily recommended.

FANFARE: James A. Altena

The result of all these collaborations is a work of pure beauty and joy.

In 2008 the concert and opera singer Cornelius Hauptmann initiated the charitable "The Lieder project" to further singing with children. The following year the "Wiegenlieder" (lullaby) collection was published. Once again, more than 50 singers have voluntarily, without remuneration, given their voices to sing the most beautiful German folk songs. This project will be continued with two further collections of children’s songs and songs for Christmas. The present collection of the most beautiful German folk songs is sung by leading concert and opera singers, choirs and children. The CD includes an extensive booklet with colour illustrations and song texts with English translations.

Featuring: Juliane Banse · Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau · Christoph Prégardien · Stella Doufexis · Calmus Ensemble

Track listing:
1. Wenn alle Brünnlein fließen (Franz-Josef Selig, Gerold Huber)
2. Horch, was kommt von draußen rein (Dorothee Mields, Ludger Rémy)
3. Da unten im Tale (Christoph Prégardien, Juliane Ruf)
4. Nun will der Lenz und grüßen (instrumental)
5. Muss i denn zum Städele hinaus (Michael Volle, Ann-Sophie Volle)
6. Grüß Gott, du schöner Maien (Lydia Teuscher, Juliane Ruf)
7. Wach auf, meines Herzens Schöne (SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart)
8. Das Wandern ist des Müllers Lust (Hans Jörg Mammel, Michael Freimuth)
9. Leise zieht durch mein Gemüt (Stella Doufexis, Camillo Radicke)
10. Ein Jäger aus Kurpfalz (Dietrich Henschel)
11. Im schönsten Wiesengrunde (Peter Schreier, Konrad Ragossnig)
12. Im Frühtau zu Berge (instrumental)
13. Kein schöner Land (Christian und Pauline Elsner, Leonhard Elsner)
14. Es klappert die Mühle (Michael Nagy, Juliane Ruf)
15. Ich fahr dahin (Ruth Sandhoff, Les Escapades)
16. In einem kühlen Grunde (Marcus Ullmann, Klaus Melber)
17. Komm, lieber Mai (Sibylla Rubens, Elisabeth Föll)
18. Wenn ich ein Vöglein wär (Klaus Mertens, Juliane Ruf)
19. O, du lieber Augustin (instrumental)
20. Feinsliebchen (Juliane Banse, Olaf Bär, Helmut Deutsch)
21. Das Wandern ist des Müllers Lust (Julian Prégardien, Götz Payer)
22. Ward ein Blümchen mir geschenket (Ruth Ziesak, Juliane Ruf)
23. Am Brunnen vor dem Tore (Calmus Ensemble Leipzig)
24. Die Schwälble ziehet fort (Christoph Sökler, Anne Le Bozec)
25. Ade zur guten Nacht (Instrumental)
26. Papir ist doch waiß (Helene Schneiderman, Götz Payer)
27. Der Gang zum Liebchen (Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Daniel Barenboim)
28. Schwesterlein (Ingeborg Danz, Michael Gees)
29. Innsbruck, ich muss dich lassen (Franz Vitzthum, Les Escapades)
30. Hab oft im Kreise der Lieben (Cornelius Hauptmann, Sabine Schubert-Kessler)
31. Winde wehn, Schiffe gehn (instrumental)
32. Bruder Jakob (Die Kinder vom Kleispark, Berlin)
33. Kommt ein Vogel geflogen (Dörthe Haring, Arne Zauber)
34. Im Märzen der Bauer (Johannes Grimm, David T. Schmidt)
35. O Täler weit, o Höhen (Kammerchor Stuttgart)

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Volkslieder, or folksongs, from Germany, is not just a commendable charity initiative; it is also a rather interesting, unusual concept, combining an appealing, attractive and colourful book with some excellent singing and musical skill.

The initiative is called Das Lieder Projekt and it is a charitable project to promote and further singing with children. For each CD sold, a donation of €2 is made to Herzenssache e.V. This translates approximately as “a matter of the heart” and is an organisation that works with disadvantaged children. The project was initiated by German bass Cornelius Hauptmann in 2008 and its first output was a collection of Wiegenlieder (Lullabies), which is now being followed by this album of Folksongs. As stated in the informative booklet notes, the project will be continued with two further collections: One of children’s songs and the other of songs for Christmas. It promotes singing by allowing access of the music and recordings of the songs (free of charge) online and by working with amateur music societies and professional institutions. This is further aided by a wide variety of broadcasts via the ARD radio network as well as some online cooperation with well known German newspapers.

One of the main reasons for the success of the project is undoubtedly the fact that the recordings feature outstanding singers and accompanists - who all performed for free. These include Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Olaf Bär and Daniel Barenboim. A lot of the credit is also due to the lovingly made illustrations by young artist Christoph Mett. If you understand German, I would recommend watching and listening to his interview on the website mentioned above. He truly captures the essence of each song in naive drawings, almost child-like, beautifully colourful and effectively capturing the charm of postcards from a bygone era. Mett’s paintings were originally created in a large format for the song book. This was published by Carus Verlag and complements the recordings. Intelligently, some of his illustrations are reproduced in the CD booklet, alongside the texts of the songs. This transforms the CD booklet into one of the most attractive I have ever seen. The texts are in the original German, and although the English translations are excellent, this is a sequence where a good knowledge of German will be of great advantage for the enjoyment of the songs. The melodies are very attractive, with many unforgettable tunes that help one understand why Lieder have been so popular in Germany, throughout the centuries; eventually, extending to other countries and becoming a genre in itself. The CD offers folksongs from the 15 ^th to the 20 ^th centuries, some set to music more elaborately by composers such as Mozart: Sehnsuch nach dem Frühling (Komm, lieber Mai – tr. 17) but also some true art-songs like Schubert’s Das Wandern ist des Müllers Lust, from Die schöne Müllerin. However, it is the combination and perfect blend of music and lyrics that make this recording so delightful. The texts often relate stories, which were once sung to “catchy” tunes in village festivities celebrating the seasons or the harvests and which were passed from generation to generation via the oral tradition. The text is therefore as important as the melody and both are essential to understand the “simple folks” that sang these songs, their stories, their beliefs and their superstitions. As such, each song really only comes into its own if one can understand the words in connection with the music.

Having lived in Germany for ten years and worked as a teacher in a variety of schools, I had a lot of contact with these traditional songs and I am familiar with many present on this CD. They are often sung during school celebrations or as part of the musical curriculum. This recording had special meaning for me and brought back many happy memories. That said, the important thing is that one does not need to have lived in Germany or be familiar with its culture to delight in this CD. There is much to enjoy. The melodies are charming. There are songs from the greats, like Brahms, Schubert, Mendelssohn or Mozart, and the musicians and singers are all outstanding. Then, there is the CD booklet, which is a treat in itself, with Mett’s beautiful illustrations, alongside interesting, informative notes, artists’ biographies and all the texts to the recorded songs.

The result of all these collaborations is a work of pure beauty and joy. Its artistic merits are clear; however, if you do not like German or do not appreciate the music, then there is always another rather important reason to buy it: You will be contributing to the work of an organisation that gives help to children in need.

-- Margarida Mota-Bull, MusicWeb International

This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players.

Calmus Ensemble is one of the most successful a cappella ensembles on the international scene. For their new album touched, the singers from Leipzig have chosen songs and lieder from several centuries on themes which never fail to touch our hearts, and have arranged them for their own forces with the utmost skill. What results is a vocal CD in a class of its own: Sting stands alongside Henry Purcell, Michael Jackson next to Adriano Banchieri, and Elton John beside Monty Python. The ensemble describes the concept in the CD booklet as follows: “As far as themes go, nothing whatsoever has changed: love, longing, pain, but also joy, pleasure and exuberance. That which touches our hearts, which moves us, has been convincingly expressed in music since time immemorial. Then as now, songs were one thing above all – a living expression of the soul! In this common ground the boundaries of the two eras of music on this recording become blurred.” We’re offering you the opportunity to contemplate the texts and music of two very different epochs in a new light and from new perspectives. The CD is a must for lovers of a cappella singing! - Carus-Verlag

A member of the Mannheim school, Ignaz Holzbauer (1711–1783) was a composer of symphonies, concertos, operas and chamber music who wrote in the style of the Sturm and Drang movement. In his penultimate opera "Tod der Dido" [The Death of Dido] (1779), Ignaz Holzbauer presented himself not only as a master of fine musical word interpretation, but also as an imaginative music dramatist. While the original Italian version underlined his position as one of the leading opera composers of the time, the German version which he wrote a year later additionally emphasizes his position as a pioneer of the German National Opera. Frieder Bernius therefore chose this version for a production performed at the Schwetzingen Festival in 1997, which is now being released here for the first time.

“This music is in the best of hands with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra” is the qualified judgment of the trade magazine Fono Forum about the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra’s “Bach-Söhne” (Sons of J.S. Bach) series issued by Carus-Verlag. With their recordings of numerous orchestral works and concerts by all four of Johann Sebastian Bach’s sons, the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra did justice to its trademark – a high standard of performance, pleasure in experimentation and a passion for music-making – time and again. This series, which has won several awards, is now available for the first time in a box set of 4 CDs. This results in an impressive panorama of the era that lies between Baroque and Classic.

THE BASSOON ABROAD: Foreign Composers in Britain • Jennifer Harris (bn); Ens Chameleon • CARUS 83.463 (69:25)


GALLIARD 6 Sonatas for Bassoon/Cello and Basso Continuo: No. 1 in a; No. 2 in G; No. 5 in d; No. 6 in C. The Advice. TRAD The Bush aboon Traquair. The Flowers of Edinburgh. The Lass of Pattie’s Mill. MERCI 6 Sonatas for Bassoon, op. 3: No. 1 in B?; No. 3 in E?; No. 4 in g; No. 5 in c. LAMPE The Solitary Relief. The Maid’s Request


Elsewhere in this volume, I welcome The Proud Bassoon , a recital of German and French bassoon works from the late Baroque period played by the Scottish Baroque bassoon virtuoso Peter Whelen. Now, here from the same package of goodies sent by publisher Joel Flegler, is another recital of Baroque bassoon works, played by a different outstanding proponent of the instrument, English-born Jennifer Harris. These are works primarily of the French (despite the name) composer Luigi Merci and German composer John Ernest Galliard, both of whom immigrated to England to become part of the lively music scene dominated by another German, George Frideric Handel. Harris, incidentally, has made the counter-move, having transplanted to Germany for her advanced studies and subsequent career as an orchestral and chamber musician. She is currently professor of Baroque bassoon at the Conservatory of the City of Vienna University.


The two principal composers are not well known. Galliard moved to England by way of the Court of Denmark to become chapel-master of Somerset House in London. Merci served James Brydges, first Duke of Chandos, before moving to London as well. Among the few surviving works, both produced a set of six sonatas for bassoon and continuo, four each of which Harris has chosen as the core of this recital. They are remarkable for their timing—the bassoon was just coming into its own as a solo instrument at the time of their composition and publication—and for their quality and variety of style. While not masterpieces on the exalted plane of Handel, they display the considerable melodic gift of their creators, and are substantial works which suggest the discernment and playing skill of the public which bought them for home music-making.


Like the works on The Proud Bassoon , these sonatas often require a soloist of considerable skill to pull them off. New instruments based on surviving period bassoons, courses of study to teach the instrument with its complex, very different fingerings, and still others to teach period performance practice, are now resulting in a crop of outstanding proponents of the instrument and this repertoire. Harris is clearly one of these, and she and the remarkable artists of Ensemble Chameleon are making a most impressive CD debut with this outstanding release. The works may not be masterpieces, but the performances are, with Harris’s imaginative, charismatic, and always virtuoso performances ably seconded by the other four members of Ensemble Chameleon. They are so good they should be named individually: Ulrike Becker plays Baroque cello; Barbara Messmer, violone; Andrea Baur, lute; and Evelyn Laib, harpsichord. The often subtle, continually varied sonorities produced as accompaniment are a constant delight, with the alternate use of plucked strings and harpsichord especially nicely done. Tempos are lively but avoid the Lamborghini-like approach of some ensembles from farther south.


Solo honors are shared a bit. The ensemble, sans bassoon, plays German composer John Frederick Lampe’s ballad The Solitary Relief , taken from a 1756 song collection Apollo’s Cabinet , and Harris joins them for a sampling of Scottish airs from the same collection. Laib takes a solo turn in the same composer’s The Maid’s Request . Becker and Baur play a Galliard ballad, The Advice . They are as impressive individually as collectively.


Carus, known for its superbly engineered releases, has added yet another to its catalog. Notes by the soloist, to which I am indebted, are lively and informative, and provide, along with the context of the works, a clever motivation for the program concept. She also makes an interesting connection between the period settings of Scottish airs interspersed among the sonatas, and the music of Merci and Galliard. All in all, presentation and music, the release is perfect. Some admirers of late Baroque music may shy from this disc because of the drier, stuffier quality of the Baroque bassoon. That would be a shame, as the sonority is ideal for the music and the ensemble. and the music is a delight. Highly recommended.


FANFARE: Ronald E. Grames

Includes sonata(s) by Antonio Bertali. Ensemble: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra Consort.