A stellar line up of soloists, conductor, choir and orchestra combine forces in the remastered 2 CD set of Mozart's arrangement of Handel's much loved 'Messiah'. In April 1742, shortly after the first performance of Messiah in Dublin for the city's Charitable Musical Society, the Dublin Journal reported that the oratorio 'was allowed by the greatest of Judges to be the finest Composition of Musick that was ever heard'. Sir Charles Mackerras continues the constantly evolving performance history of one of the world's most enduring masterpieces.

If you own The Sixteen's 20th Century Christmas Collection (on now-defunct Collins), you have most of the works included on this reissue offered by the choir's own Coro label. The difference is that Britten's A Ceremony of Carols (also previously issued on Collins in The Sixteen's Britten series) appears here instead of Peter Maxwell Davies' O magnum mysterium, a move that certainly makes for a more marketable package. If you don't have the original, this program features many of what have become classics of modern Christmas choral repertoire, among them Howells' A spotless rose, Warlock's Balulalow, Britten's A Hymn to the Virgin, Tavener's The Lamb, and Gardner's setting of Tomorrow shall be my dancing day. But Kenneth Leighton's Coventry Carol is a rarely heard masterpiece, as is Warlock's Corpus Christi--and Rubbra's short The Virgin's Cradle Song and Peter Fricker's similarly brief A babe is born are well worth repeated hearings. This Ceremony of Carols is arguably the finest in the catalog (at least among performances with women's voices), and throughout the disc there is consistently top-notch ensemble singing and solo work of the highest order. The sound is identical to the exceptional quality of the initial releases. An essential disc for any choral and Christmas music library. [10/19/2002]--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

Anders Miolin here expresses the universality of Christmas by selecting festive songs from across the world and creating fantasies on them.

Here he uses songs from Russia and Poland, as well as Scotland, Mexico and his native Sweden. In his adaptations he employs a wide variety of styles.

He also includes two of his own compositions: Azure Christmas is a memory of a Christmas he celebrated on Martinique, while Stellæ nocte hibernali somniantes (‘Winter Night Dreaming Stars’) catches the experience of ‘standing in the snow looking up at the clear winter sky, with all its twinkling stars dreaming on our behalf’. 

Louis-Claude Daquin (1694-1772) was a French organist, harpsichordist and composer. He was also a child prodigy. After taking some harpsichord lessons from his godmother Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, and composition lessons from Nicolas Bernier, he was capable of playing before Louis XIV at the age of six and of conducting his own Beatus vir in the Sainte-Chapelle at the age of eight. The Nouveau livre de noëls were published in November 1757 and is the fruit of many improvisations. This premiere recording marries Daquin's Twelve Noels (well-known as organ pieces) to the original late mediæval verses from which they were derived.

Simon Wright realised the score from the keyboard original and matched it to the original carol melodies before orchestrating it with remarkable imagination. Mark Darlow researched and put together the text during a period of stud leave in Paris. Through a process of consultation the verses were sifted, and a pastoral progression of solos and choruses has emerged, with the shepherds who 'tended their flocks by night' a sthe main characters. The RSAMD is Scotland's International Academy for Music and Drama, with Professor John Wallace as their Principal.

Includes christmas song(s) by various composers.
Includes traditional hymn(s). Ensemble: Joculatores Upsalienses. Soloists: Roland Pöntinen, Hans Fagius, Peter Mattei.

Previously released as Gothic 49047.

"Cappella Nova present illuminating performances which perfectly capture MacMillan's profound sense of the sacred, but here the sense of looking back over the centuries is especially strong...[an] essential addition to the rapidly growing discography of one of Britain's most self-assured musical voices."

- Gramophone, February 13, 2012

Aside from being very rewarding to sing, James Macmillan's religious music makes such a refreshing change from what's usually offered in churches today. Approachable without being apologetic, emotional but with a sense of dignity, the best of these works can both delight and challenge. Wonderful surprises, like the string quartet's seagull effects in Who are these Angels?, or the Gesualdo-like harmonic shifts in Pascha nostrum immolatus est, rub shoulders with music that matches the unselfconscious directness of folk or even pop music - MacMillan's early experience in folk bands has done him no harm at all. At the same time, it must be stressed that we are worlds away here from the limply syncopated pseudo-pop that the church often seems to think will entice the people back into the pews.

The backbone of this programme is the second set of Strathclyde Motets, and this is where you'll generally find the most absorbing music. The Mass of Blessed John Henry Newman strikes this listener as a little more functionally liturgical - effective enough in context, but relatively short on the kind of ideas that make you catch your breath. At the other end of the scale is the simple but touching Think of how God loves you, written for the baptism of the composer's granddaughter. (James MacMillan a grandfather? Older readers take a deep breath!) Everything is performed with elegance and the requisite intensity., and the recordings are clear and atmospheric.

- Stephen Johnson, BBC Music Magazine, March 1, 2012

This disc is a follow-up to the very fine 2007 Cappella Nova CD which included the first set of James MacMillan’s Strathclyde Motets. It contains the second and final set of seven motets. Most of the music here is of fairly recent vintage and the majority is designed for use in the Roman Catholic liturgy. That includes the short Mass of Blessed John Henry Newman. This sets the words from the new English translation of the Mass which the Roman Catholic Church brought into use towards the end of 2011. MacMillan says in the booklet that he is “really excited” by this new translation; well, he and I will have to differ there but it’s good that he’s moving quickly to compose some worthwhile music to fit the new words. Listeners should bear in mind that the mainly unison music has been specifically designed for congregational participation. That doesn’t mean that it’s in any way simplistic; I should think the average congregation would need to do a bit of work to master it but the effort would be worthwhile.

The remaining music is specifically to be sung by a choir. I was struck by Tota pulchra es. MacMillan’s response to this Marian text is like no other that I’ve heard. Most are gentle and prayerful or implicitly feminine in tone. MacMillan, by contrast, has composed a surprisingly dramatic, urgent piece. In his setting the devotion to Mary is exciting and fervent and Alan Tavener and his expert choir give it a thrillingly affirmative performance. Another fervent piece is the Easter proclamation Pascha nostrum immolatus est. Indeed, here the fervour is evident even when the music is quieter in tone.

O Radiant Dawn is about the only piece on the disc that I’ve heard previously. It’s become quite popular and I’m not surprised. It’s very attractive and its harmonic language is pretty straightforward. The music has an obvious – and beneficial – indebtedness to O nata lux by Tallis.

Os mutorum is one of the pieces on the disc that’s not specifically for liturgical use. This is an interesting piece which is sung by Canty, a four-voice female ensemble which is a spin-off from Cappella Nova. Rather like Anonymous 4 these ladies specialise in medieval music but they also do quite a bit of music of our own time. Here they sing with a regular collaborator, William Taylor, a specialist in the performance of ancient harp music. MacMillan’s piece is chaste and pure in tone. The textures are spare and the music moves slowly. It’s most effective. And lo, the Angel of the Lord was designed for performance by a group resourced to sing multi-part or antiphonal music; in this case the Birmingham-based Ex Cathedra. The piece sets the passage from St Luke’s Gospel in which the Angels announce the birth of Christ to the shepherds. The writing is imaginative and evocative, especially what I can only describe as the choral fireworks at the words “Glory to God in the highest”. This splendid piece is sung tremendously well by Cappella Nova.

I was intrigued to hear what MacMillan would do with John Donne’s wonderful lines in Bring us, O Lord. Sir William Harris is the exemplar here with his glorious setting of the same words. MacMillan’s music is very different and yet … to my ears he achieves the same ambience of longing and quiet intensity. I admire this piece very much indeed.

I’m not quite sure what I make of Who are these Angels? Although the piece is dated 2009 it appears that elements of it go back to when the composer was just seventeen. The new work into which he’s incorporated that early music is rather strange. There are three strands. The male voices declaim passages in Latin – the teenage music, if you like – while the ladies sing a simpler refrain in English. The third strand is provided by the string quartet whose music is mainly quiet and discreet. The c losing moments feature the quartet alone playing strange, high glissandi which, it is suggested in the notes, sound like bird cries.

This is an absorbing disc. It is full of interest and I admire greatly the way in which the composer responds to the words he is setting. Through his music he enriches and enhances them – as a good musical setting of words always should. We are challenged at times but it’s always accessible. The music is superbly performed by Cappella Nova and the recorded sound is excellent, as you’d expect from this label. As with the earlier release, the booklet notes take the form of a very interesting conversation between MacMillan and Rebecca Tavener. I suspect many of these pieces are receiving their first recordings here.

-- John Quinn, MusicWeb International

It's no secret that if you're looking for a well-filled, thoughtfully programmed disc of Christmas choral music, you won't go wrong with any of The Sixteen's recordings. In 2006 this oft-lauded group led by founder Harry Christophers released a Volume 1 program of traditional carols, and this year (2010) decided to augment that release with a collection of 20 more favorites (including a few lesser-known pieces). Performed with the knowing style of a seasoned, professional British choir, these songs, hymns, and carols (all very loosely categorized here as "carols")--such gems as Holst's Masters in this hall, Poston's Jesus Christ the Apple Tree, and Darke's beloved In the bleak mid-winter--ring in the season intensified and made more meaningful by the choir's authority and respect for the music, its revered tradition, and with an obvious true love for its sound and inherent spirit.

Although Christophers mentions in the notes that selections were drawn from the 1928 Oxford Book of Carols, and certainly such pieces as the Gloucester Wassail, the Wexford Carol, and In dulci jubilo were at least partially lifted from that source, the provenance of many others is not so clearly evident (Of the Father's heart begotten, for example, isn't included in the 1928 OBC), although in some cases the popular "green" and "orange" carol books may have been consulted.

At any rate, these arrangements are all artful and refreshingly unadorned--in the best "traditional" realizations; where there is organ, its contributions are always tasteful, imaginative, and appropriate to support and/or enhance the singers. And as for the singers, well, this is one of the great, world-class choirs, its uniquely rich, vibrant sound characterized by pure-voiced sopranos and its contingent of male altos. The production and sound, from London's St. Giles Church, Cripplegate, presided over by the first-rate team of Mark Brown and Mike Hatch, is excellent. A solid and satisfying addition to any Christmas music library.

--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com
Reviewing an earlier release that is part of this collection

A collection of well-loved traditional Christmas Carols, perfect for creating a warm seasonal atmosphere and to sing along with.

Simple, sincere and thoroughly engaging -- American Record Guide

REVIEW:

Almost every year a first rate choir records a traditional program of sacred Christmas music--and this year it looks as if it's the Choir of Trinity Church, Wall Street's turn. The ensemble and its excellent organist certainly uphold the standard set years ago by their British counterparts, particularly those at the various Cambridge University colleges--King's, Trinity, and St. John's, to name the more notable. And even though this New York City church can't boast as many centuries' existence as those revered English institutions, there is something especially charming about the fact that it hosted the New World premieres of both Messiah and the hymn Silent Night, the latter performed by a Tyrolean ensemble on Christmas Eve, 1827.

For those familiar with the famed King's College Choir carol services, the programming here will ring a few bells, from the opening, processional-style Once in Royal David's City to the closing Hark! the Herald Angels Sing. In between are one after another of the now-standard Christmas carol, hymn, and anthem selections in their best-known settings--Peter Cornelius' "The Three Kings", Patrick Hadley's "I sing of a maiden", David Willcocks' arrangement of "Of the Father's heart begotten", Philip Ledger's arrangement of the "Sussex Carol", William Mathias' "A babe is born", Gustav Holst's "Lullay, my liking", the English hymnal harmonization of "O come, all ye faithful", the Vaughan Williams/Forest Green version of "O little town of Bethlehem", and a lovely Ledger a cappella setting of "Silent night".

The choir sings with warmth, precision, purity of articulation (you can hear every word), and great care in balance and blend. There is one thing however in which the choir failed: as much as they tried (according to director Owen Burdick) to "not sound British", they do, but in the very best way possible--beauty of tone, clarity of diction, and fully committed, sincere singing. Yes, Americans can do these things too. And as for this umpteenth program of already well-represented pieces, the fact is, those who love Christmas and singing (and how can these not go hand in hand?) never tire of this music, these lovely, characterful, joyous, hopeful tunes--and this recording and its fine performances capture them all as well as any choir ever has. The sound gives a realistic impression of the church's acoustic space while giving ideal clarity and depth to the singing. [10/17/2001]
--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

The Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker is the quintessential Christmas ballet. When her nutcracker toy comes to life, young Clara is transported by the magician Drosselmeyer to a magical world of excitement and delight. Lauren Cuthbertson and Federico Bonelli dance the exquisite Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince; Francesca Hayward and Alexander Campbell take the roles of Clara and the Nutcracker; and Gary Avis is the mysterious, kindly Drosselmeyer. This performance celebrated Peter Wright’s 90th birthday and a production that has been in The Royal Ballet’s repertory for more than thirty years. With sumptuous period designs, spellbinding stage effects and of course Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, The Nutcracker continues to enchant audiences of all ages. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true SS. "fresh and reinvigorated - Nutcrackers come and Nutcrackers go but the Royal Ballet's version is a hardy perennial. " (The Stage) "The Royal Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker, always handsomely traditional, has become a tradition of its own." (The Independent) "Francesca Hayward and Alexander Campbell make an enchanting couple, " (The Daily Telegraph)

DETAILS:

Format: NTSC
Language: English
Subtitles: None
Dubbed: None
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

1. O helga natt / Cantique de Noël 3:56
2. Rauhaa, vain rauhaa/Peace, Perfect Peace 2:13
3. En etsi valtaa, loistoa/We Ask for Nothing Rich or Rare 3:56
4. Jo joutuu ilta/O'er Hill and Dale 2:06
5. Dies est laetitae/Herraa kaikki kiittäkää 2:05
6. Hiljaa, hiljaa helkkyellen/Softly, Softly Ringing 2:31
7. Sylvian joululaulu/Sylvia's Carol 3:50
8. Hiljainen joululaulu/The Peace of Christmas 3:51
9. Maa on niin kaunis/Schönter Herr Jesu 2:43
10. Jouluyö, juhlayö/Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht 4:13
11. On hanget korkeat nietokset/The Shining Snows are Driven High 3:07
12. Arkihuolesi kaikki heitä/Cast Off All Care 2:05
13. Enkelien joululaulu/The Angel's Carol 2:12
14. Mökit nukkuu lumiset/The Snowbound Cabins Sleep 3:27
15. Kun joulu valkeneepi/Now Christmas Is Come 1:37
16. Puer natus in Bethlehem/Synnytti piltin Beetlehem 1:02
17. Panis Angelicus/Leivästä enkelten 3:39
18. O, Jesulein süß/Oi, Jeesus, lapsi armainen 2:09
19. Santa Lucia/Pyhä Lucia 3:43
20. O Tannenbaum/Oi kuusipuu 2:32
21. White Christmas/Valkea joulu 3:45

Ritva-Liisa Korhonen, soprano
Eeva-Liisa Saarinen, mezzo soprano
Raimo Sirkiä, tenor
Jorma Silvasti, tenor
Peter Lindroos, tenor
Jorma Hynninen, baritone
Esa Ruuttunen, baritone
Matti Salminen, bass
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
Savonlinna Opera Festival Chorus

Kyösti Haatanen, conductor

For over 500 years, the Vienna Boys’ Choir has been a living tradition. Since their beginning, the choir has worked with composers such as Mozart, Schubert, and Bruckner. Capriccio presents this two-disc set of what the choir is best known for - traditional Christmas music.

1. En etsi valtaa loistoa (1)(4) 3:25
2. Kun joulu on (5)(6) 2:29
3. Joulun kellot (9)(10) 2:39
4. Maa on niin kaunis 2:43
5. Sylvian joululaulu (5)(6) 2:47
6. Kuului laulu enkelten 2:14
7. Adeste fideles (9)(10) 3:09
8. Jouluyö, juhlayö (5)(14) 4:13
9. Psallat scholarum concio 1:48
10. Heinillä härkien kaukalon (5)(6) 3.37
11. Me käymme joulun viettohon (5)(6) 2:11
12. Maria, Herran piikanen 1:49
13. Varpunen jouluaamuna (5)(6) 3:52
14. Arkihuolesi kaikki heitä (9)(10) 1:50
15. Joudu, satakiel’ 3:24
16. Mökit nukkuu lumiset (5)(6) 3:50
17. Oi, jouluyö (9)(10) 4:02
18. Ave maris stella 1:55
19. Ja neitsyt pikku poijuttansa (5)(6) 1:40
20. Katso, ihme taivainen 1:20
21. On hanget korkeat nietokset (9)(10) 2:28
22. Kun joulu valkeneepi 1:37
23. Taas kaikki kauniit muistot (5)(6) 2:25
24. Jouluna Jumala syntyi 1:50

[ 65:05 ]

Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra (1)
Jorma Hynninen, baritone !
Tapiola Choir !
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra (5)
Monica Groop, mezzosoprano !
Jyväskylä Sinfonia (9)
Raimo Sirkiä, tenor !
Vox Aurea !
Savonlinna Opera Festival Chorus !
Matti Salminen, bass !
Turku Castle Chamber Choir !
Sympaatti Youth Choir !

Jorma Panula, conductor (4)
Markus Lehtinen, conductor (6)
Pertti Pekkanen, conductor (10)
Kyösti Haatanen, conductor (14)

Christmas in Ainola
Christmas Carols by Jean Sibelius and other Christmas songs

Hynninen, Groop, Tapiola Choir, etc.

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)
1. En etsi valtaa loistoa, op. 1 / We Ask For Nothing Rich Or Rare 3:25
2. On hanget korkeat nietokset, op. 1 / The Shining Snows Are Driven High 2:28
3. Jo joutuu ilta, op. 1 Christmas Carol / O'er Hill And Dale 2:06
4. Joulu saapuu portin luo, op. 1 / Now Stands Yule at the Snowy Gate 1:46
5. Tervehtii jo meitä, op.1 / Now is Christmas Coming 2:46
6. Joululaulu (Nyt seimelle pienoisen lapsen) 2:15
7. Andante festivo 4:17

Leevi Madetoja (1887-1947)
8. Arkihuolesi kaikki heitä / Cast Off Thy Everyday Cares 1:49
9. Enkelien joululaulu (Ylistäkää Jumalaa, taivas ja maa) 1:56

Piae Cantiones
10. Ecce novum gaudium 1:53
11. Angelus emittitur 1:59

Luther
12. Enkeli taivaan lausui näin / From Heaven Above 2:42

Trad.
13. Maa on niin kaunis / The Earth is Beautiful 2:21

Piae Cantiones
14. Psallat scholarum concio 1:46
15. Ave maris stella 1:55

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)
16-17. Sonatina op.80
16. Andantino (4:28)
17. Lento-Allegretto-Vivace (3:56)

Trad.
18. Kuului laulu enkelten / Angels, from the Realms of Glory 2:14

Otto Kotilainen (1868 - 1936)
19. Kun joulu on / At Christmastide 2:35

Trad.
20. Joulupuu on rakennettu / The Christmas Tree 1:31
21. No onkos tullut kesä / Is It Suddenly Summer? 1:18

Johann Strauss (1804-1849)
22. Radetzky-marssi / Radetzky March 2:42

Tapiola Choir (1)
Jorma Hynninen, baritone (1)
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra (1)
Raimo Sirkiä, tenor (2,19)
Jyväskylä Sinfonia (2,19)
Ritva-Liisa Korhonen, soprano (3)
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra (3)
Chamber Choir Kampin laulu (4,5,9-13,20,21)
Pertti Eerola, organ (4,5,12,13)
Jubilate Choir (6)
Virtuosi di Kuhmo (7)
Monica Groop, mezzosoprano (8)

Turku Castle Chamber Choir (14,15)
Yoshiko Arai, violin (16,17)
Eero Heinonen, piano (16,17)
Marita Viitasalo, piano (22)

Jorma Panula, conductor (1)
Pertti Pekkanen, conductor (2,19)
Kyösti Haatanen, conductor (3)
Timo Lehtovaara, conductor (4,5,9-13,20,21)
Astrid Riska, conductor (6)
Peter Csaba, conductor (7)
Markus Lehtinen, conductor (8)
Heikki Seppänen, conductor
Erkki Pohjola, conductor
[ 56:00 ]

1. Kun joulu on/Christmas is Come 2:29
2. Mökit nukkuu lumiset/Snowbound Cottages Sleep 3:50
3. Jouluyö, juhlayö/Silent Night, Holy Night 3:01
4. Heinillä härkien kaukalon/There in the Hay of the Ox's Stall 3:37
5. Jul, jul strålande jul/Yule, Yule, Radiant Yule 3:44
6. Betlehems stjärna/Star of Bethlehem 3:43
7. Marie Wiegenlied/Maria's Lullaby 2:15
8. Arkihuolesi kaikki heitä/Cast off Thy Everyday Cares 1:49
9. Taas kaikki kauniit muistot 2:25
10. Sylvian joululaulu/Sylvia's Carol 2:47
11. Ja neitsyt pikku poijuttansa/The Virgin Rocks Her Baby Boy 1:40
12. Te lapsoset, lapsoset kiiruhtakaa/Hurry, Children 3:42
13. Varpunen jouluaamuna/A Sparrow on Christmas Morning 3:52
14. Kristuslapsen kehtolaulu/The Christchild's Lullaby 3:49
15. Schlafendes Jesuskind/The Sleeping Christchild 3:04
16. Nun wandre Maria/Make Your Way, Maria 2:43
17. O Jesulein süß/O Little Jesus 2:54
18. Ave Maria/Hail Mary 2:37

Monica Groop, mezzosoprano
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
Sympaatti Youth Choir

Markus Lehtinen, conductor

PRAETORIUS Nun komm der Heiden Heiland. In dulci jubilo. Vom Himmel hoch. Puer natus in Bethlehem. Conditor alme siderum. Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ. Resonet in laudibus. A solis ortus cardine • Manfred Cordes, dir; Bremer Barock Consort • cpo 777 327 (67:33 Text and Translation)


Straightforward, “musicologically correct” recordings of Michael Praetorius’s music are more present in the imagination than they are thick on the ground. While several of his simpler arrangements of chorale tunes can be found scattered among a myriad of seasonal albums, the more complicated concerted works, which, while based often on the same familiar tunes, stake a greater claim for his brilliance as a composer, are much harder to find. So this present, absorbing account of eight of his concerted motets is especially welcome. Performed as well as they are here, one quickly forgets that it is quite “out of season” to be reviewing them in early spring.


Most of his motets—or at least most of the ones that people bother to record—are built on famous hymn and chorale tunes penned much earlier, ranging from the ubiquitous In dulci jubilo to the most famous Lutheran melodies from the previous century, including Vom Himmel hoch and Nun komm der Heiden Heiland. Puer Natus in Bethlehem and Gelobet seist du Jesu Christ derive from less familiar source material, but are no less compelling. In some cases, Praetorius built his compositions on versions of the texts that interleaved the Latin original.


However, the surprisingly sparse discography of the nearly 1,000 hymns and concerted motets by this earlier (1571–1621) contemporary of the great Heinrich Schütz makes it difficult to assess his full range. The most direct competition for the present disc would seem to come from a now 10-year old Sony anthology on two CDs of concerted motets with Musica Fiata conducted by Roland Wilson (Sony 62929). But Praetorius composed multiple responses to the most familiar hymns, and none of the five similarly titled items is actually duplicated between the releases. Moreover, the two recordings present Praetorius on two different scales: the earlier disc opts for grander polychoral versions, fleshed out with a full 17th-century orchestra of strings, trumpets, cornettos, and sackbuts. Cpo’s Bremen release scales the works to medium grouping of four recorders, four violas da gamba, harp, and an organ positive, accompanying a seven-voice choir. Even these pointed differences, though, do not prevent comparisons, because the different repertoire items present shared challenges of ornamentation, textural clarity, and rhythm. Now over 10 years old, the Roland Wilson release was undercut by a muddier soundscape, with recessed strings and a longer echo in cavernous surroundings. The occasionally resplendent solo singing was inconsistent, falling short of the madrigalesque incisiveness of Manfred Cordes’s assembled singers for cpo. Even on its lighter, 17th-century scale, the brass tended there to overwhelm the male voices. And, while Wilson often succeeded in conveying the monumentality of some of this music—though surely not as powerfully as Paul McCreesh in his fabled “Praetorius Christmas Mass” recording (Archiv 439250)—it often lacked engagement and rhythmic excitement, qualities Cordes supplies in abundance.


Immediately one is struck here, by not only the strength and thoughtfulness of the solo vocal work, but also by Cordes’s sonic imagination, particularly the different colors massaged from his foregrounded gambas and harp. The recorders are also more adept and well tuned than Wilson’s. This pays dividends in the more complicated numbers like the thrillingly canonic In dulci jubilo setting and in the Vom Himmel hoch and Puer natus in Bethlehem , both of which are straightforward multi-verse settings of the complete hymns.


The recording opens with a fascinating, nine-minute “variation concerto” on the hymn tune Nun komm der Heiden Heiland , but listeners may be drawn more immediately to the hypnotically over-layered canons of Resonent in laudibus/Joseph lieber, Joseph mein or the aforementioned In dulci Jubilo . The recording is caught in the natural but not overly reverberant acoustic of the Stiftskirche in Bassum, a small town about 25 kilometers south of Bremen. Of much more than seasonal interest, this disc draws a glowing recommendation.


FANFARE: Christopher Williams

This stunning recording by Grammy-nominated Seraphic Fire is an expertly informed collection of some of Western music’s purest compositions.

1. Tuo armon valkokyyhky 2:13
2. En etsi valtaa, loistoa 3:18
3. Nyt seimelle pienoisen lapsen 1:47
4. Joulun kellot (Hiljaa, hiljaa helkkyellen) 2:10
5. Kautta tyynen vienon yön 1:25
6. Tuikkikaa, oi joulun tähtöset 1:58
7. Ja neitsyt pikku poijuttansa 1:36
8. Rauhanruhtinas 1:34
9. Joulu tullut on 1:48
10. Joulupuu on rakennettu 2:14
11. Kun joulu on 2:40
12. Enkelien joululaulu 1:25
13. Seimeen syntynyt 2:05
14. Arkihuolesi kaikki heitä 1:30
15. Joulun kellot 3:11
16. Tulemme, Jeesus, pienoises 3:06
17. Joululaulu (Jeesuslapsi suloinen) 1:53
18. Jouluhymni 2:20
19. Olen löytänyt sen 3:14
20. Ilouutinen 2:44
21. Heinillä härkien kaukalon 2:29
22. Maa on niin kaunis 2:55
23. Jouluyö, juhlayö 2:51
24. Rukous 3:47
25. Jouluilta 3:09
26. Det är en ros utsprungen 4:15

[ 65:38 ]

Helsinki Chamber Choir (Finnish Radio Chamber Choir)
Johanna Rusanen, soprano
Timo Nuoranne, conductor

JOULURAUHA - Christmas at Turku Cathedral

As the third installment of “A Seraphic Fire Christmas”, Candlelight Carols: Music for Chorus and Harp is a unique collaboration between the pure, crystalline harp and warm, resonant voices. + This remarkable recording evokes an angelic, wintry atmosphere within an intimate, candle-lit chapel. + With Candlelight Carols, Seraphic Fire masterfully interweaves original arrangements of traditional carols with modern masterpieces. + Seraphic Fire is regarded as one of the preeminent chamber ensembles in the United States. In 2012, two of their recordings, Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem and A Seraphic Fire Christmas, were nominated for GRAMMY® awards. + Seraphic Fire was the only choral group in North or South America to be nominated, and the only classical ensemble in the world to receive nominations for two separate projects. + Led by Founder and Artistic Director Patrick Dupre´ Quigley, Seraphic Fire brings some of the finest singers and instrumentalists from around the country to perform repertoire ranging from Gregorian chant and Baroque masterpieces to newly commissioned works.

Peter Schreier is one of the legendary tenors of the twentieth century. Throughout his 60-year career and even after his passing, he has been celebrated by listeners, friends and colleagues, especially as Bach interpreter and Lied singer. To celebrate the Christmas holiday, he devoted himself to a selection of carols by the four great song masters of the late Romantic period: Peter Cornelius (1824- 1874), Joseph Haas (1879-1960), Max Reger (8173-1916), and Hugo Wolf (1860- 1903). From well-balanced, melodic and, above all, singable tunes to challenging piano parts, they offer a wide variety of emotional statements and subtle detail, not least through the interpretation of these two sensitive artists.

With "O Nata Lux", The Zurich Chamber Singers under the baton of Christian Erny release an album of Christmas choral music that stands out from purely liturgical Christmas albums while at the same time focusing on the core of the Christmas message. A musically diverse album with motets and songs from five centuries. According to the famous German Christmas carol “Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen”, Jesus was born “in the cold midwinter, in the middle of the night”. The light that disperses the cold and darkness is a central topic of Christmastide art and music, and an element of many winter-time traditions the world over. At Christmas, Christians celebrate the redemption of mankind at a time of darkness, expressed through the imagery of light. With their new album entitled “O nata lux”, the Zurich Chamber Singers highlight this symbolism as it has been represented for many centuries in the western art music tradition.

Following the chronology of the Advent and Christmas season, the album ranges from Renaissance works by Osiander, Tallis and Praetorius to song settings by Bach, Holst and Britten and contemporary works by Marcus Paus (with marimba) and Rhiannon Randle. Her work commissioned in 2018 by the Zurich Chamber Singers, has close musical ties with Tallis’s work from over four hundred years earlier. Written in memory of her grandmother, Randle’s choral work is at times meditatively introverted, then again self-assured with consolation and confidence. Through the different tonal languages, the young Swiss ensemble illuminates the various aspects of the Advent and Christmas season. The range extends from the clear and haunting simplicity of a hymn to Brucknerian sonority and the interesting combination of deep marimba tremolos with the choir's wavy, effervescent chord layers.

If there's one thing that makes Christmas what it is, it's festive music and uplifting melodies: "Festive Trumpets for Christmas" is the new Christmas album from Matthias Höfs, to be released by Berlin Classics on November 5. On this new album, the trumpeter joins his brass ensemble and organist Christian Schmitt in a wide-ranging program. The instruments of the musicians ring out in triumphal tones, brilliantly nuanced, capturing the joy and splendor of the Christmas festival. There are works by Albinoni, Handel, Vivaldi, Morales and Scheidt, along with arrangements by Peter Lawrence, Nikolaus Herman and Matthias Höfs himself. In this programme, Matthias Höfs appears with a variety of ensemble formations, whether with trumpet quartet, with horn, trombone and tuba, or with bassoon, harpsichord and organ - amply portraying the differing characteristics of the instruments and their richness of timbre. The sensitivity with which the musicians listen to one another, for fine shading of the interpretation, creates an atmosphere of touching intimacy, of concentration on the heart of the Christmas message: Unto us a child is born. Höfs aims to convey the German tradition as such, both in sound and style: "In the age of globalization, in which everything is geared to international exchange, I should like to make my contribution to the preservation of this typical sound and culture." The program reflects his wish.

For his new album, Ludwig Güttler has put together what he considers the most beautiful and contemplative Christmas songs. The great trumpet player reminisces about Christmas in his homeland, the Ore Mountains in Saxony, Germany. "Christmas in the Ore Mountains is something very special. Due to the mining tradition, it is a celebration of light. If you imagine how a miner, centuries ago, got up early in the morning when it was still dark and attended the morning service, then went down the shaft and came home from work when it was already dark, then, like this worker, you develop a longing for the light. Today it is hard to understand, when we illuminate everything around us with electric light – and too often we overshoot the mark, if we think of the global problem of light pollution. I associate the Christmas of my childhood with a reality shining through with light and thoughts like: What do I give to whom? And even more: what do I get? When I was five, my grandmother gave me an accordion. A treasure, packed in a simple cardboard box. In terms of my being and continuing to practice on the instrument, its contents were the most lasting gift I ever received." Sächsische Weihnacht ("Saxon Christmas") contains 36 tracks and two encores, carefully collected from Güttler's concert program of recent years. It is all previously unreleased material by the great trumpeter, recorded together with his brass ensemble in various churches in Saxony, including the Frauenkirche in Dresden, the Marienkirche in Pirna and the church in Polditz.