{"title":"Holiday Collection 2026: A Choral Christmas","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"christmas-star-carols-for-the-christmas-season-244597","title":"Christmas Star - Carols For The Christmas Season \/ Rutter, Cambridge Singers","description":"Another classic from the John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers, whose recordings have become a tradition of Christmas around the world.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eChristmas Star\u003c\/em\u003e is an entertaining collection of familiar holiday tunes and carols, all professionally performed by the Cambridge Singers. 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However, since his conversion to Orthodoxy some 50 years ago, the public has come to associate Pärt with music as inspired by Eastern Christianity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOdes\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003econsists of 12 spellbinding tracks which give voice to the human yearning to be cleansed of past mistakes and to make positive changes in one’s future life. As the excellent booklet notes in Church Slavonic and English tell us, these prayers are less an expression of sorrow than they are an affirmation of rebirth. This renascence is expressed eloquently through Pärt’s music in an imaginative flow of melodies, modal harmonies, unexpected twists and turns, and the composer’s unique\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003etintinnabuli\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003etechnique.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat I found most absorbing in this recording was the variety of musical utterances, the splendid multiplicity of sounds, rhythms and tremors. Something new is lurking around the corner of every measure, sometimes as puzzling as our own contemplated destinies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe album begins with an Ode from the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eTriodion\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand two Slavic Psalms (Psalm 131, “Lord, my heart is not haughty” King James Version [KJV] and the Doxology Psalm 116). 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Those of us raised in Western cultural traditions have missed much if we have ignored or been deprived of the legacy of Eastern sacred music, old or new. There is a core of authenticity in Pärt’s work that has endeared it, even in his lifetime, to millions around the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- ConcertoNet\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cappella Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012541534442,"sku":"753459506271","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4246452-3143663.jpg?v=1786653330"},{"product_id":"a-byzantine-emperor-at-king-henrys-court-753459828328","title":"A Byzantine Emperor at King Henry's Court \/ Lingas, Cappella Romana","description":"\u003cp\u003eAt the end of the fourteenth century, musical worlds collided in England as Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos spent Christmas at King Henry IV’s royal court. 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Through its continued dedication to performance of the highest quality, Tenebrae’s vision is to deliver dramatic programming, flawless performances and unforgettable experiences, allowing audiences around the world to be moved by the power and intimacy of the human voice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEWS:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe variety of carols is enchanting: Tenebrae includes pieces by authors from the twentieth century (such as Ralph Vaughan Williams, Benjamin Britten, Elizabeth Poston and Herbert Howells), from the nineteenth century (such as Edward W. Naylor) or contemporary (such as Owain Park , Joanna Marsh, Joseph Phibbs and Joanna Forbes l'Estrange), all well-contrasted samples of Christmas music. Short — who presents a new version of Britten's work, A Ceremony of Carols op. 28, a piece full of charm perhaps because of the mystery of the ancient texts—he has done an exceptional job with the musicians in his choir, accompanied by Camilla Pay's harp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHighlights include the delicate That Yongë Childe ('That little boy'), with a solo of Joshua Davidson\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003eformer chorister of the St. John's College—as well as an exquisite duet of soloists Grace Davidson and Martha McLorinan in Spring Carol and the enchanting This Little Babe, in a lyrical and dynamic interpretation of the female voices to the rhythm of the harp. Pay's imaginative and personal interpretation of the interlude deserves a commendable mention. The voices of the choir have been very successful in performing Advent music, such as Marsh's In Winter's House, composed in 2019 for the tenors and basses of the Tenebrae Choir, and the beautiful Advent 'O' Carol by the composer Forbes l'Estrange. Likewise, the version of the traditional Christmas carol The Truth Sent from Above, arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams, has the splendid baritone Joseph Edwards as soloist.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith his plurality of perspectives, Nigel Short offers a very coherent proposal not only for his varied repertoire but also for the rigor with which he synthesizes the knowledge he has acquired at the head of the Tenebrae Choir.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- Sonograma\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signum Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012778119402,"sku":"635212069028","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4118908-2867397_81776d9a-562a-4a18-a306-46b0785b4e0a.jpg?v=1786632831"},{"product_id":"be-all-merry-earley-choral-scholars-293579","title":"Be All Merry \/ Earley, Choral Scholars of UCD, Irish Chamber Orchestra","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Choral Scholars is an internationally acclaimed chamber choir of gifted student singers led by founding Artistic Director, Dr. Desmond Earley, based at University College Dublin College of Arts \u0026amp; Humanities. Scholars come from various academic disciplines and commit to an intensive programme of choral study. Be all Merry is one of three new pieces especially composed for the Choral Scholars. This lively carol for choir, orchestra and violin by Irish composer Eoghan Desmond evokes the joyful play of Christmas in the lines ‘Be all merry in this house\/Exultet celum laudibus!’. The recording contains a remarkable setting of the Advent plainsong hymn Christe Redemptor Omnium for tenor solo, chorus, violin and violoncello by Ivo Antognini, crafted for Choral Scholars with the kind support of the Swiss Embassy in Dublin. The Adoration of the Magi by American composer Timothy Stephens is a breathtaking setting of W. B. Yeats’ poetry. A beautiful Irish-language lullaby – Cró na Nollag – set by father and son, Adhamhnán and Uinseann Mac Domhnaill, and the much-loved Scottish tune simply titled Suantraí, are also included. The Irish Chamber Orchestra are also featured on a number of tracks including The Wexford Carol and Carol of the Bells. The choir closes the album with the song most associated with friendship, hope and the promise of a new year, Auld Lang Syne. The post-production phase of this recording project took place as the world grappled with the outbreak of COVID-19. American composer Linda Kachelmeier’s piece – We Toast the Days – serves as a reminder of the strength, love and hope that resonates throughout the world not simply at Christmastide but also during periods of hardship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan id=\"ctl00_MainContent_gvReviews_cell5_12_ASPxPopupControl1_ASPxLabel2\" class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003eLike the Winchester Quiristers, the Choral Scholars of University College Dublin are unique – a relatively new group of collegiate singers who trade a chapel for an intriguing commercial instinct. Be All Merry is a slick album of new, largely unrecognisable settings of old carols woven through with the sound of Gaelic folk song, much of it from the fiddle of the Irish Chamber Orchestra’s concertmaster. It provides that one thing we badly need from Christmas albums – something different that’s still consistent and festive – and only occasionally edges into processed cheese despite every track being suitable for a TV chat show’s play-out. If you can take a degree of Gaelic mistiness there is plenty to enjoy. The jagged arrangement of the Carol of the Bells by conductor Desmond Earley caught my ear, sung by a choir very well trained with an idea of its own sound. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003e-- Gramophone\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signum Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012837462250,"sku":"635212064320","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3837551-2582956.jpg?v=1786714673"},{"product_id":"its-christmas-jonas-kaufmann-397320","title":"It's Christmas! \/ Jonas Kaufmann","description":"In a Christmas album that is a gift itself, Jonas Kaufmann – the most acclaimed operatic tenor of the age – echoes his own holiday memories and joys with It’s Christmas!, celebrating the most festive time of the year with a unique selection of beloved songs and carols. This uniquely rich and diverse holiday album features 40 favorites that reflect the many facets of Christmas, from ancient Christian hymns to contemporary pop classics.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  “When I think of Christmas, many memories spring to mind,” Kaufmann writes, in his liner note for It’s Christmas! “In this I’m probably like everyone else. Christmas is the festival of contemplation and remembrance, of joy and light.”\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Christmas has had a special meaning for Kaufmann ever since he landed on the front page of a Munich newspaper – at the age of eight – after describing his family’s lively, musical Christmas Eve so vividly that he won a school prize. 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Throughout the 1980s and early '90s Rutter's legions of followers were treated to several now-classic CD albums for Collegium, including Christmas Night, Christmas with the Cambridge Singers, and Christmas Day in the Morning. It's from these recordings that the present program was drawn, with the addition of two newly issued tracks--Dormi, Jesu and Love came down at Christmas. Yes, if you already own those other discs, for completeness' sake and, well, just because it's a new Rutter release, you'll still have to have this one. And that's not a bad thing at all, especially since all of these tracks have been remastered in notably clearer, more vibrant sound than their 10- or 15-year-old predecessors.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e The selections focus on Rutter's own compositions, with \"a sprinkling\" of his arrangements of traditional carols organized (in typical Rutter\/Cambridge Singers fashion) into a thematically grouped program--Prologue, The Christmas Story, Christmas Night, Christmas reflections, Christmas Joy, and Epilogue--the latter consisting of a lovely setting of Silent Night, made for a 1988 BBC television production. And speaking of classics, among the 23 pieces heard here is Rutter's masterpiece, What sweeter music, a staple of Christmas programs everywhere (and a continuing presence in a popular series of Volvo commercials), sounding even more glorious than ever. [11\/23\/2002]\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Collegium Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012864004330,"sku":"040888051022","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/777650.jpg?v=1786764489"},{"product_id":"tchaikovsky-the-nutcracker-royal-ballet-129582","title":"Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker \/ Royal Ballet","description":"Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable score combines with the magical choreography inspired by Lev Ivanov in an atmosphere of fantasy and the supernatural. Hoffmann’s Christmas story unfolds with breathtaking splendour and beauty in the most festive and enduring of all ballets. The Royal Ballet, whose Director, Sir Anthony Dowell, plays Drosselmeyer, is joined by the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Anthony Dowell, Alina Cojocaru, Ivan Putrov, Miyako Yoshida, Jonathan Cope The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House \/ Evgenii Svetlanov\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  FORMAT: NTSC; REGION 1 | PICTURE FORMAT: 16:9 | APPROX RUN TIME: 133 MINS | SOUND: DOLBY SURROUND \/ LPCM STEREO\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Extra features include\u003cbr\u003e  • The Transformation Revealed Behind-the-scenes secrets of the spectacular Christmas tree scene\u003cbr\u003e  • Producer Sir Peter Wright on the production and Sir Anthony Dowell on the role of Herr Drosselmeyer\u003cbr\u003e  • Fixed wide shots of the Snowflakes and Transformation scenes\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  R E V I E W S:\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  ‘...gorgeously staged Nutcracker.’ -- The Guardian\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  ‘…fabulously entertaining. …a deliciously mysterious Herr Drosselmeyer played by Dowell. I plan on returning to this ‘Nutcracker’ many,many times.’ -- The San Francisco Chronicle\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  ‘Peter Wright’s traditional production of The Nutcracker is lovely Christmas stuff, with lots of tutus and tiaras.’ -- The Mail on Sunday\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  ‘Now you don’t have to leave the comfort of your armchair to enjoy one of the most magical productions of recent years whenever you wish – in pin-sharp widescreen with CD-quality Dolby Digital surround sound. …Needless to say, the dancers are top class, the costumes exquisite, the music delightful and the sets as sumptuous as a wedding cake. Enjoy the best that ballet has to offer from the best seat in the house – your own.’ -- HMV Choice\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46012888547562,"sku":"809478000082","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/398378.jpg?v=1786695016"},{"product_id":"handel-messiah-christophers-handel-haydn-society-79035","title":"Handel: Messiah \/ Christophers, Handel \u0026 Haydn Society","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDramatic, highly-colored music from one of the most approachable and individual voices in contemporary music.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHandel’s ever-popular Messiah was recorded live in the superb acoustic of Boston’s Symphony Hall, to mark the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Handel and Haydn Society, America’s longest-standing performing arts organization. Messiah was first performed in Dublin in 1742 and the Handel and Haydn Society gave the first complete performance of the work in the USA in 1818. It has been performed annually in Boston as part of the Handel and Haydn Society concert season every year since 1854.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEWS\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn his rendering of the score, Harry Christophers eloquently guides us through the entire oratorio with a steady hand and firm conviction. The tempi are sprightly where they ought to be, even sparkling like jewels at times—but not blazing as if on fire—and are equally slackened when they need to be. Further, the text is not merely declaimed; rather, every word is expressed!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe period instrument orchestra plays each and every note, trill, and ornament to perfection. As one would expect, the soloists are likewise fantastic. 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Inspired by the great All-Night Vigil setting by Rachmaninoff, Sheehan’s composition expands the genre with full settings of Psalms. Each verse is treated with deep musical pathos to express a full range of human emotion. Vespers also features virtuosic vocal solos, including the first for basso profundo in English. Soloists include Fotina Naumenko, soprano; Helen Karloski, mezzo-soprano; Timothy Parsons, countertenor; Paul D’Arcy, tenor; Jamal Sarikoki and Michael Hawes, baritones; Jason Thoms, bass; and Glenn Miller, basso profundo.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eEncounter this music that projects a vision of hope and light for all. The Saint Tikhon Choir was founded in 2015 by Benedict Sheehan, the group’s artistic director, and Abbot Sergius of St. Tikhon’s Monastery. 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Some of these carols have long been widely known and loved; others have become so thanks to the annual Christmas Eve Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King’s College, Cambridge; a few are newly written. But all of them focus on the central event of the Christmas story – the birth at Bethlehem – and on the characters in that story: the angels, the shepherds, the wise men, and the mother with her child.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJohn Rutter writes: “This has always been my favorite among the Christmas albums I have devised and conducted, but digital sound restoration techniques have made huge advances in the years since it was recorded and it was time to give it a spring-clean. In remastering it, it has been possible to bring the sound of the choir and the orchestra to life, and I have been able to enjoy it anew. The Cambridge Singers in 1985 were at the top of their game, and the choir list includes at least two singers who are now internationally renowned as soloists. We hope you will enjoy this classic recording in its newly restored form.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCONTENTS\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn dulci jubilo\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrd\u003c\/strong\u003e: Adam lay ybounden\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChristmas Night\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOnce, As I Remember\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHowells\u003c\/strong\u003e: A Spotless Rose\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDarke\u003c\/strong\u003e: In the Bleak Midwinter\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRutter\u003c\/strong\u003e: There Is a Flower\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Cherry-Tree Carol\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNiles\u003c\/strong\u003e: I Wonder as I Wander\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRutter\u003c\/strong\u003e: Candlelight Carol\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTannenbaum\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA Virgin Most Pure\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHadley, P\u003c\/strong\u003e: I sing of a maiden\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBallet\u003c\/strong\u003e: Lute-Book Lullaby\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCornelius\u003c\/strong\u003e: The Three Kings\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRichard R. 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Part of the reason is because his music is just so sonorous, singable, and sellable. But, sticking with the alliteration, it's also \"serious\" in the sense that his style seems to come from a genuine and personal conviction rather than from some external, commercial or image-driven influence. His music is functional, if you want it to be, but it also serves very well as pure concert material, and the three choral cycles Lux Aeterna, Les Chansons des Roses, and Madrigali have achieved a degree of success in that role. I've commented in detail regarding Lauridsen's style in previous reviews, and you can find such a description by typing Q8554 in Search Reviews, which refers to a Hyperion recording by Stephen Layton and Polyphony that duplicates two-thirds of the program presented here.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e It takes only a few minutes of listening to discern some of the primary features--some would say \"formulaic traits\"--characteristic of Lauridsen's more popular works, exemplified in O magnum mysterium and the Lux aeterna cycle. But it's hard not to luxuriate along with the choir in the rich-textured sound and affectingly simple melodic phrases. The work here that's not on the Polyphony recording is the choral cycle Les Chansons des Roses. Premiered in 1993, the five songs are set to poems about roses by Rainer Maria Rilke. The final one, Dirait-on (here with the composer at the piano), has become a concert favorite, but the others are equally worthy of attention by accomplished choirs. The Lux Aeterna cycle is a masterpiece of Lauridsen's kind of choral sonority and word-setting, the organ accompaniment a perfect complement to the singers' \"organ-like\" textures and timbres.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e My only real criticism of Polyphony's performances (that disc also includes Ave Maria and Ubi caritas et amor) was its dreadfully slow reading of Lauridsen's now-ubiquitous O magnum mysterium, which retained the resonance of the harmonies but sapped the energy from the long, flowing phrases. Well, if I thought that version was slow, Nicol Matt and his Chamber Choir of Europe--unquestionably one of the world's top-tier ensembles--had a surprise in store: this one is nearly a quarter of a minute longer! Aside from some sort of odd competition (the score clearly, wisely, indicates a much faster tempo), I can't understand the purpose for the snail's pace, notwithstanding the fact that it's effortlessly sung. At any rate, this is another excellent Lauridsen program that will please choral enthusiasts and hopefully will expand this composer's reach to listeners who still haven't made his acquaintance. The sound, from two different church venues in Germany, is very good if a touch bright and weighted toward treble at louder volume on some tracks. [11\/9\/2006]\u003cbr\u003e --David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com","brand":"Haenssler Classic","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012919513322,"sku":"4010276019268","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1028091.jpg?v=1786628866"},{"product_id":"an-elizabethan-christmas-byrd-holborne-gibbons-peerson-943403","title":"An Elizabethan Christmas \/ Fretwork","description":"\u003cp\u003eViol consort Fretwork and mezzo soprano Helen Charlston explore the more reflective and sombre Christmas celebrations of Elizabethan England, in a collection of works by William Byrd, Anthony Holborne, Orlando Gibbons and Martin Peerson. With celebrations confined strictly to the 12 days from Christmas Eve to Epiphany, the preceding Advent was regarded as a time of religious introspection, with music composed to mark both fasting and feasting. Byrd’s consort songs for voice and 5 viols encompass this range, from the joyous Out of the Orient Crystal Skies – ending with an exuberant ‘Falantidingdido’, a word whose meaning is lost to history – to his Lullaby, a ‘song of sadnes and pietie’ that became one of Byrd’s most enduringly famous songs.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eIn 2021, Fretwork celebrates its 35th anniversary. In the past three and a half decades they have explored the core repertory of great English consort music, from Taverner to Purcell, and made classic recordings against which others are judged. In addition to this, Fretwork have become known as pioneers of contemporary music for viols, having commissioned over 40 new works. Acclaimed for her musical interpretation, presence and “warmly distinctive tone” (The Telegraph), Helen Charlston is quickly cementing herself as a key performer in the next generation of British singers. Helen won first prize in the 2018 Handel Singing Competition and was a finalist in the Hurn Court Opera Competition, and the Grange Festival International Singing Competition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signum Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012925640938,"sku":"635212068021","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3993703-2730678_f57f2093-cc79-4365-8d13-7b65bcbf3855.jpg?v=1786714681"},{"product_id":"christmas-carols-with-the-kings-singers","title":"Christmas Carols with The King's Singers","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis brand new Christmas album from The King’s Singers features 25 tracks covering everything from contemporary choral gems and folk songs through to well-loved carols. Dotted throughout the album are several of the most famous English church carols, which take The King’s Singers right back to their earliest singing days, and which also reflect the group’s heritage at King’s College, Cambridge. In Christmas Carols with The King’s Singers, the group bottle that frosty, moonlit, fireside Christmas wonder and pour it into their sound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe King’s Singers have represented the gold standard in a cappella singing on the world’s greatest stages for over fifty years. They are renowned for their unrivalled technique, versatility and skill in performance, and for their consummate musicianship, drawing both on the group’s rich heritage and its pioneering spirit to create an extraordinary wealth of original works and unique collaborations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEWS\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIf you love a capella men’s ensembles in Christmas music the King’s Singers are for you. This new album has some of the most beautiful ensemble singing I’ve heard in a long time. The arrangements are all tasteful and the singing, both in solos and ensemble, exquisite. These are not the same singers that recorded some truly ugly arrangements in some truly ugly albums several decades ago. Back them there seemed to be an attempt by their producers to make the King Singers more “withit” by recording them in arrangements that someone deemed funny or original. Since then someone brought the group back to what they do best. There are a number of familiar carols here (`Ding! Dong! Merrily on High!’, `Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day’, etc.), but also some newer carols that are really lovely (`The quiet heart’, `The little road to Bethlehem’, `O, do not move’). What a suitable disc for a wintry evening by the fire! Notes, texts, and translations.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e-- \u003c\/span\u003eAmerican Record Guide\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signum Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012926689514,"sku":"635212068328","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3993704-2730679.jpg?v=1786693818"},{"product_id":"rontgen-symphonies-nos-7-11-12-14-953716","title":"Röntgen: Symphonies Nos. 7, 11, 12, 14, 22-24 \/ Porcelijn","description":"\u003cp\u003eWe now once again can continue our comprehensive and successful Röntgen Edition with a new production containing two albums dedicated to his last symphonies. These works once again demonstrating that Röntgen was the most highly imaginative composer in Holland during the second half of the nineteenth century. Julius Röntgen composed his Symphony no. 12 in C major (“In Babylone”) in 1930, along with eight further symphonies. Seven of these works are laid out in a single movement and last from ten to 15 minutes. The actual main theme of Symphony no. 12 is only heard at the end in the plein jeu of the organ. At the beginning of 1930 Julius Röntgen was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Edin‑burgh. The degree was proposed by Professor Donald Francis Tovey, with whom he had already developed a friendship by 1910. Tovey considered Röntgen the last link in a chain proceeding from Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms, a man capable of telling and teaching us of these 19th‑century titans. Röntgen was so surprised and delighted at the prospect of this tribute that he immediately set out to compose his Seventh Symphony in F minor, the “Edinburgh” Symphony. Following the model of Joseph Haydn and his “Oxford” Symphony, he intended to present it to the university’s senate at the awards ceremony. Röntgen celebrated the Christmas season and New Year’s Day with the newly married couple in Winterthur, where his newest – and last – symphony originated in 1930. Symphony no. 14 in D major (“Winterthur”) makes do with a small amount of material. The horns enter on natural harmonics in D major, seemingly emerging directly from the Alpine scenery.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"CPO","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012934127850,"sku":"761203730926","price":36.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4011756-2749235.jpg?v=1786709955"},{"product_id":"christmas-buzz-brass-966052","title":"Christmas \/ Buzz Brass","description":"\u003ctable\u003e  \u003ctbody\u003e  \u003ctr\u003e  \u003ctd\u003eBuzz Brass inspired dreams with this new opus, Christmas. The quintet takes the listener out of the familiar with this majestic, elegant and refined arrangements to highlight the holiday season. The male vocal quartet Quartom joins as guest artists in ‘Noël canadien’ and ‘The 12 days of Christmas.’ The ensemble's latest volume, Inspirations, has been hailed as proof of their \"testament to the ensemble’s sensational embouchure\" by the prestigious Gramophone magazine. Since 2002, Buzz Brass quintet has been travelling all over the globe to captivate classical music lovers. Whether its concerts consist of brass quintet alone or together with guest musicians, the original artistic propositions it presents leave nobody cold. With over 1,600 appearances to its credit, the ensemble has reached more than 350,000 music lovers throughout North America, Europe and China. The numerous awards and distinctions that Buzz Brass has earned over the years (Opus, ADISQ, and Trille Or) attest to both the quality and the relevance of its musical performances.\u003c\/td\u003e  \u003c\/tr\u003e  \u003c\/tbody\u003e  \u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"Analekta","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012935700714,"sku":"774204891329","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4018011-2766424.jpg?v=1786684079"},{"product_id":"muller-antillean-dances-bessette-966054","title":"Muller: Antillean Dances \/ Bessette","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWim Statius Muller, who came to be known as “the Chopin of Curaçao,” spent just over 30 years in various security and counter-espionage organizations! Although for the most part Wim Statius Muller’s music is based on folk dance rhythms, it is nevertheless garbed in the fine attire of concert music, with the waltzes and other dance tunes. The extraordinary musician Louise Bessette offers on this new album all 22 pieces from the Antillean Dances collection and gives these dances the “royal treatment,” offering precise and exceptionally clear performances.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Analekta","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012937339114,"sku":"774204984526","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4018013-2766428.jpg?v=1786710024"},{"product_id":"minkus-don-quixote-australian-ballet-dvd-966076","title":"Minkus: Don Quixote \/ Australian Ballet [DVD]","description":"\u003ctable\u003e  \u003ctbody\u003e  \u003ctr\u003e  \u003ctd\u003eThis spectacular film of Don Quixote, choregraphed after Petipa and directed for the screen by Russian ballet superstar Rudolf Nureyev, is recognized as one of the finest ballet performances ever caught on camera and a cinematic triumph in its own right. Filmed in Melbourne with the Australian Ballet in 1973, the cast includes Nureyev as Basilio, Sir Robert Helpmann as the deluded knight and Lucette Aldous as Kitri. This timeless story of love, gallantry and misadventure – all unfolding with Minkus’s exhilarating Spanish flavored music – has stood the test of time as one of the world’s most popular ballets. Lovingly restored from the original 35mm film, and to be heard for the first time in full SS digital stereo created for the DVD and Blu-ray release, this is finally, how Nureyev intended his Don Quixote to be seen and heard.\u003c\/td\u003e  \u003c\/tr\u003e  \u003c\/tbody\u003e  \u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46012942483690,"sku":"809478013501","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4018036-2764542.jpg?v=1786667708"},{"product_id":"bruckner-symphony-no-8-poschner-linz-bruckner-orchestra","title":"Bruckner: Symphony No. 8 \/ Poschner, Linz Bruckner Orchestra","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe present release is the most comprehensive Bruckner Symphonies cycle, including all 19 available versions. Anton Bruckner burst out of the confines of the cathedral using that most secular of musical forms, the symphony. The creator of some of the 19th century’s greatest orchestral music, Bruckner cut a singular figure among his contemporaries. This new complete Bruckner Symphonies edition from Capriccio reassesses these enduringly enigmatic and complex works. Presented by the Bruckner Orchestra Linz and the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, and featuring all 19 available versions, the cycle is scheduled for completion in 2024, Bruckner’s 200th birthday. The second release, of Symphony No. 8 (1890 version) is performed by Bruckner Orchestra Linz conducted by Markus Poschner.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Capriccio","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012956049642,"sku":"845221080819","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4012993-2757638.jpg?v=1786680206"},{"product_id":"noel-angele-dubeau-la-pieta-82415","title":"Noel \/ Angele Dubeau, La Pieta","description":"Angele Dubeau and La Pieta take us around the world in a sparkling selection of Christmas themes for small string orchestra. Some tunes are familiar, others are new to us but ring with the essence of timelessness as they are surely international favorites bound for familiarity here through many repeated listenings. One characteristic every work on the program shares... simply beautiful melodies and the sound of shimmering, silken strings. This is a joyous and festive celebration sure to become a new holiday classic. - ArkivMusic \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e -------------------------\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Silent night! Holy night! Hearing just a few notes of this eternal carol is enough to envelop us in a sweet tranquility and inner peace that goes well beyond the meaning of the words written by Joseph Mohr and music famous song by Franz Xaver Gruber. Jumbled memories arise of snow-covered countryside, crackling fires, delicious aromas filling the house, the joyful shouts of excited children unwrapping presents. Has Christmas turned into mere nostalgia, or can we rediscover the true meaning of this celebration? Angèle Dubeau thinks we can and, through both popular songs and carols works associated with the Nativity, she offers here a voyage through a world with diverse origins and traditions. This musical tour and celebration of the Nativity will take you to Finland, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom, Russia, and, closer to home, Mexico and Canada, with the Huron Carol.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e God Jul!\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e In Scandinavia, Christmas celebrations begin on December 13, the feast day of Saint Lucy, when a young girl is chosen in each village to represent her. Clothed in white and a crown of candles, she goes from house to house—along with a retinue of girls in white dresses and boys with pointy, star-spangled hats—bringing light, the symbol of life and renewal, for the coming year. In Finland, the official festivities begin with a declaration of “Christmas Peace” broadcast live on December 24 from Turku Cathedral. A few moments later, Christmas bells ring out across the country, as conveyed by Joulun Kellot (“Christmas Bells”), an interpretation written by Armas Toivo Valdemar Maasalo. Juleniss, the Finnish equivalent of Santa Claus, rewards good children during the night that follows; one wonders if he is tempted to hum the song Julvisa (“Christmas Song”, subtitled Give me no Splendour, Gold or Pomp), written by a young Jean Sibelius.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Buon Natale!\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e While Christmas in Italy might first bring to mind panettone, a Christmas sweet bread invented in Milan around 1490 that is served stuffed with cream, topped with a sauce or covered in chocolate, the country is above all the cradle of the Nativity scene. Indeed, Francis of Assisi created one of the first “living” nativity scenes in 1223, with villagers playing various character roles. Whether miniature or almost life size, these reproductions of the manger scene quickly became a tradition, with Italian families setting them up nine days before Christ’s birthday. It is not surprising, then, that two of Italy’s most well-known Baroque composers, Antonio Vivaldi and Guiseppe Torelli, dedicated idyllic concertos to “the holy birth.”\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Joyeux Noël!\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e In France, cantiques de Noël remain the most important part of popular celebrations of the Nativity. By the 16th century, numerous versions of these carols existed in a variety of regional dialects, and they were distributed by door-to-door salesmen who also carried “Christmas Bibles” and engraved prints (often with a carol on the back). Here, Angèle Dubeau performs Noël nouvelet, Laissez paître vos bêtes and La Vierge à la crèche, set to a text by Alphonse Daudet.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Fröhliche Weihnachten!\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e In Germany, Christmas is Weihnachten (holy nights), and this is where the tradition of the Christmas tree originates. Legend has it that Saint Boniface (ca. 680–754) used the triangular shape of the evergreen tree to explain the concept of the Trinity to the pagans. The first mention of the modern Christmas tree dates back to 1521 in the Alsatian town of Sélestat. Even before this, however, the Christmas mystery plays performed in church squares frequently made use of trees decorated with fruit, offerings, decorations and candles (the candle tradition being attributed to Martin Luther). Two centuries later, Johann Melchior Molter wrote a delicate concerto grosso, inspired by the scene of the adoration of the shepherds.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ¡Féliz Navidad!\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e In central America, Mexicans celebrate Las Posadas (the inns) which, starting December 16, commemorates Joseph and Mary’s search for lodging. As night falls, a procession sets off, led by children carrying a small decorated platform bearing statues of Joseph and Mary, who is riding a donkey. As the procession of villagers winds through the streets singing litanies, they knock at various doors along the route. Each time they are turned away with the cruel words “There is no room,” until the procession arrives at the appointed house or church. Then, the doors are flung wide in the open spirit of Christmas and the celebration begins, concluding with the breaking of a piñata, refreshments and dancing. The lullaby performed here, entitled “Sleep, Holy Infant”, comes from Dave Brubeck’s Christmas cantata, “La Fiesta de la Posada”, written to a text by his wife, Iola Brubeck and arranged by Russell Gloyd especially for Angèle Dubeau. Upon hearing the recording, Mr. Brubeck’s reaction was: “This is fantastic. She is playing from her heart.”\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Hristos Razdajetsja!\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Orthodox Russians have always liked to transform religious events into celebrations, hence the string quartet Jour de Fête by Alexander Glazunov, which evokes the festivities held on the night of January 6 to 7, Christ’s birthday on the Julian calendar. After the church service, everyone sits down to “Holy Supper,” which cannot be started until the first star appears in the sky, an homage to the star that guided the Magi. After the feast, tradition dictates that a plate of braided bread called kalach is left on the table between two candles, in honour of deceased members of the family. Angèle Dubeau offers here one of the rare recordings of this work.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Merry Christmas!\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Christmas is celebrated enthusiastically in the United Kingdom. Houses are decorated with bright lights, children sing Christmas carols (such as “Holy Boy” by John Ireland) in the street, collecting spare change for the poor, and Christmas pudding is the traditional post-Christmas-dinner dessert. Another important tradition began here: the sending of Christmas cards, a custom that began in the 15th century and expanded significantly in the 18th century with the development of lithography.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Jesous Ahatonhia\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e The Huron carol Jesous Ahatonhia (Jesus is born) was written by the Jesuit Jean de Brébeuf in 1641. Hoping to better convey the meaning of Christmas, the priest adapted the text to the reality of the First Nations people. Hence, Jesus is wrapped in rabbit skins, he sleeps in a bark lodge, the adoring shepherds are replaced with hunters, and three Indian chiefs take the place of the Magi. Canadian composer Kelly-Marie Murphy based her work Huron Carol Interlude on the carol. The interlude of the title refers to the third movement of her string quintet Dance Me Through the Panic, from which she borrowed shimmering colours and a sense of melancholy, imbuing the carol melody with a very particular mood and evoking, in her own words, an “imagery of ice, snow, solitude and prayer.” When she heard this Angèle Dubeau’s rendition of her work, the composer wrote: “This is a wonderfully performed and produced interpretation of Huron Carol Interlude. There is a rich, full sound, with a perfect sense of pacing and colour. It expresses my ideas beautifully. Heartfelt thanks and congratulations to Angèle Dubeau!”\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e © Lucie Renaud\u003cbr\u003e  Translation: Peter Christensen\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Analekta","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012958769386,"sku":"774204873028","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1725443.jpg?v=1786698961"},{"product_id":"christmas-voces8-52965","title":"Christmas \/ Voces8","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe international award-winning octet, VOCES8, has established itself at the forefront of British a cappella. Performing a repertoire ranging from Renaissance polyphony to unique Jazz and Pop arrangements, the group has been praised for stunning performance, exquisite singing and creating a sound that spans the entire range of vocal color.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVoces8 \u003cspan class=\"c-product-review--quote\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eoffer polished and well-nigh flawless singing. The tone, however, seems rather ‘white’; frequently I found myself longing for a bit less studied technical perfection and a bit more by way of grit and feeling; much of this disc seems too smooth and effortless.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- MusicWeb International\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signum Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012992815338,"sku":"635212029121","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1980361.jpg?v=1786709567"},{"product_id":"the-cambridge-singers-christmas-album-rutter-193265","title":"The Cambridge Singers Christmas Album \/ Rutter","description":"\u003cp\u003eOver the past couple of decades, the Christmas recordings of John Rutter and his Cambridge Singers have claimed such a solid and widely enjoyed presence among choral music fans that we have to say that this group and its director\/composer\/arranger have long ago passed from phenomenon to tradition. This new release, which contains 19 previously issued but newly re-mixed tracks along with four never-before released selections, is both a celebration of that legacy and a re-affirmation of Rutter's uniquely influential contributions to a special genre that began years ago with his acclaimed carol arrangements and his now-classic anthem \"What sweeter music\". While this disc does not feature Rutter's own compositions--those can be found on an earlier companion disc, The John Rutter Christmas Album (type Q5895 in Search Reviews)--it does offer many of his carol arrangements (notably the infectious \"Somerset Wassail\") along with some of the finest by such masters as David Willcocks, H. Walford Davies, and Healey Willan (whose rarely-heard setting of \"What is this lovely fragrance?\" is happily included rather than the fine but ubiquitous Willcocks version).\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e The program also provides a very healthy dose of original pieces, from Victoria's O magnum mysterium, Handel's For unto us a child is born, Kenneth Leighton's Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child, and Britten's A New Year Carol, to Sweelinck's double-choir Hodie Christus natus est, John Tavener's The Lamb, and Peter Warlock's Balulalow and I saw a fair maiden. The disc ends with Vaughan Williams' rousing Fantasia on Christmas Carols. As you might expect, there's not a dull moment during this very generously filled 77-plus-minute CD, and there's so much joy and beauty in these well-chosen, perfectly sung pieces that a simple numerical rating doesn't do it justice. The sound is appropriately full, vibrant, clear, and dynamic. Add this to your list. [11\/8\/2003]\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Collegium Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013023715562,"sku":"040888051220","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/585816.jpg?v=1786768335"},{"product_id":"100-christmas-classics-capriccio","title":"100 Christmas Classics","description":"\u003cp\u003eCertainly, the 'quietest time of year' is also the time when music is to be most frequently heard - not only in public, in shops or markets, but also in the countryside, where Christmas is the time when perhaps the most singing is done. The music author Marius Schneider once underlined this fact by writing:\"God hungers for songs.\" And thus the time which celebrates the symbolic birth of the Lord is a great time for music - even for people who may have no direct religious beliefs. With this 5CD-Set Capriccio presents in total 100 Classical Christmas titles, sung by most famous choruses and soloists. And draws a bow from the high classical Christmas Oratorio by Bach to more simple songs from the country side. And of course the most famous song can't be missed: \"Silent Night, Holy Night.\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Capriccio","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013028335850,"sku":"845221073316","price":33.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3730837-2516134.jpg?v=1786695419"},{"product_id":"puts-silent-night-954762","title":"Puts: Silent Night \/ Lewis, Minnesota Opera","description":"\u003cp\u003eKevin Puts is one of America’s most exciting and important composers. His first opera, Silent Night, with a libretto by Mark Campbell, was commissioned by Minnesota Opera. It premiered in 2011 and went on to win the Pulitzer Prize. A work profound and sweeping emotional power, it has since entered the modern operatic repertoire with remarkable speed, enjoying world-wide performances. The opera is based on Christian Carion’s screen-play for the 2005 French war film Joyeux Noël, and its fictionalized subject is the series of Christmas truces on the Western Front in 1914.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEWS\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmerican composer Kevin Puts’ first opera, Silent Night, with a libretto by Mark Campbell, was commissioned by Minnesota Opera, the house where this live recording was made. The opera's subject is the Christmas truce on the Western Front in 1914. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVarious languages are used in the opera, German, French, English, Italian, and even Latin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePuts and Campbell have packed the serious theme into a complex score, very colorful and modern in style, with painfully dissonant and wonderfully lyrical moments. Overall, the opera is good for an impressive musical experience, though the question is whether the visuals of the theatrical experience are missing from the audio recording. On the other hand, with just the audio there is more focus on the music, and it is, after all, quite expressive and convincingly performed in this live recording.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- Pizzicato\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs we have already heard in his orchestral works, Puts is a highly compelling and innovative orchestrator, and here he is equally compelling in the field of opera where he works within the conventions of solos, duets and choruses. They are then brought together by the British-born conductor, Courtney Lewis. It is not the type of story you can enjoy, but the opera, which takes two hours, must rank amongst the most outstanding staged in recent times. Add to this the ideally balanced recording, and it becomes self-recommending. The twin disc comes with English. This, and the slim two disc jewel case with notes on the artists, is then presented in a cardboard box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e– David's Review Corner (David Denton)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013063692522,"sku":"730099905077","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4013233-2760067.jpg?v=1786671012"},{"product_id":"brahms-montgomery-weber-here-with-you-954193","title":"Here With You \/ A. McGill, Gloria Chien","description":"\u003cp\u003eAnthony McGill, principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic, and pianist Gloria Chien, a frequent performer with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, make their commercial recording debut as a duo on Here with You, an album of early and late German Romantic masterworks they’ve treasured throughout their 15 years of mutual admiration and musical collaboration. It’s a project that embodies, in the artists’ words, a “shared expression of beauty and friendship.” Johannes Brahms and Carl Maria von Weber were accomplished pianists who wrote for — and performed with — the leading clarinetists of their day. Brahms’ Sonata No. 1, Opus 120, spotlights fast-paced, intense dialogues between the two players, while his Sonata No. 2 explores the clarinet’s entire tonal range. Weber’s Grand Duo Concertant has been described as “a double concerto without orchestra” showcasing sheer virtuosity for both instruments. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s newest Mead Composer-in-Residence, Jessie Montgomery wrote Peace in 2020 as a response to the global pandemic. McGill and Chien offer the world-premiere recording of the clarinet and piano version.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Cedille","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013064446186,"sku":"735131920728","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4012984-2760128.jpg?v=1786694855"},{"product_id":"horowitz-dvoraks-prophecy-a-new-narrative-for-949631","title":"Dvorak's Prophecy - Film 6 - Lou Harrison \u0026 Cultural Fusion [DVD]","description":"\u003cp\u003e“Lou Harrison and Cultural Fusion”\u003cbr\u003eA PostClassical Ensemble “More than Music” film\u003cbr\u003eWritten and produced by Joseph Horowitz\u003cbr\u003eVisual presentation by Peter Bogdanoff\u003cbr\u003eFilm six in the six-film Naxos series:\u003cbr\u003e“Dvorak’s Prophecy: A New Narrative for American Classical Music”\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eJoe Horowitz writes of this film:  \"No non-Western musical idiom has so impacted on the Western concert tradition as Indonesian gamelan, beginning with the Javanese Pavilion at the 1889 Paris Exposition: an epiphany. Sampling gamelan-inspired works by Debussy, Poulenc, Messiaen, and McPhee, we arrive at a paragon exemplar of cultural fusion – Lou Harrison – and a pair of concertos, for violin and piano, unsurpassed by those of any other American. The composer\/scholar Bill Alves demonstrates the layered complexity of Javanese gamelan, and how it translates into keyboard textures composed by Harrison for Keith Jarrett. For Harrison’s Concerto for Violin and Percussion, we tour the “junk percussion” – including flowerpots and washtubs – that Harrison made sing and dance.\"\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eHe goes on to write \"We now inhabit a “postclassical” musical aesthetic that, rather than piling on modernist complexity, draws inspiration from a variety of sources, Eastern and Western, “high” and popular. The prophetic figure, it seems to me is Lou Harrison, who practiced world music before there was a name for it. Harrison was certainly a composer who discovered a usable past – including music from Indonesia, China, and Japan. In the New World, a usable starting point was and remains the sorrow songs of African Americans, so eloquently celebrated around the turn of the twentieth century by W. E. B. Du Bois and Antonin Dvořák. Dvořák’s 1893 prophecy that “negro melodies” would foster a “great and noble” school of American music has never seemed more pertinent.”\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\"These six beautiful films reveal a compelling, inclusive musical tradition, deeply interwoven with American culture.\" – J. Peter Burkholder, author of 'A History of Western Music' and 'Listening to Charles Ives'.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013066936554,"sku":"747313569953","price":6.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4009930-2753040.jpg?v=1786646389"},{"product_id":"tchaikovsky-the-nutcracker-royal-ballet-84087","title":"Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker \/ Royal Ballet","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=519646\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky\u003cbr\u003e  THE NUTCRACKER\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \"One of the very best seasonal treats for children and adults alike, the Royal Ballet’s Nutcracker is a handsome, magical, thoroughly traditional rendering of ETA Hoffmann’s immortal if deeply strange story.\" -- Sunday Express\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  This all-time ballet favourite, in which young Clara is swept into a fantasy adventure when one of her Christmas presents comes to life, is at its most enchanting in Peter Wright’s glorious production – as fresh as ever in its 25th year. Tchaikovsky’s ravishing score, period designs by Julia Trevelyan Oman (including an ingenious magical Christmas tree), an exquisite Sugar Plum Fairy (Miyako Yoshida) and chivalrous Prince (Steven McRae), the mysterious Drosselmeyer (Gary Avis) and vibrant dancing by The Royal Ballet make for a captivating performance. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true surround sound.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The Sugar Plum Fairy – Miyako Yoshida\u003cbr\u003e  Nephew \/ Nutcracker – Ricardo Cervera \/ Steven McRae\u003cbr\u003e  The Prince – Steven McRae\u003cbr\u003e  Drosselmeyer – Gary Avis\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The Royal Ballet\u003cbr\u003e  The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House\u003cbr\u003e  Koen Kessels, conductor\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Peter Wright, choreographer and director\u003cbr\u003e  (after Lev Ivanov)\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, November and December 2009.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Bonus:\u003cbr\u003e  - Cast gallery\u003cbr\u003e  - Rehearsing at White Lodge\u003cbr\u003e  - Peter Wright tells the story of The Nutcracker\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Picture format: NTSC 16:9 anamorphic\u003cbr\u003e  Sound format: LPCM Stereo 2.0 \/ DTS 5.0\u003cbr\u003e  Region code: 0 (worldwide)\u003cbr\u003e  Menu language: English\u003cbr\u003e  Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish\u003cbr\u003e  Running time: 127 mins\u003cbr\u003e  No. of DVDs: 1\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013068673258,"sku":"809478010364","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1724559.jpg?v=1786737668"},{"product_id":"tchaikovsky-the-classic-ballets-royal-ballet-71060","title":"Tchaikovsky: The Classic Ballets \/ Royal Ballet","description":"Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky\u003cbr\u003e  CLASSIC BALLETS\u003cbr\u003e  (3-DVD Box Set)\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Swan Lake\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Odette \/ Odille – Marianela Nuñez\u003cbr\u003e  Prince Siegfried – Thiago Soares\u003cbr\u003e  The Princess, Siegfried’s mother – Elizabeth McGorian\u003cbr\u003e  An Evil Spirit \/ Von Rothbart – Christopher Saunders\u003cbr\u003e  The Tutor – Alastair Marriott\u003cbr\u003e  Benno – David Pickering\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Royal Ballet\u003cbr\u003e  Royal Opera House Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e  Valeriy Ovsyanikov, conductor\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Anthony Dowell, stage director\u003cbr\u003e  Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, choreographers \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Recorded at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, on 16 and 24 March 2009 \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Bonus:\u003cbr\u003e  - Illustrated synopsis\u003cbr\u003e  - Cast gallery\u003cbr\u003e  - Interview with Anthony Dowell\u003cbr\u003e  - Four Swan Queens - Exclusive 30-minute conversation on the demands of dancing the role of the Swan Queen with former Prima Ballerinas\u003cbr\u003e  - Dame Beryl Grey, Dame Monica Mason, Lesley Collier and current principal Marianela Nuñez\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The Nutcracker \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The Sugar Plum Fairy – Miyako Yoshida\u003cbr\u003e  Nephew \/ Nutcracker – Ricardo Cervera \/ Steven McRae\u003cbr\u003e  The Prince – Steven McRae\u003cbr\u003e  Drosselmeyer – Gary Avis\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Royal Ballet \u003cbr\u003e  Royal Opera House Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e  Koen Kessels, conductor\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Peter Wright, choreographer and director (after Lev Ivanov)\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, November and December 2009 \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Bonus:\u003cbr\u003e  - Cast gallery\u003cbr\u003e  - Rehearsing at White Lodge\u003cbr\u003e  - Peter Wright tells the story of The Nutcracker \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The Sleeping Beauty \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Princess Aurora – Alina Cojocaru\u003cbr\u003e  Prince Florimund – Federico Bonelli\u003cbr\u003e  King Florestan XXIV – Christopher Saunders\u003cbr\u003e  His Queen – Elizabeth McGorian\u003cbr\u003e  Cattalabutte – Alastair Marriott\u003cbr\u003e  Carabosse – Genesia Rosato\u003cbr\u003e  Lilac Fairy – Marianela Nuñez\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Royal Ballet \u003cbr\u003e  Royal Opera House Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e  Valeriy Ovsyanikov, conductor\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Marius Petipa, choreographer \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 5 December 2006 \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Bonus:\u003cbr\u003e  - Cast gallery\u003cbr\u003e  - Illustrated synopsis \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  --- \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Picture format: NTSC 16:9\u003cbr\u003e  Sound format: LPCM 2.0 \/ DTS 5.1\u003cbr\u003e  Region code: 0 (worldwide)\u003cbr\u003e  Subtitles (bonus): French, German, Spanish (Nutcracker) + Italian (Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty)\u003cbr\u003e  Running time: 7 hours 37 mins\u003cbr\u003e  No. of DVDs: 3","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013068607722,"sku":"809478011194","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2309770.jpg?v=1786746111"},{"product_id":"catholic-christmas-classics-the-cathedral-singers-108083","title":"Catholic Christmas Classics \/ The Cathedral Singers","description":"Includes night of silence.  Ensemble: Cathedral Singers.  Conductor: Richard Proulx.\u003cbr\u003eIncludes puer natus est in bethlehem.  Ensemble: Cathedral Singers.  Conductor: Richard Proulx.","brand":"GIA","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013069689066,"sku":"785147059028","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/671161.jpg?v=1786767128"},{"product_id":"tchaikovsky-the-nutcracker-kaptsova-ovcharenko-bolshoi-ballet-65974","title":"Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker \/ Kaptsova, Ovcharenko, Bolshoi Ballet","description":"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"COMPOSER12\"\u003e TCHAIKOVSKY \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eThe Nutcracker \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003ePavel Klinichev, cond; Nina Kaptsova (\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eMarie\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Artem Ovcharenko (\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eNutcracker Prince\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Denis Savin (\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eDrosselmeyer\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); et al.; Bolshoi Ballet; Bolshoi Th O \u0026amp; Children’s Ch \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003eBELAIR BAC 073 (DVD: 103:00); BAC 473 (Blu-ray: 103:00) Live: Moscow 12\/2010 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e\"The Bolshoi Ballet is celebrating the 85th birthday of choreographer Yuri Grigorovich, a subject of veneration in his homeland even though his talent outside Russia has always been questioned. In addition to such original works as \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eSpartacus\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eIvan the Terrible\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e, Grigorovich has also attacked several 19th-century classics with limited success, of which his \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eNutcracker\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e is an example. It is difficult to know how much of Petipa and Ivanov’s choreography survives, as few versions are comparable, though one might assume that Balanchine comes close in many respects as do the versions that descend from Sergeyev’s notation. For some reason each of the character dances in the second act here is given to a couple, rather than varying between soloist, couple, or trio or larger group. The final \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003epas de deux\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e is—as usual in Soviet versions—disfigured by the use of a male corps that separates the dancers while hoisting them aloft for the music’s climax so that they are separated rather than joined in communion. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eWithin this framework, Nina Kaptsova and Artem Ovcharenko stand out for their enthusiasm and brilliance, while Denis Savin as Drosselmeyer is given far more dance movement than in other versions of the ballet. Pavel Klinichev and the Bolshoi Orchestra are entirely at home in this music, glowing throughout.\" \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-weight:bold\"\u003eFANFARE: Joel Kasow \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"BelAir Classiques","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013079945450,"sku":"3760115300736","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1973856.jpg?v=1786710226"},{"product_id":"a-mexican-christmas-954280","title":"A Mexican Christmas","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Newberry Consort and EnsAmble Ad-Hoc present A MEXICAN CHRISTMAS, an album of 17th century traditional music for worship and celebration. The collection features pieces commonly heard in both liturgical service and in the streets, and evoke the solemnity and fanfare heard in Mexico City’s convents and plazas, with jubilant vocals and lively strings, guitars, and percussion. Organ, harp, bassoon, and a variety of Mexican traditional instruments bring this exuberant and diverse music to life.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Navona","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013080469738,"sku":"896931006750","price":8.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4013072-2766749.jpg?v=1786709011"},{"product_id":"polish-christmas-carols-various-247332","title":"Polish Christmas Carols \/ Boniecki, Stuligrosz, Plock Symphonic Orchestra","description":"POLISH CHRISTMAS CAROLS","brand":"DUX","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013101932778,"sku":"5902547003467","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2190060.jpg?v=1786649628"},{"product_id":"christmas-on-sugarloaf-mountain-sorrell-apollos-fire-177856","title":"Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain \/ Sorrell, Apollo's Fire","description":"\u003cp\u003eFollowing the release of the award-winning Sugarloaf Mountain: An Appalachian Gathering, which was a Top 5 Billboard Classical Crossover hit, Jeannette Sorrell and Apollo’s Fire present Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain. In this celebration of the American immigrant experience, fiddlers, medieval harp, hammered dulcimer, bagpipes and singers join with children’s voices to evoke the Celtic roots of an Appalachian Christmas. From Christmas Eve in medieval Scotland to folk carols and shape-note hymns at a toe-tapping Christmas gathering in Virginia, Apollo’s Fire follows the journeys of the Irish and Scottish settlers who bravely crossed the Atlantic, settled in the mountains and welcomed Christmas with love, singing, dancing and prayer. Acclaim for the premiere performances of this program was widespread: “The lightning strike of genius can happen, sometimes even repeatedly to those willing to earn it. Jeannette Sorrell is one such person. This show was intense, interesting, spectacularly performed, and deeply moving. If that’s not genius, I don’t know what is.” (Seen \u0026amp; Heard International)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEWS\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eApollo’s Fire is a celebrated baroque orchestra, but their ventures into folk music are just as celebrated. This is music of and by amateurs, here arranged and performed with professional skill, but without sacrificing its vibrant folk quality to the glitz of showbiz. This recording is a must have for anyone susceptible to the allure of this tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e– American Record Guide\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are other ways to reveal fresh musical truths in the context of Christmas, and the determination of another early music group to do so has produced my vote for festive disc of the year. Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain from Apollo’s Fire charts the passage of Scottish and Irish immigrants to the Appalachian Mountains in the 1830s. The Baroque music group gives us sounds we don’t often associate with Bethlehem but are probably far closer to what was heard there: zingy harps, reedy winds and plenteous modality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e– Gramophone\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Avie Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013110616298,"sku":"822252239621","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3828562.jpg?v=1786705780"},{"product_id":"handel-messiah-954261","title":"Handel: Messiah","description":"\u003cp\u003eEnsemble Caprice and Ensemble Vocal-Arts Québec, under the direction of Matthias Maute, present George Frideric Handel’s Messiah featuring Karina Gauvin. Although it is certainly not the first recording of The Messiah, it serves as an opening act to new beginnings; a breath of fresh air after the isolation and empty concert halls caused by the pandemic. These Messiah excerpts feature Canadian soprano Karina Gauvin, known especially for her interpretation of Baroque music, and the recipient of the prestigious award of “Soloist of the year” award by the Communauté internationale des radios publique de langue français. The recording also features the flute part from Mozart’s arrangement of The Messiah, honoring the two giants, Handel and Mozart, of the classical compositional world. Opening the album is composer Jaap Nico Hamburger’s Hope and Belief, which served as the title track for Ensemble Caprice and Ensemble Vocal-Arts Québec Mini Concerts Sante, and closes with Matthias Maute’s piece “O magnum mysterium,” which “attempts to grasp something of the elusive mystery of music.”\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Leaf Music","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013126705386,"sku":"615499526490","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4013052-2764622.jpg?v=1786694244"},{"product_id":"mariss-jansons-the-edition-954185","title":"Mariss Jansons: The Edition","description":"\u003cp\u003eMariss Jansons was one of the most important conductors of our time, celebrated worldwide and held in the highest regard – all the more so since his unexpected death on December 1, 2019. \"Mariss Jansons - The Edition,\" comprising 70 recordings and a box set in representative LP format, documents the final phase of his life and career: his work as chief conductor of the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks and the Bavarian Radio Chorus between 2003 and 2019. Predominantly live recordings from Munich, Tokyo, Vienna, New York, Waldsassen, and the Vatican enable listeners to experience for themselves musical highlights that are as moving as they are exciting. The set contains a remarkably diverse repertoire, ranging from symphonic music and great choral works to opera, and from the First Viennese School to 20th century classical music. \"Mariss Jansons - The Edition\" contains works by a broad range of composers, including complete cycles of the symphonies of Beethoven, Brahms, and Mahler respectively. 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