Bright Day Star / Baltimore Consort
One of the finest Christmas recordings ever made, this 1994 production by the Baltimore Consort makes a welcome return (complete with a new cover) along with the revival of the Dorian label. Glowing with the high, clear soprano of Custer LaRue and brimming with versatile, virtuoso instrumental work by Mary Anne Ballard (viols, rebec), Mark Cudek (cittern, Baroque guitar, viols, bandora), Larry Lipkis (viol, recorder, gemshorn), Ronn McFarlane (lute), Chris Norman (wooden flutes, pennywhistle), and Webb Wiggins (organ), this program literally lives up to the promise of its title.
Many of these 20 tunes/carols/dances are among the most familiar Christmas standards--Ding dong merrily on high; Greensleeves; Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen; In dulci jubilo; The Cherry Tree Carol; Tomorrow shall be my dancing day--presented in both vocal/instrumental and strictly instrumental arrangements. But whatever the tune, and however it's presented, the result is invariably engaging, artful, classy, and infinitely repeatable, which means it's perfect for multiple repetitions, whether at Christmas or any other time of year. Chris Norman's flute improvisation on "Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen" is a classic, and Custer LaRue's rendition of the beautiful "Rorate coeli desuper" is not to be missed. In fact, that last instruction applies to this entire disc. If you're a Christmas music fan (and who isn't?) and you don't already own this CD, you know what you have to do.
-- David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com
Product Description:
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Release Date: August 21, 1990
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UPC: 053479019820
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Catalog Number: DOR-90198
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Label: Sono Luminus
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Number of Discs: 1
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Composer: Johann Michael Bach, John Bull, Michael Praetorius, Thomas Ravenscroft, Traditional, William Sandys
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Orchestra/Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
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Performer: Chris Norman, Custer LaRue, Larry Lipkis, Mark Cudek, Mary Anne Ballard, Ronn McFarlane, Webb Wiggins
Works:
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Tomorrow shall be my dancing day
Composer: William Sandys
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da Gamba), Mark Cudek (Cittern), Custer LaRue (Soprano), Larry Lipkis (Viola da Gamba), Ronn McFarlane (Lute), Chris Norman (Flute)
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Cherry Tree Carol
Composer: Traditional
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da Gamba), Mark Cudek (Viola da Gamba), Custer LaRue (Soprano), Larry Lipkis (Viola da Gamba), Ronn McFarlane (Lute)
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The Wren Song
Composer: Traditional
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Mary Anne Ballard (Rebec), Mark Cudek (Cittern), Custer LaRue (Soprano), Larry Lipkis (Recorder), Ronn McFarlane (Lute), Chris Norman (Pennywhistle)
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Ding Dong! Merrily on high
Composer: Traditional
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da Gamba), Mark Cudek (Cittern), Custer LaRue (Soprano), Larry Lipkis (Viola da Gamba), Ronn McFarlane (Lute), Chris Norman (Flute)
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The Old Year now away is fled
Composer: Traditional
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da Gamba), Mark Cudek (Cittern), Custer LaRue (Soprano), Larry Lipkis (Viola da Gamba), Ronn McFarlane (Lute), Chris Norman (Flute)
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Christmas Day in da Mornin'
Composer: Traditional
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da Gamba), Mark Cudek (Cittern), Larry Lipkis (Viola da Gamba), Ronn McFarlane (Lute), Chris Norman (Flute)
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Wir singen dir, Immanuel
Composer: Traditional
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da Gamba), Mark Cudek (Cittern), Larry Lipkis (Viola da Gamba), Ronn McFarlane (Lute), Chris Norman (Flute)
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Wassail Song
Composer: Traditional
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da Gamba), Mark Cudek (Cittern), Larry Lipkis (Viola da Gamba), Ronn McFarlane (Lute), Chris Norman (Flute)
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Een Kindeken is ons geboren
Composer: John Bull
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Webb Wiggins (Organ)
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The bellman's Carol
Composer: Traditional
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da Gamba), Mark Cudek (Viola da Gamba), Custer LaRue (Soprano), Larry Lipkis (Viola da Gamba), Ronn McFarlane (Lute), Webb Wiggins (Organ)
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A Christmas Jig
Composer: Traditional
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Mary Anne Ballard (Rebec), Mark Cudek (Bandora), Larry Lipkis (Bass Viola da gamba), Ronn McFarlane (Lute), Chris Norman (Flute)
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In dulci jubilo
Composer: Johann Michael Bach
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Webb Wiggins (Organ)
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Rorate coeli desuper
Composer: Traditional
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da Gamba), Mark Cudek (Viola da Gamba), Custer LaRue (Soprano), Larry Lipkis (Viola da Gamba), Ronn McFarlane (Lute), Chris Norman (Flute)
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Drive the cold winter away
Composer: Traditional
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Mary Anne Ballard (Treble Vla da gamba), Mark Cudek (Bandora), Larry Lipkis (Bass Viola da gamba), Ronn McFarlane (Lute), Chris Norman (Alto Flute)
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Remember, O thou man
Composer: Thomas Ravenscroft
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Mary Anne Ballard (Treble Vla da gamba), Mark Cudek (Bandora), Custer LaRue (Soprano), Larry Lipkis (Bass Viola da gamba), Ronn McFarlane (Lute)
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Quem pastores laudavere
Composer: Traditional
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Larry Lipkis (Gemshorn)
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Christmas is my name
Composer: Traditional
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Custer LaRue (Soprano), Larry Lipkis (Bass Viola da gamba), Webb Wiggins (Chamber Organ)
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In dir ist Freude
Composer: Traditional
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Mary Anne Ballard (Bass Viola da gamba), Mark Cudek (Guitar), Larry Lipkis (Gemshorn), Ronn McFarlane (Soprano Lute), Chris Norman (Fife)
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The Shropshire wakes, or, Hey for Christmas
Composer: Traditional
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Mary Anne Ballard (Rebec), Mark Cudek (Cittern), Custer LaRue (Soprano), Larry Lipkis (Bass Viola da gamba), Ronn McFarlane (Lute), Chris Norman (Fife)
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Musae Sioniae: Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen
Composer: Michael Praetorius
Ensemble: Baltimore Consort
Performer: Chris Norman (Flute)