Bright Day Star / Baltimore Consort

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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:


  • Catalog Number: DOR-90198


  • UPC: 053479019820


  • Label: Dorian


  • Composer: Johann Michael Bach, John Bull, Michael Praetorius, Thomas Ravenscroft, Traditional, William Sandys


  • Orchestra/Ensemble: Baltimore Consort


  • Performer: Chris Norman, Custer LaRue, Larry Lipkis, Mark Cudek, Mary Anne Ballard, Ronn McFarlane, Webb Wiggins



Works:


  1. 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)


  2. 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)


  3. 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)


  4. 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)


  5. 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)


  6. 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)


  7. 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)


  8. 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)


  9. Een Kindeken is ons geboren

    Composer: John Bull

    Ensemble: Baltimore Consort

    Performer: Webb Wiggins (Organ)


  10. 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)


  11. 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)


  12. In dulci jubilo

    Composer: Johann Michael Bach

    Ensemble: Baltimore Consort

    Performer: Webb Wiggins (Organ)


  13. 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)


  14. 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)


  15. 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)


  16. Quem pastores laudavere

    Composer: Traditional

    Ensemble: Baltimore Consort

    Performer: Larry Lipkis (Gemshorn)


  17. Christmas is my name

    Composer: Traditional

    Ensemble: Baltimore Consort

    Performer: Custer LaRue (Soprano), Larry Lipkis (Bass Viola da gamba), Webb Wiggins (Chamber Organ)


  18. 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)


  19. 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)


  20. Musae Sioniae: Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen

    Composer: Michael Praetorius

    Ensemble: Baltimore Consort

    Performer: Chris Norman (Flute)