Carson Cooman is many things musical- organist and Composer in Residence at the Memorial Church, Harvard University, writer, critic, and consultant, concert organist, and above all a highly prolific composer of music in a wide variety of genres, from orchestral to song. His organ compositions come in many styles, from liturgical models, to substantial secular pieces such as his organ symphonies, preludes and fugues. Here are a fine set of fantasias on well-known seasonal tunes and some new compositions, to celebrate Christmas in fine style (and suitable for listening all year round.) Erik Simmons is a superb organist, making his twelfth Cooman organ album for Divine Art. He is playing the wonderful ‘Sun Organ’ of St. Peter & Paul, Gorlitz, recorded through the Hauptwerk system.

The award-winning London vocal ensemble SANSARA, with Artistic Directors Tom Herring and Benjamin Cunningham, makes it's Resonus Classics debut with a striking programme of works for Advent and Christmas both old and new. This compelling programme explores the anticipation of Christmas through works by masters of the Renaissance alongside pieces by living composers combining to conjure an aura of mystery and excitement. SANSARA is an award-winning vocal ensemble focused on the performance of a cappella choral music. As a collective body of voices, a choir is a living, breathing instrument with unparalleled expressive potential. SANSARA realises this through direct and honest music-making, always striving to conjure compelling atmospheres, communicating with clarity and integrity. SANSARA works as a chamber ensemble without a single director or conductor. The result is a highly engaged and versatile group of professional musicians, working together with a unified voice to express a shared artistic vision.

In his sleeve note to the latest CD by the Cantabile Regensburg ensemble and it's conductor Matthias Beckert, Wolfram Buchenberg writes that it is the "direct emotional access of people to each other through their voices" which fascinates him most and constantly inspires him to compose music for choir anew. The ensemble is particularly committed to exploring contemporary choral music - what a stroke of luck that this led to a collaboration with Wolfram Buchenberg whose compositions are now greatly in demand on the international choral scene. Buchenberg's compositional style, at the same time modern and yet tonal, is characterised by colorful harmonies, soloistic elements, the inclusion of spoken texts and breaking out of traditional rhythmic structures. Elements which are typically found in the choice of works - from folk song arrangements, through "Aber heidschi bumbeidschi", to the Christmas carol "O Freude uber Freude!"

The sonatas for violin and piano, which were composed on holidays to lakeside forests in the midst of sublime nature where Brahms loved to spend his summers, contain all the contradictions unique to the man who described himself as a wanderer: daring and discipline, na�vet� and sagacity, melancholy and joy. Pierre Fouchenneret and Eric Le Sage embark fervently on this adventure with this new volume in this crazy journey through Brahms's complete chamber music works, charted by B Records. Of the project, Pierre Fouchenneret writes: "One crazy day, a few of us decided to embark on a project which, at the time, some people deemed impossible to achieve: to perform all of Brahms's chamber music within only a few months. Every concert would be recorded... we are now a company, as in the theatre, bonded by an unstoppable urge, a definite notion of boldness, a shared perception of chamber music and a love for the repertoire."

The previous album of the leading Czech big band Concept Art Orchestra received the Andel Award in 2015 for the best jazz album of the year. The recording entitled The Prague Six featured the work of six Czech important young authors: the band s conductor and trumpeter tepánka Balcarová, saxophonist Lubo Soukup, pianists Vít Kri tan, Martin Brunner and Tomá Sýkora, and trombonist Jan Jirucha junior. The same six authors are behind this new album entitled Grown-up Christmas. The programme has been performed several times in concert and comprises originally arranged Christmas carols and songs loosely inspired by Christmas (for example poems by Czech poets Jan Skácel and Frána rámek). Concept Art Orchestra has invited singers Dan Bárta, Markéta Foukalová and Milan Cimfe to collaborate on the project. Although the binding theme for all the compositions is, indeed, Christmas, this is not a classical seasonal recording which only has a potential to enhance the Christmas atmosphere, but will bring joy throughout the year.

Shortly after taking up the position of Thomaskantor in Leipzig in 1723, Bach wrote a Magnificat in E flat major for performance at Christmas. Around a decade later he revised the work, transposing it down to D major and making it more concise. Utilizing a Biblical text, the piece is suffused with a series of memorable arias and choruses and orchestrated with spectacular grandeur. Lumen is a contemporary musical dialogue that urges empathy between the three Abrahamic religions. Translating the oratorio form into a 'unity of diversity,' Robert M. Helmschrott has converted the poetry of the Old and New Testaments, the Torah and Qur'an into an interfaith 'language of sounds and singing.'

The eighty young musicians of the renowned Mannheim Bläserphilharmonie, conducted by Miguel Ercolino, present a very personal Christmas album containing the favorite pieces of the orchestra members from the traditional St. Nicholas concerts. Christmas classics from Bach to Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer conjure up a festive brass Christmas. The Mannheim Bläserphilharmonie is a symphonic wind orchestra whose dedicated musicians have set themselves the task of primarily interpreting contemporary wind music at a high artistic level. With their concerts they are an integral part of the regional cultural scene; on concert tours and at international competitions they appear as culture ambassadors of the music city of Mannheim. In addition, the group awards commissions to selected composers; primarily to those from Mannheim and the region.

The Berlin vocal ensemble sirventes Berlin and it's director Stefan Schuck present a real Berlin Christmas album: Berlin composers from the 19th to 21st centuries are collected here on one release, from Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Carl Thiel, Albert Becker, Peter Cornelius and Heinrich von Herzogenberg to the contemporary composer Frank Schwemmer. In addition to such famous works as "Frohlocket, ihr V�lker" by Mendelssohn, numerous unknown treasures have been rediscovered. Stefan Schuck founded the vocal ensemble sirventes Berlin in 2003 to perform the world premiere of the a cappella cantata "that they may life" by the Jewish composer Josef Dorfman as part of the Ecumenical Kirchentag in Berlin. Since 2008 the ensemble works regularly for the NoonSong. The outstanding quality of the ensemble is a testament to their intense and hard work.

There is a tradition among the Greek peoples of the singing of carols ('Kalanda') on Christmas Eve. This album is a set of carols newly composed by Greek-Cypriot composer Cilia Petridou. As musical works they also qualify as art-song in fine performances by three excellent sopranos. For those who love Christmas music but want something new, this album will fit the bill. The three sopranos each take a number of solo carols and form a trio for the last two; Lesley-Jane and Alison have both worked with the composer for some time and also made several highly-praised recordings for Divine Art and Metier. Cilia Petridou was an accomplished pianist until her career was ended by major surgery since when she has concentrated on composition. Moving with her family to the UK after the Turlish invasion of north Cyprus which destroyed their home town of Famagusta, her music is often informed by that political tragedy, but her Kalanda are bright and full of joy.

The nights are drawing in, there’s a nip in the air, and everywhere you go there are twinkling lights- it’s time to prepare for Christmas! Let this album of festive classical works help you to get ready for the holidays as you light the Advent candle with Chilcott, build a snowman with Korngold, untangle the fairy lights with Liszt and get the box of baubles down from the loft with Tchaikovsky. Classical evergreens are here alongside some modern tunes like “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” and Irving Berlin’s perennial classic “White Christmas.” Then, once the halls have been decked and the presents are placed underneath the tree, have yourself a merry, musical Christmas!

The boys' choir Knabenchor collegium iuvenum Stuttgart is based at the Stuttgart cathedral singing school. The ensemble's strength lies in it's very broad repertoire, which particularly includes works of sacred choral music from the Renaissance to the modern age. This is reflected in the varied selection of Christmas carols on this album: in addition to traditional carols, modern arrangements and new Christmas songs are also included. Instrumental arrangements by the composer and conductor Michael Culo for flute and organ as well as works for oboe and organ ensure a beautiful versatility of sound and style. Conductor Michael Culo studied church music and singing in Rottenburg and Tubingen. He has won prizes in organ, choral conducting, and composition competitions and has received numerous commissions. Since August 2013, Culo has been artistic director of the boys' choir collegium iuvenum Stuttgart.

The Little Match Girl is among the most famous as well as saddest fairy tales from the pen of the Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875). Over the course of more than one and a half centuries this fable has inspired the imagination of many artists, including the American composer David Lang. In his work "The Little Match Girl Passion", which was awarded the 2008 Pulitzer Prize in music, Lang contrasts the sufferings of this poor little girl with the sufferings of Jesus, inspired by Bach's St. Matthews Passion. The score also requires the a-capella singers to operate a variety of percussive instruments. On this album titled "Again and Again" the Company of Music with choir master Johannes Hiemetsberger also present other Christmas-related choir songs like "First Snow" by Bo Holten, John Tavener's "The Lamb", "Again and Again" von David Lang and "Lullay, My Liking" by Gustav Holst.

For most listeners, even those experienced with Christmas choral collections, the majority of original works and arrangements on this program will be unfamiliar. And that turns out to be a good thing—the selections are diverse enough yet compatible and complementary in style, all set with a sensitivity to text, to the spirit of the occasion—whether celebratory or contemplative—and, importantly, to singability and listenability.

So many Christmas collections in recent years, for some reason mostly from British choirs, have to their credit highlighted new music—but much of it unsingable by any but the most accomplished ensembles, and so difficult for the ear to reconcile alongside starkly more “accessible” works that the listening experience becomes uneasy and even intermittently unpleasant. Which is why I warily listened to the first several selections here—and found myself thoroughly and continuously surprised as the disc progressed. Here is a choral Christmas program that you can listen to straight through without fear, combining the delight of discovery—new composers, new music and texts, new arrangements of traditional carols—with the comfort and joy of a few beloved, favorite, familiar anchors, from Joubert’s There is no rose and Howells’ A spotless rose, to Warlock’s Bethlehem Down.

Beginning with Malcolm Archer’s A little child there is yborn, its bouncy, jovial character reminiscent of a John Rutter setting, the program progresses through a wide array of traditional texts and sometimes tunes—The angel Gabriel; In the bleak midwinter; Tomorrow shall be my dancing day; The Holly and the Ivy; Coventry Carol—but in inventive and always agreeable new realizations by composers and arrangers such as Paul Spicer (whose In a Field as I Lay is a highlight), Gareth Treseder (Blessed be that Maid Marie—another gem), Michael Higgins, Becky McGlade, Betty Roe, and Sally Beamish. And it doesn’t hurt that the singing by the 17 voices of Sonoro—yes, a professional British chamber choir—is consistently well-tuned, perfectly balanced, and projects a vibrant, characterful sound that gives the impression of concert-like spontaneity—a rare and welcome effect on a recording. The sooner you get this the more time you’ll have to listen. Highly recommended.

– ClassicsToday.com

From the producers: "There's a lot of great Jewish holiday music out there, and we were listening to one of our favorite world music programs during the holidays. That's when it occurred to us that we could do our own Khanike album, one that reflects our interests and highlights Yale's extraordinary arrangements and compositions, with music that could be enjoyed by a wide range of listeners, from little kids to serious music appreciators. And it provided a perfect opportunity for an idea that we had been discussing for some time- an entire album arranged for vocals and strings. It also gave us a perfect opportunity to join forces with Sara and David, whom we met through the Mark O'Conner Strings Camps; Amos; and Alex from the Hausmann Quartet. We wanted the repertoire to present a sense of how Khanike was and is celebrated by different cultures around the world. The Ladino songs were traditionally sung by women in the kitchen as they prepared for the holiday. There is a particular feeling of intimacy, comfort and family that was true of how we musicians felt about each other, both musically and personally, and that is really satisfying. When you listen to these songs, you'll hear the musicians thinking out loud and sharing inspiring thoughts and ideas with each other. Each of us has our own personal references, ranging from classical to jazz and blues, to Middle Eastern, klezmer, bluegrass, and Texas Swing. You'll hear all of this as we fuse seamlessly with each other."

This release features Christmas carols from all over the world. From South American rhythms to silent nights, from Italy, England, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Russia, France, Spain, USA, Uruguay and Argentina. Together we want to immerse ourselves in a joyous Christmas season. Everyone connects during this time with their own memories and sensory impressions. In addition to family encounters and festive food, it is also the music that lets us sensually capture the emotions of this time and awaken childhood memories. The spectrum is wide: from soulful, deep intimacy to merry cheering. If we are looking for Christmas carols around the world, the range will be even wider. So we have compiled a variety of Christmas carols, sung in 10 languages, and this edited for the simple cast of vocals and classical guitar. This is a beginning of our "world collection", which will be expanded with songs from other regions of the world. As different as the songs of all the nations on this album are, the content, Christ's birth, brings everyone together. We want to emphasize this solidarity and tolerance during the Christmas season and to revive it. With these songs we wish you a Merry Christmas.