The Wiegenlieder-Projekt (Lullaby Project) bu Carus Verlag in 2009 succeeded in drawing broad public interest for singing together in the family and in rejuvenating many of the songs that have been handed down. This marked the start of the Liederprojekt, which was pursued successfully in the following years. A unique, high-quality archive of German-language songs was developed that has been expanded since then to include international repertoire. Following the various themes such as lullabies, children's songs, folk songs, Christmas songs and love songs, the Liederprojekt now devotes itself to some of the oldest song forms alive today: the psalms. One composer, whose oeuvre finds an exceptional variety of equally impressive and moving psalm settings, is placed here front and center: Heinrich Schutz. The ''father of German music'' created a ''psalms project'' of a breadth and depth unlike any other composer through the musical arrangement of the Becker Psalter and of many other works. He is thus representative of all composers who have devoted themselves to the psaltery over the centuries, with the aim of continually reaching people - whether as singers or as silent listeners - through the settings of these oldest songs.

From the early Symphonia-label days of Antonio Florio and his ensemble, now renamed I Turchini, we bring back to the market an important recording of early Baroque Neapolitan liturgical music: divided into three sections (Liturgy of the Dead, Corpus Christi and Christmas), Florio presents fine works of Veneziano, Provenzale and conteporaries, all sourced from the period's active Neapolitan Conservatories and beautifully explained by scholar Dinko Fabris in the included booklet notes.

Strange Fruit is aproject of the protean composer-saxophonist Fabrizio Cassol, which takes the form of a concept album that could be described as "world opera". This songbook was elaborated over a period of more than four years, in the company of a group of renowned singers who wrote or co-wrote each piece in their own, very different expressive and stylistic traditions. The title, Strange Fruit, refers to the song of the same name, majestically embodied by Billie Holiday, which remains an essential musical masterpiece as well as a humanistic symbol. On the album we find an inspired version of the original, dating from before "Lady Day" along with another, a sort of colorful fresco inspired by her interpretation as well as by Bach chorales or Malian men's choruses, and accompanied by the heavenly voices of the forty girls of La Choraline. The association between Strange Fruit and Some Days, a poem by James Baldwin and a major piece of inner feeling, doubt and the possibility of a salutary catharsis, creates an axis, a "mirror of sense", around which are woven the other themes such as spirituality, passionate love, the call to gather and freedom, poverty, abandon, child neglect, dreams and self-questioning, celebration and respect for elders.

Formosa mea (My beauty), an expression taken from Song of Solomon, recurs as a theme in a number of the songs on Tone Wik's new album. The sensual texts are an homage to the Virgin Mary. Her chaste, unattainable beauty is the focus of adoration, lending a quality of innocence to the erotic content of the texts. The music is from a period when the church was in the process of accepting the musical influence of street music and folk theatre, which changed the style of church music. "Formosa mea" features two seldon-performed Christmas cantatas, written by the female composer Franscesca Caccini and her colleague, Bonifatio Gratiani. Soprano Tone Wike has specialized for years in music of the BAroque period. She is in frequent demand as soloist and performs regularly with early music musicians and ensembles.

Feather-light music played as light as a feather: this is John Finucane’s first GENUIN release in a nutshell. He joins on the recording with piano partner Elisaveta Blumina, who has already appeared on three albums with the Leipzig label. In this exquisite combination of French Romanticism and Post-Romanticism, the virtuoso Irish clarinetist does not betray the slightest hint that he is performing some of the most challenging pieces written for his instrument. Works by Debussy, Françaix, Saint-Saëns, and Widor are played with such joy and naturalness that we feel transported to the world of Paul Verlaine or Marcel Proust.

CHRISTMAS TRILOGY MOON DANCES

Each Christmas season at Brigham Young University, more than 500 vocalists and instrumentalists celebrate the season in song. Handpicked from one of the largest private student bodies in the country, these students comprise four nationally and internationally acclaimed choirs and the highly praised BYU Philharmonic Orchestra.

Josef Still, cathedral organist at the Hohe Domkirche Trier since 1994 and the expert authority on organs of the diocese of Trier, is the successor to the long-time cathedral organist Wolfgang Oehms and has recorded an extraordinary music programme to celebrate the Christmas festivities on the present album. The works of selected Polish composers appear on the recording, together with works of J.S. Bach and Max Reger performed on the Beckerath Organ in the Lebensbaumkirche in Manderscheid. The Beckerath Organ, which was moved to Manderscheid from the former institute of Church Music of the diocese of Speyer and renovated by Mayer Organ Builders, has found a new home in the Lebensbaumkirche. Here it can resound in a new-found brilliance.

The singer-songwriter musician Rino Farruggio seems to connect, sometimes in a daring way and perhaps even creates a kind of peace. Here we experience the simple song of the children alongside the most elaborate songs of adults. Farruggio brings the classic Christmas tunes to life, reviving them and referencing his unique creativity. Natale della gente, a song that has daring melodies and lyrics that continue the gospel mystery and narrative.

This release is following the massive success of 2015's Magnificat & Christmas Cantata. Dunedin Consort is excited to release their follow-up album, Bach's Christmas Oratorio. Conductor John Butt applies his extensive knowledge of Bach's performing practices to present the range of choral scoring that Bach seems to have used, realizing something of the implications of the composer's performing conditions and decisions. The Dunedin Consort ahs established a reputation as one of the finest period performance choirs around.

REVIEW:

Unless you have an aversion to one-to-a-part performances of Bach’s choral music you’ll find much to admire and enjoy in this excellent performance. If previously you’ve resisted the “minimal” approach to Bach then this account of Christmas Oratorio might well convert you. Not only is the singing very good and extremely stylish but also the instrumental playing from the Dunedin Consort is superb. I’ve mentioned a few obbligato contributions specifically but, in truth, every obbligato is expertly delivered and the ensemble as a whole plays very well. I liked John Butt’s way with the music very much. It’s not too often that one listens to nearly two and a half hours of music without an occasional raised eyebrow at a tempo selection but I can honestly say that didn’t happen here. Overall my preference for a small choir and soloists in this work remains but I’m certain that I shall return to John Butt’s version in the future simply for pleasure. His notes are, as ever, comprehensive, scholarly and very readable.

­– MusicWeb International (John Quinn)

Joseph Haas' Christmas Liederspiel, Christnacht, combines Bavarian and Tyrol folk tunes into an oratorio. His Marian Hymns based primarily on texts from the 13th to the 18th centuries. The composers of the other various carols on this release are either pupils or contemporaries of Haas.

Some of America's favorite patriotic songs have been gathered together on this disc, including "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy," "God Bless America," and "This Land Is Your Land." Performing on the worlds largest handbell range, The Westminster Concert Bell Choir brings a complex and rich sound to this recording that cannot be matched by other handbell choirs. (Sony)

Works for and about Christmas can be found on the latest recording by La Fenice, under the direction of Jean Tubery. In over twenty years at the forefront of the national and international scene, the Ensemble La Fenice has emerged as an eminent specialist in seventeenth century music, and it's cosmopolitan musicians take pride in representing the ensemble throughout Europe. This recording shows how the birth of Jesus Christ inspired the creation of works of art that illustrate or narrate the Holy Scriptures.

Christmas Greatest Songs Vol. 2

Following on from the universal critical acclaim of their first album with Resonus (This Christmas Night - RES10113), the Choir of Worcester College, Oxford - under the direction of Stephen Farr - return with a second album of contemporary Christmas Carols. Entitled Nowell sing we, this new selection contains works from a wide variety of celebrated composers including Gabriel Jackson, Peter Maxwell Davies, Lennox Berkeley, Colin Matthews, Francis Pott, Edmund Rubbra, Richard Rodney Bennett & Herbert Howells among many others, with no fewer than nine world premieres. Also featured throughout the programme are the seven O Antiphon Preludes for solo organ by Nico Muhly, performed here by Stephen Farr on the organ of Keble College, Oxford.