Starter Packs

Complete your collection with these curated titles, grouped at a special discount.

Shop Now
A Renaissance Christmas / Christophers, The Sixteen
Coro

A Renaissance Christmas / Christophers, The Sixteen

$20.99

Details

Composer
VARIOUS
Artist
The Sixteen, Christophers
Format
CD
Label
Coro
Released
Oct 05, 2018
Catalog #
COR16167
UPC
828021616723

About

Following The Sixteen’s hugely successful album, “Song of the Nativity,” which featured Christmas music from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, this new seasonal offering explores a stunning selection of festive works from the Renaissance. The Sixteen captures the joy and sincerity of the most wonderful of seasons, from the joyous simplicity of plainsong chants ‘Resonemus laudibus’ and ‘Veni, veni Emmanuel’ to the shining purity of Lassus’ polyphonic ‘Videntes stellam Magi’ and Byrd’s jubilant ‘This day Christ was born.’ This album provides a perfect alternative to traditional carols for those looking for something a little different at Christmas. “The Sixteen gives a masterclass in the art of unaccompanied singing, and in close emotional engagement with the pieces chosen… It puts the music front and centre, in this beautifully realized Christmas sequence.” (BBC Music Magazine)

REVIEWS:

Glorious renaissance polyphony is interspersed with plainchant in this treasure love, and full texts, translations and information sleeves notes make this an enviable Christmas present.

-- Choir & Organ

[The album] was recorded in St. Augustine’s, Kilburn in 2017, the generous acoustic adding a sprinkle of seasonal fairy dust...the pieces range from less the two minutes to nearly 10, the latter Tallis’s monumental Videte miraculum. One of the finest pieces (a difficult choice) is John Sheppard’s Reges Tharis, with its delightfully scrunchy little moments of harmonic and melodic tension, known as false relations.

As usual, The Sixteen sing with an outstanding sense of consort and balance, with superb intonation. Their sopranos, a mixture of younger and more experienced singers, are particularly impressive, the clarity of their voices giving an almost boy treble-like quality in their Veni, veni Emmanuel verse.

-- Early Music Review

The satisfying program of A Renaissance Christmas is no mere academic exercise or collection of rarities for collectors. The Sixteen deliver these works with exquisite tone and polished diction, performing to their expected high standards and creating a memorable impression with this refreshing album. Coro's sound is quite clear in the resonant acoustics, and the singers have a warm and vibrant presence.

-- All Music Guide (Blair Sanderson)

Tracklist 19 tracks

  1. 1 Resonemus laudibus [14th century] 01:25
    Track
    1
    Title
    Resonemus laudibus [14th century]
    Duration
    01:25
    Composer
    Anonymous
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  2. 2 Hodie Christus natus est, SwWV 163 02:53
    Track
    2
    Title
    Hodie Christus natus est, SwWV 163
    Duration
    02:53
    Composer
    Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  3. 3 Omnes de Saba venient 01:30
    Track
    3
    Title
    Omnes de Saba venient
    Duration
    01:30
    Composer
    Jacobus Handl
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  4. 4 Resonet in laudibus 01:46
    Track
    4
    Title
    Resonet in laudibus
    Duration
    01:46
    Composer
    Johannes Eccard
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  5. 5 Veni, veni Emmanuel (O come, o come Emmanuel) 04:01
    Track
    5
    Title
    Veni, veni Emmanuel (O come, o come Emmanuel)
    Duration
    04:01
    Composer
    Traditional
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  6. 6 Vox in Rama 04:32
    Track
    6
    Title
    Vox in Rama
    Duration
    04:32
    Composer
    George Kirbye
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  7. 7 Videntes stellam magi 02:49
    Track
    7
    Title
    Videntes stellam magi
    Duration
    02:49
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  8. 8 Videte miraculum 09:18
    Track
    8
    Title
    Videte miraculum
    Duration
    09:18
    Composer
    Thomas Tallis
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  9. 9 Quem vidistis, pastores? 02:10
    Track
    9
    Title
    Quem vidistis, pastores?
    Duration
    02:10
    Composer
    Richard Dering
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  10. 10 O magnum misterium - Beata Virgo 05:39
    Track
    10
    Title
    O magnum misterium - Beata Virgo
    Duration
    05:39
    Composer
    William Byrd
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  11. 11 Resonet in laudibus (arr. J. Handl for choir) 01:18
    Track
    11
    Title
    Resonet in laudibus (arr. J. Handl for choir)
    Duration
    01:18
    Composer
    Anonymous
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  12. 12 Quem vidistis, pastores 04:43
    Track
    12
    Title
    Quem vidistis, pastores
    Duration
    04:43
    Composer
    Tomás Luis de Victoria
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  13. 13 Resonet in laudibus 03:41
    Track
    13
    Title
    Resonet in laudibus
    Duration
    03:41
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  14. 14 This Day Christ Was Born 02:32
    Track
    14
    Title
    This Day Christ Was Born
    Duration
    02:32
    Composer
    William Byrd
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  15. 15 Reges Tharsis et insulae 05:18
    Track
    15
    Title
    Reges Tharsis et insulae
    Duration
    05:18
    Composer
    John Sheppard
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  16. 16 Pastores loquebantur 05:31
    Track
    16
    Title
    Pastores loquebantur
    Duration
    05:31
    Composer
    Francisco Guerrero
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  17. 17 O beatum et sacrosanctum diem 02:20
    Track
    17
    Title
    O beatum et sacrosanctum diem
    Duration
    02:20
    Composer
    Peter Philips
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  18. 18 Crudelis Herodes 04:01
    Track
    18
    Title
    Crudelis Herodes
    Duration
    04:01
    Composer
    Anonymous
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers
  19. 19 Omnes de Saba venient 02:48
    Track
    19
    Title
    Omnes de Saba venient
    Duration
    02:48
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Ensemble
    The Sixteen Choir
    Conductor
    Harry Christophers