A Star Over Bethlehem - Choral Jewels for Christmas

$13.99
Label
Naxos
Release Date
November 1, 2000
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      VARIOUS
    • PERFORMER
      Washington Choral Arts
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      November 01, 2000
    • UPC
      747313504923
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      8555049
    • LABEL
      Naxos
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      1
    • GENRE
      Christmas / Chanukkah
    Works ⌄

    1. Brich an, O schönes Morgenlicht

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society, Washington Choral Arts Society Orchestra

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    2. Chanticleer

      Composer: Richard Wayne Dirksen

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society, Washington Choral Arts Society Orchestra

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    3. In dulci jubilo (arr. J. Rutter)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society, Washington Choral Arts Society Orchestra

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    4. Jesus Christ the Apple Tree

      Composer: Elizabeth Poston

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    5. In Dir ist Freude, BWV 615

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society, Washington Choral Arts Society Orchestra

      Performer: J. Reilly Lewis

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    6. O Jesulein suss, BWV 493

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    7. Von himmel hoch

      Composer: Johann Pachelbel

      Performer: J. Reilly Lewis

    8. Wie schon leuchtet der Morgenstern, BWV 1: Final Chorale

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society, Washington Choral Arts Society Orchestra

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    9. Wie schon leuchtet der Morgenstern, BWV 1: Opening Chorus

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society, Washington Choral Arts Society Orchestra

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    10. He's Got the Whole World in His Hands (arr. M. Bonds)

      Composer: Traditional

      Performer: Janice Chandler-Eteme, Joseph Holt

    11. In dulci jubilo

      Composer: Marcel Dupré

      Performer: J. Reilly Lewis

    12. A Spotless Rose

      Composer: Herbert Howells

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society

      Performer: James Shaffran

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    13. Maria Wiegenlied

      Composer: Max Reger

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society Orchestra

      Performer: Janice Chandler-Eteme

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    14. Christus, Op. 97, MWV A26: Chorus: There Shall a Star Come Out of Jacob (Sung in English)

      Composer: Felix Mendelssohn

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society, Washington Choral Arts Society Orchestra

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    15. Deck the Halls (arr. J. McKelvy)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    16. Babe of Bethlehem

      Composer: Edmund Walters

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society, Washington Choral Arts Society Orchestra

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    17. Pastorale, BWV 590: Second Movement

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: J. Reilly Lewis

    18. Tu scendi dalle stelle

      Composer: Alphonsus Liguori

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society, Washington Choral Arts Society Orchestra

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    19. Here We Come a-Wassailing (arr. J. Rutter)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society, Washington Choral Arts Society Orchestra

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    20. Kling, Glockchen (arr. W. Ehret and Levalier)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society, Washington Choral Arts Society Orchestra

      Performer: Dotian Levalier

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    21. Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: J. Reilly Lewis

    22. Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day

      Composer: John Gardner

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society, Washington Choral Arts Society Orchestra

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    23. Hodie Christus natus est, SWV 456

      Composer: Heinrich Schütz

      Ensemble: Washington Choral Arts Society, Washington Choral Arts Society Orchestra

      Conductor: Norman Scribner

    24. Sweet Little Jesus Boy

      Composer: Robert MacGimsey

      Performer: Janice Chandler-Eteme


Jewels indeed. And the singing ain't bad either. This is another in a very satisfying group of recent Christmas choral discs that strive to offer some terrific, rarely recorded "gems" along with a welcome mix of familiar--but mostly not too familiar--pieces. Beginning with Bach's "Break forth, O beauteous heav'nly light" from the Christmas Oratorio, the program proceeds with hardly a breath to Richard Dirksen's earth-awakening setting of William Austin's poem Chanticleer (why isn't this piece performed more?) and goes on to blend more Bach (Wachet auf) with Howells (A Spotless Rose), Reger (Maria Wiegenlied), more Bach (Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern), Mendelssohn (There shall a star come out of Jacob), and a regular carol arrangement or two--Here We Come a-Wassailing (Rutter), Deck the Hall ( a jazzy 7/8 version by James McKelvy). Well, perhaps Elizabeth Poston's Jesus Christ the Apple Tree is getting a little overworked, but it's beautifully sung and this a cappella setting fits nicely into the overall program, which also includes organ and orchestra. Soprano Janice Chandler sings nice solo versions of He's got the whole world in His hands and Sweet little Jesus boy (with piano accompaniment), and there's a cute little twist on Away in a Manger, written by Edmund Walters--it begins with a countermelody, sung by the women, that's nothing like the original tune, which we don't hear until the end, hummed by the men's voices.


Organist J. Reilly Lewis treats us to a brilliant performance of Bach's chorale prelude BWV 615 (In Dir ist Freude), and another Bach piece, O Jesulein süss (harmonized by Martin Shaw) gets a tender and lovely a cappella rendition by the choir. This is a very well-disciplined ensemble--and it has to be in order for this many voices (around 100) to sing with such precision and clarity. (The liner notes list only sopranos and altos--I swear there are lots of men singing too!) The sound, optimally recorded in an ideal church setting, is excellent. [11/3/2000]
--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com