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Christmas A Cappella: Songs From Around The World / Chicago A Cappella
Cedille

Christmas A Cappella: Songs From Around The World / Chicago A Cappella

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Details

Composer
ONYEJIA ROGERS MOORE DALEY
Artist
Chicago A Cappella
Format
CD
Label
Cedille
Released
Oct 01, 2008
Catalog #
CDR 107
UPC
735131910729

About

The world-class vocal ensemble Chicago a cappella does Christmas choral music fans a real service by daring to create a program entirely of contemporary (primarily within the last 20 or so years) works that defy the usual and predictable holiday concert choices that guarantee instant audience familiarity and gratification (not that there's anything wrong with those beloved, treasured standards!). Most of the works featured here require a bit more-than-usual attention from listeners--the composers and arrangers obviously approached such common texts as "What sweeter music", "Il est Né, le Divin Enfant", "O Come, O Come Emmanuel", "Noël nouvelet", "I wonder as I wander", "Lo Yisa Goy", and "The Huron Carol" with an idea to say something that hadn't already been said. And they do--splendidly. Then we have entirely original pieces by Stephen Paulus (Splendid Jewel--from a 14th-century Italian text), Gwyneth Walker (The Christ-child's Lullaby--inspired by a traditional Hebridean song), Richard Proulx (Prayer of the Venerable Bede--from a text found on the wall of Galilee Chapel in Durham Cathedral), and Danish composer Per Nørgård (En stjerne er sat--a dialogue between the Angel and the shepherds).

It's a tribute to the power of the Christmas story and to its enduring, compelling fascination for composers that the best of them continue--more than 2000 years later--to devote their efforts to writing music to recognize and celebrate the birth of Christ. And we are fortunate to have choirs of this caliber to bring this music to us in a context that presents it most favorably and gives it a permanent presence in our listening repertoire.

Another of the disc's strengths is the sheer variety of music, from the Nigerian setting of the text "For unto us a child is born" by Christian Onyeji, to Rosephanye Powell's "spiritual-like" Who is the baby?, to Yemeni composer Chaim Parchi's alluring Chanukah tune "Aleih Neiri", arranged for choir by Zamir Chorale of Boston founder Joshua Jacobson. The nine singers of Chicago a cappella are absolutely right-on in every respect, and the sound is ideal. This is an unqualified success, a holiday treat, a musical bounty that will both challenge and enliven your Christmastime listening. Highly recommended!

--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

Tracklist 18 tracks

  1. 1 Amuworo ayi otu nwa 02:50
    Track
    1
    Title
    Amuworo ayi otu nwa
    Duration
    02:50
    Composer
    Christian Onyeji
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella
  2. 2 What Sweeter Music 06:50
    Track
    2
    Title
    What Sweeter Music
    Duration
    06:50
    Composer
    Wayland Rogers
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella
  3. 3 Il est ne le divin enfant 02:41
    Track
    3
    Title
    Il est ne le divin enfant
    Duration
    02:41
    Composer
    Traditional
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella
  4. 4 The Huron Carol 02:59
    Track
    4
    Title
    The Huron Carol
    Duration
    02:59
    Composer
    Traditional
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella
  5. 5 I Wonder as I Wander (arr. for mixed choir) 03:22
    Track
    5
    Title
    I Wonder as I Wander (arr. for mixed choir)
    Duration
    03:22
    Composer
    Traditional
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella
  6. 6 Splendid Jewel 03:26
    Track
    6
    Title
    Splendid Jewel
    Duration
    03:26
    Composer
    Stephen Paulus
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella
  7. 7 Lo Yisa Goy 05:05
    Track
    7
    Title
    Lo Yisa Goy
    Duration
    05:05
    Composer
    Stacy Garrop
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella
  8. 8 Who is the baby? 02:36
    Track
    8
    Title
    Who is the baby?
    Duration
    02:36
    Composer
    Rosephanye Powell
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella
  9. 9 Christ-child's Lullaby 05:43
    Track
    9
    Title
    Christ-child's Lullaby
    Duration
    05:43
    Composer
    Gwyneth Van Anden Walker
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella
  10. 10 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Veni, veni, Emmanuel) 01:33
    Track
    10
    Title
    O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Veni, veni, Emmanuel)
    Duration
    01:33
    Composer
    Traditional
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella
  11. 11 Nöel nouvelet 02:01
    Track
    11
    Title
    Nöel nouvelet
    Duration
    02:01
    Composer
    Traditional
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella
  12. 12 Prayer of the Venerable Bede 02:37
    Track
    12
    Title
    Prayer of the Venerable Bede
    Duration
    02:37
    Composer
    Richard Proulx
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella
  13. 13 En stjerne er sat 02:29
    Track
    13
    Title
    En stjerne er sat
    Duration
    02:29
    Composer
    Per Nørgård
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella
  14. 14 Hodie 03:55
    Track
    14
    Title
    Hodie
    Duration
    03:55
    Composer
    Carol Barnett
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella
  15. 15 Nyathi Onyuol 03:48
    Track
    15
    Title
    Nyathi Onyuol
    Duration
    03:48
    Composer
    Enrico Oweggi
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella
  16. 16 Aleih Neiri (arr. for mixed choir) 03:55
    Track
    16
    Title
    Aleih Neiri (arr. for mixed choir)
    Duration
    03:55
    Composer
    Chaim Parchi
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella
  17. 17 Jingle a cappella (arr. for mixed choir) 03:58
    Track
    17
    Title
    Jingle a cappella (arr. for mixed choir)
    Duration
    03:58
    Composer
    James Lord Pierpont
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella
  18. 18 O Lux Beatissima 03:03
    Track
    18
    Title
    O Lux Beatissima
    Duration
    03:03
    Composer
    Howard Helvey
    Ensemble
    Chicago a cappella