Christmas at Trinity / Burdick, Choir of Trinity Church

$13.99
Label
Naxos
Release Date
October 1, 2001
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      VARIOUS
    • PERFORMER
      Owen Burdick
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      October 01, 2001
    • UPC
      747313588626
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      8555886
    • LABEL
      Naxos
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      1
    • GENRE
      Choral - Sacred
    Works ⌄

    1. Once in Royal David's City (arr. H.J. Gauntlett and A.H. Mann for choir, descant by P. Ledger)

      Composer: Henry John Grauntlett

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Performer: Amy Bartram

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    2. Sans Day Carol (arr. J. Rutter for choir)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Performer: Owen Burdick

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    3. Weihnachtslieder, Op. 8: No. 3. Die Konige (The 3 Kings) (arr. I. Atkins for choir)

      Composer: Peter Cornelius

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Performer: Richard Lippold

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    4. I Sing of a Maiden

      Composer: Patrick Hadley

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Performer: Owen Burdick

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    5. O Come, All Ye Faithful (arr. D. Willcocks for choir)

      Composer: John Francis Wade

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Performer: Owen Burdick

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    6. The Holy and The Ivy (arr. H.W. Davies for choir)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    7. In the Bleak Midwinter

      Composer: Harold Darke

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Performer: Barbara Lynne Jamison, Stephen Sands, Owen Burdick

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    8. I Wonder as I Wander (arr. R. Shephard for choir)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Performer: Ann Hoyt, Stephen Sands

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    9. Adam Lay Ybounden

      Composer: Boris Ord

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    10. O Little Town of Bethlehem (arr. R. Vaughan Williams and P. Ledger for choir, descant by T. Armstrong)

      Composer: Forest Green

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Performer: Owen Burdick

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    11. I Saw Three Ships (arr. D. Willcocks for choir)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    12. In Dulci Jubilo (arr. R.L. Pearsall for choir)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    13. Away In a Manger (arr. D. Willcocks for choir)

      Composer: William J. Kirkpatrick

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Performer: Ann Hoyt

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    14. Of the Father's Heart Begotten (arr. D. Willcocks)

      Composer: Theodoricus Petri Nylandensis

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Performer: Owen Burdick

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    15. Infant Holy, Infant Lowly (arr. D. Willcocks for choir)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    16. Gabriel's Message (arr. E. Pettman for choir)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    17. Lullay, My Liking

      Composer: Gustav Holst

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    18. Resonet In Laudibus (arr. J. Handl for choir)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    19. Angels, from the Realms of Glory (arr. P. Ledger for choir)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    20. Sussex Carol (On Christmas Night) (arr. P. Ledger for choir)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Performer: Owen Burdick

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    21. A Babe is Born, Op. 55

      Composer: William Mathias

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Performer: Owen Burdick

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    22. Silent Night (arr. P. Ledger for choir)

      Composer: Franz Xaver Gruber

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Conductor: Owen Burdick

    23. Festgesang, MWV D4, "Gutenberg-Kantate": No. 2. (adap. W.H. Cummings as Hark! The Herald Angels Sing) (arr. D. Willcocks for choir)

      Composer: Felix Mendelssohn

      Ensemble: New York Trinity Church Choir

      Performer: Owen Burdick

      Conductor: Owen Burdick


REVIEW:

Almost every year a first rate choir records a traditional program of sacred Christmas music--and this year it looks as if it's the Choir of Trinity Church, Wall Street's turn. The ensemble and its excellent organist certainly uphold the standard set years ago by their British counterparts, particularly those at the various Cambridge University colleges--King's, Trinity, and St. John's, to name the more notable. And even though this New York City church can't boast as many centuries' existence as those revered English institutions, there is something especially charming about the fact that it hosted the New World premieres of both Messiah and the hymn Silent Night, the latter performed by a Tyrolean ensemble on Christmas Eve, 1827.

For those familiar with the famed King's College Choir carol services, the programming here will ring a few bells, from the opening, processional-style Once in Royal David's City to the closing Hark! the Herald Angels Sing. In between are one after another of the now-standard Christmas carol, hymn, and anthem selections in their best-known settings--Peter Cornelius' "The Three Kings", Patrick Hadley's "I sing of a maiden", David Willcocks' arrangement of "Of the Father's heart begotten", Philip Ledger's arrangement of the "Sussex Carol", William Mathias' "A babe is born", Gustav Holst's "Lullay, my liking", the English hymnal harmonization of "O come, all ye faithful", the Vaughan Williams/Forest Green version of "O little town of Bethlehem", and a lovely Ledger a cappella setting of "Silent night".

The choir sings with warmth, precision, purity of articulation (you can hear every word), and great care in balance and blend. There is one thing however in which the choir failed: as much as they tried (according to director Owen Burdick) to "not sound British", they do, but in the very best way possible--beauty of tone, clarity of diction, and fully committed, sincere singing. Yes, Americans can do these things too. And as for this umpteenth program of already well-represented pieces, the fact is, those who love Christmas and singing (and how can these not go hand in hand?) never tire of this music, these lovely, characterful, joyous, hopeful tunes--and this recording and its fine performances capture them all as well as any choir ever has. The sound gives a realistic impression of the church's acoustic space while giving ideal clarity and depth to the singing. [10/17/2001]
--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com