Christmas Concert - Classical to Carols / Helen Donath
Orfeo

Christmas Concert - Classical to Carols / Helen Donath

$8.49
$16.99 Save 50%

Details

Composer
Johann Sebastian Bach, Arcangelo Corelli, Johannes Eccard, Georg Friedrich Handel, Wolfgang Amadeus
Artist
Kurt Peter, Regensburger Domspatzen, Helen, Eichhorn, Donath
Format
CD
Label
Orfeo
Released
Oct 07, 2022
Catalog #
ORF-C230091
UPC
4011790446011

About

Recorded here is something which normally is evanescent over the airwaves or in the Philharmonie am Gasteig: the pre-Christmas evening in the series of Munich Sunday concerts, featuring Helen Donath as one of the most distinguished lyric sopranos of her times, the boys’ choir Regensburg Cathedral Sparrows and the Munich Radio Orchestra under the musical direction of Kurt Eichhorn. On this special evening, excerpts from Händels Messias could be heard, followed by Arcangelo Corelli’s Concerto grosso Op. 6,8 Concerto per la notte di natale, Mozart’s Motette Ave verum corpus KV 618 and the Laudate Dominum from the Vesperae solennes de confessore KV 339, Christmas carols performed a cappella by the Regensburg Cathedral Sparrows (dating mostly from the 17th and 18th century) and Mozart’s Exsultate, jubilate KV 165.

REVIEWS:

Here is a reissue of a Christmas Concert (Weihnachtskonzert) from Munich’s Philharmonie am on December 11, 1988 which begins with a sequence of six Messiah excerpts, starring as soloist the great soprano Helen Donath. It has been issued before – as you can see, the YouTube excerpts have a different cover – and it sees daylight once more to grace Yuletide 2022.

These concerts were a regular event in Munich, with the Regensburger (literally, “Regensburg Cathedral Sparrows”) and the Munich Philharmonic under Kurt Eichhorn. When it comes to Corelli and Handel. This is pretty much good old-fashioned modern instrument interpretation of Baroque music, but injected with energy. Here are a couple of movements from the Corelli Christmas Concerto (Concerto grosso, Op. 6/8) to give you an idea. The Messiah (Messias) excerpts are all sung in German – so “Glory to God” becomes “Ehre sei Gott”; but what a choir this is.

Three Mozart pieces bookend the carol part of the programme: initially the choral Ave verum corpus (K 618), restrained and beautiful, and this, a supremely beautiful “Dominum” from Vesperæ solennes de confessore, K 339. The carols are heartwarming, and performed a cappella. Johann Stobäus’ Nun laßt uns mit den Engelein is a lovely chorale carol, each phrase beautifully sculpted, as are the phrases of Bach’s Ich steh’ an deiner Krippen hier. I admit a weakness for Johannes Eccard’s O Freide über Freund’. But I think it is Adeste fideles, beloved of all, surely, that sums up the glory of this choir.

…and what a perfect way to close, with that lovely Mozart Exultate, jubilate, K 165, festive and joyous (and listen tot he trills in her solo vocal cadenza in the first part. After a tender “Tu Alleluja ,” with Donath’s voice bright and agile, each note like a pinprick of light. There is a rather nice, extended interview with Helen Donath by Bruce Duffie available here, laced with many photos, plus scans of Donath’s famous record sleeves. A real treasure of a disc, and a step back in time! At a generous 77 minutes in duration, this is a lovely, heart-warming Christmas disc.

-- Classical Explorer

Tracklist 23 tracks

  1. 1 Part I: Denn es ist uns ein Kind geboren 04:12
    Track
    1
    Title
    Part I: Denn es ist uns ein Kind geboren
    Duration
    04:12
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Ensemble
    Regensburger Domspatzen, Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  2. 2 Part I: Hirtenmusik 03:26
    Track
    2
    Title
    Part I: Hirtenmusik
    Duration
    03:26
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  3. 3 Part I: Recitative: Es waren die Hirten beisammen auf dem Felde 02:08
    Track
    3
    Title
    Part I: Recitative: Es waren die Hirten beisammen auf dem Felde
    Duration
    02:08
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Helen Donath
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  4. 4 Part I: Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe 02:18
    Track
    4
    Title
    Part I: Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe
    Duration
    02:18
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Ensemble
    Regensburger Domspatzen, Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  5. 5 Part I: Aria: Erwache, frohlocke 04:34
    Track
    5
    Title
    Part I: Aria: Erwache, frohlocke
    Duration
    04:34
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Helen Donath
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  6. 6 Part II: Hallelujah! 04:04
    Track
    6
    Title
    Part II: Hallelujah!
    Duration
    04:04
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Ensemble
    Regensburger Domspatzen, Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  7. 7 I. Vivace - Grave - II. Allegro 04:05
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Vivace - Grave - II. Allegro
    Duration
    04:05
    Composer
    Arcangelo Corelli
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  8. 8 III. Adagio - Allegro - Adagio 04:01
    Track
    8
    Title
    III. Adagio - Allegro - Adagio
    Duration
    04:01
    Composer
    Arcangelo Corelli
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  9. 9 IV. Vivace 01:09
    Track
    9
    Title
    IV. Vivace
    Duration
    01:09
    Composer
    Arcangelo Corelli
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  10. 10 V. Allegro - 01:53
    Track
    10
    Title
    V. Allegro -
    Duration
    01:53
    Composer
    Arcangelo Corelli
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  11. 11 V. Pastorale: Largo 05:46
    Track
    11
    Title
    V. Pastorale: Largo
    Duration
    05:46
    Composer
    Arcangelo Corelli
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  12. 12 Ave verum corpus, K. 618 03:38
    Track
    12
    Title
    Ave verum corpus, K. 618
    Duration
    03:38
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Ensemble
    Regensburger Domspatzen, Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  13. 13 Vesperae solennes de confessore, K. 339: Laudate Dominum 05:50
    Track
    13
    Title
    Vesperae solennes de confessore, K. 339: Laudate Dominum
    Duration
    05:50
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Helen Donath
    Ensemble
    Regensburger Domspatzen, Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  14. 14 Ein Kindelein so löbelich 01:10
    Track
    14
    Title
    Ein Kindelein so löbelich
    Duration
    01:10
    Composer
    Leonhard Schroeter
    Ensemble
    Regensburger Domspatzen, Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  15. 15 Nun lasst uns mit den Engelein 01:56
    Track
    15
    Title
    Nun lasst uns mit den Engelein
    Duration
    01:56
    Composer
    Johan Stobäus
    Ensemble
    Regensburger Domspatzen, Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  16. 16 Ich steh' an deiner Krippen hier, BWV 469 01:56
    Track
    16
    Title
    Ich steh' an deiner Krippen hier, BWV 469
    Duration
    01:56
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Ensemble
    Regensburger Domspatzen, Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  17. 17 O Freude über Freud 03:42
    Track
    17
    Title
    O Freude über Freud
    Duration
    03:42
    Composer
    Johannes Eccard
    Ensemble
    Regensburger Domspatzen, Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  18. 18 Es hat sich halt eröffnet 02:10
    Track
    18
    Title
    Es hat sich halt eröffnet
    Duration
    02:10
    Composer
    Herbert Paulmichl
    Ensemble
    Regensburger Domspatzen, Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  19. 19 Adeste fideles 03:00
    Track
    19
    Title
    Adeste fideles
    Duration
    03:00
    Composer
    Carl Thiel
    Ensemble
    Regensburger Domspatzen, Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  20. 20 Exsultate, jubilate 04:44
    Track
    20
    Title
    Exsultate, jubilate
    Duration
    04:44
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Helen Donath
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  21. 21 Fulget amica dies 00:50
    Track
    21
    Title
    Fulget amica dies
    Duration
    00:50
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Helen Donath
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  22. 22 Tu virginum corona 06:22
    Track
    22
    Title
    Tu virginum corona
    Duration
    06:22
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Helen Donath
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn
  23. 23 Alleluja 02:53
    Track
    23
    Title
    Alleluja
    Duration
    02:53
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Helen Donath
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Kurt Peter Eichhorn