Christmas Concertos & Cantatas / Standage, Collegium Musicum 90

$6.99
Label
Chandos
Release Date
September 30, 2008
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      VARIOUS
    • PERFORMER
      Gritton, Standage, Collegium Musicum 90
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      September 30, 2008
    • UPC
      095115075425
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      CHAN 0754 X
    • LABEL
      Chandos
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      1
    • GENRE
      Vocal
    Works ⌄

    1. I. Pastorale: Largo

      Composer: Francesco Onofrio Manfredini

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    2. II. Largo -

      Composer: Francesco Onofrio Manfredini

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    3. III. Allegro

      Composer: Francesco Onofrio Manfredini

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    4. I. Introduzione: Allegro -

      Composer: Alessandro Scarlatti

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    5. II. Recitative: O di Betlemme altera poverta - Aria: Dal ben seno d'una stella -

      Composer: Alessandro Scarlatti

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90

      Performer: Susan Gritton

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    6. III. Recitative: Presa d'uomo la forma - Aria: L'autor d'ogni mio bene -

      Composer: Alessandro Scarlatti

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90

      Performer: Susan Gritton

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    7. IV. Recitative: Fortunati, fortunati pastori - Pastorale: Tocco la prima sorte a voi, pastori

      Composer: Alessandro Scarlatti

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90

      Performer: Susan Gritton

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    8. I. Allegro

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    9. II. Adagio -

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    10. III. Allegro

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    11. I. In dulci jubilo (Chorus)

      Composer: Georg Philipp Telemann

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90 Chorus, Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    12. II. Recitative: Auf, mein Geist -

      Composer: Georg Philipp Telemann

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90 Chorus, Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    13. III. Chorale: Das ewige Licht geht da herein (Chorus)

      Composer: Georg Philipp Telemann

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90 Chorus, Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    14. IV. Aria: O heilige Nacht -

      Composer: Georg Philipp Telemann

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90 Chorus, Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    15. V. Recitative: Ich gehe nun nicht mehr im Leide -

      Composer: Georg Philipp Telemann

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90 Chorus, Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    16. VI. Aria: Jesu, hier bei Deiner Krippen

      Composer: Georg Philipp Telemann

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90 Chorus, Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    17. VII. Ehre sei Gott in der Hohe (Chorus)

      Composer: Georg Philipp Telemann

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90 Chorus, Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    18. I. Vivace - Grave -

      Composer: Arcangelo Corelli

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    19. II. Allegro -

      Composer: Arcangelo Corelli

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    20. III. Adagio - Allegro - Adagio -

      Composer: Arcangelo Corelli

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    21. IV. Vivace -

      Composer: Arcangelo Corelli

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    22. V. Allegro -

      Composer: Arcangelo Corelli

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage

    23. VI. Pastorale ad libitum: Largo

      Composer: Arcangelo Corelli

      Ensemble: Collegium Musicum 90

      Conductor: Simon Standage


Including some of the most beautiful baroque Christmas music on offer, this programme makes for the perfect Christmas collection. 'This is period-instrument performance at its best', wrote American Record Guide on the CD's original release. It is re-issued here for the first time. Three popular favourites, Corelli's gorgeous concerto for Christmas Eve, an idyllic Christmas concerto by Vivaldi, and Manfredini's Concerto grosso are complemented by two little-known cantatas by Telemann and Scarlatti. Each of the Italian composers has his own voice, contrasting tremendously with the more rugged German style of Telemann. Susan Gritton is the soloist in Scarlatti's cantata, described by Classic CD as 'ravishing and ravishingly sung... worth anyone's CD token'. This is a disc of intimate Christmas music, which will make an ideal stocking filler. As Classic CD wrote at the time of the original release, 'This is a delightful addition to the Christmas market, and the careful selection of its items and superb recording ensure that, like the traditional puppy, it's not just for Christmas'.

REVIEW:

These Baroque concertos and cantatas are all associated with Christmas, although some only marginally. The Scarlatti and Telemann cantatas were written for Christmas. The Manfredini and Corelli concertos probably received their associations with Christmas because each contains a pastorale movement, shepherds’ music in 12/8 time that Italian folk tradition associated with Christmas (the “Pifa” from Handel’s Messiah is another example). The Vivaldi concerto, one of his typical string concertos, seems to have received its seasonal connection from Vivaldi’s practice of programming it at Christmas time.

All of this music is delightful to hear. Many of Fanfare’s readers will probably have one or more of these works already, especially the concertos. The two cantatas are less often encountered, especially the Telemann, from the first movement of which we get the English carol Good Christian Men Rejoice. The playing and singing are excellent in all respects. Susan Gritton makes a major contribution in the solos of the Scarlatti cantata. Members of Collegium 90’s choir are equally good as soloists in the Telemann. Presiding over all, Simon Standage directs lively performances that respect the score and never stray into extremes of tempo.

This collection was issued 10 years ago under the title “Per la notte di natale.” In this reissue, Chandos provides full notes along with texts and translations, for which I commend them. Anyone looking for an enjoyable collection of Baroque music associated with Christmas need look no further.

-- Fanfare