The Cambridge Singers Christmas Album / Rutter

$9.99
Label
Collegium Records
Release Date
January 1, 2003
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      ADAM BERLIOZ VICTORIA SWEEL
    • PERFORMER
      Rutter, Cambridge Singers, City Of London Sinfonia, Varcoe, Ashton, Holton, Kerslake, Orton
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      January 01, 2003
    • UPC
      040888051220
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      CSCD512
    • LABEL
      Collegium Records
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      1
    • GENRE
      Choral - Secular
    Works ⌄

    1. The holly and the ivy

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers

      Conductor: John Rutter

    2. Blessed be that maid Mary

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers

      Conductor: John Rutter

    3. Somerset Wassail

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers

      Conductor: John Rutter

    4. Shepherds, in the field abiding

      Composer: Edward Shippen Barnes

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers

      Conductor: John Rutter

    5. The Infant King

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers

      Performer: Caroline Ashton

      Conductor: John Rutter

    6. What is this lovely fragrance?

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

      Conductor: John Rutter

    7. Gabriel's message

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers

      Performer: Ruth Holton

      Conductor: John Rutter

    8. Still, still, still

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers

      Conductor: John Rutter

    9. Quittez, pasteurs

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers

      Conductor: John Rutter

    10. Un flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

      Conductor: John Rutter

    11. Personent hodie

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

      Conductor: John Rutter

    12. L’enfance du Christ, Op. 25: The shepherds' farewell

      Composer: Hector Berlioz

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

      Conductor: John Rutter

    13. O Holy Night (Cantique de Noël)

      Composer: Adolphe Adam

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

      Conductor: John Rutter

    14. O magnum mysterium

      Composer: Tomás Luis de Victoria

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers

      Conductor: John Rutter

    15. Hodie Christus natus est

      Composer: Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers

      Conductor: John Rutter

    16. Messiah, HWV 56: For unto us a child is born

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

      Conductor: John Rutter

    17. In dulci jubilo

      Composer: Samuel Scheidt

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers

      Performer: Michael Meeks, Edward Hobart, John Scott

      Conductor: John Rutter

    18. Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child

      Composer: Kenneth Leighton

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers

      Performer: Caroline Ashton

      Conductor: John Rutter

    19. Friday Afternoons, Op. 7: No. 5: A New Year Carol

      Composer: Benjamin Britten

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers

      Performer: Rachel Masters

      Conductor: John Rutter

    20. Balulalow

      Composer: Peter Warlock

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

      Performer: Karen Kerslake

      Conductor: John Rutter

    21. I saw a fair maiden

      Composer: Peter Warlock

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers

      Conductor: John Rutter

    22. The Lamb

      Composer: John Tavener

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers

      Conductor: John Rutter

    23. Fantasia on Christmas Carols

      Composer: Ralph Vaughan Williams

      Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

      Performer: Stephen Varcoe, Stephen Orton

      Conductor: John Rutter


Over the past couple of decades, the Christmas recordings of John Rutter and his Cambridge Singers have claimed such a solid and widely enjoyed presence among choral music fans that we have to say that this group and its director/composer/arranger have long ago passed from phenomenon to tradition. This new release, which contains 19 previously issued but newly re-mixed tracks along with four never-before released selections, is both a celebration of that legacy and a re-affirmation of Rutter's uniquely influential contributions to a special genre that began years ago with his acclaimed carol arrangements and his now-classic anthem "What sweeter music". While this disc does not feature Rutter's own compositions--those can be found on an earlier companion disc, The John Rutter Christmas Album (type Q5895 in Search Reviews)--it does offer many of his carol arrangements (notably the infectious "Somerset Wassail") along with some of the finest by such masters as David Willcocks, H. Walford Davies, and Healey Willan (whose rarely-heard setting of "What is this lovely fragrance?" is happily included rather than the fine but ubiquitous Willcocks version).

The program also provides a very healthy dose of original pieces, from Victoria's O magnum mysterium, Handel's For unto us a child is born, Kenneth Leighton's Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child, and Britten's A New Year Carol, to Sweelinck's double-choir Hodie Christus natus est, John Tavener's The Lamb, and Peter Warlock's Balulalow and I saw a fair maiden. The disc ends with Vaughan Williams' rousing Fantasia on Christmas Carols. As you might expect, there's not a dull moment during this very generously filled 77-plus-minute CD, and there's so much joy and beauty in these well-chosen, perfectly sung pieces that a simple numerical rating doesn't do it justice. The sound is appropriately full, vibrant, clear, and dynamic. Add this to your list. [11/8/2003]

--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com