The John Rutter Christmas Album / Rutter, The Cambridge Singers
Over the years John Rutter's Christmas recordings with his outstanding Cambridge Singers have become essential components of holiday tradition for choral music fans around the world. Throughout the 1980s and early '90s Rutter's legions of followers were treated to several now-classic CD albums for Collegium, including Christmas Night, Christmas with the Cambridge Singers, and Christmas Day in the Morning. It's from these recordings that the present program was drawn, with the addition of two newly issued tracks--Dormi, Jesu and Love came down at Christmas. Yes, if you already own those other discs, for completeness' sake and, well, just because it's a new Rutter release, you'll still have to have this one. And that's not a bad thing at all, especially since all of these tracks have been remastered in notably clearer, more vibrant sound than their 10- or 15-year-old predecessors.
The selections focus on Rutter's own compositions, with "a sprinkling" of his arrangements of traditional carols organized (in typical Rutter/Cambridge Singers fashion) into a thematically grouped program--Prologue, The Christmas Story, Christmas Night, Christmas reflections, Christmas Joy, and Epilogue--the latter consisting of a lovely setting of Silent Night, made for a 1988 BBC television production. And speaking of classics, among the 23 pieces heard here is Rutter's masterpiece, What sweeter music, a staple of Christmas programs everywhere (and a continuing presence in a popular series of Volvo commercials), sounding even more glorious than ever. [11/23/2002]
--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com
Product Description:
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Release Date: November 04, 2002
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UPC: 040888051022
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Catalog Number: CSCD510
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Label: Collegium Records
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Number of Discs: 1
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Composer: Franz Xaver Gruber, John Jacob Niles, John Rutter, Lowell Mason, Traditional
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Conductor: John Rutter
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Orchestra/Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
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Performer: Gerald Finley, Ruth Holton, Stephen Varcoe
Works:
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Wexford Carol
Composer: Trad.
Ensemble: Cambridge SIngers
Performer: Stephen Varcoe (Baritone)
Conductor: John Rutter
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Jesus child
Composer: John Rutter
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter
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There is a flower
Composer: John Rutter
Ensemble: Cambridge SIngers
Performer: Ruth Holton (Soprano)
Conductor: John Rutter
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Donkey carol
Composer: John Rutter
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter
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Wild wood carol
Composer: John Rutter
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Performer: Gerald Finley (Baritone)
Conductor: John Rutter
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Angels' Carol
Composer: John Rutter
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter
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Nativity carol
Composer: John Rutter
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter
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Mary's lullaby
Composer: John Rutter
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter
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Star carol
Composer: John Rutter
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter
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Candlelight carol
Composer: John Rutter
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter
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Shepherd's pipe carol
Composer: John Rutter
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter
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Christmas lullaby
Composer: John Rutter
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter
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Dormi, Jesu
Composer: John Rutter
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter
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Love came down at Christmas
Composer: John Rutter
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter
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Sans Day Carol
Composer: Trad.
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter
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I wonder as I wander
Composer: Trad.
Ensemble: Cambridge SIngers
Performer: Gerald Finley (Baritone)
Conductor: John Rutter
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What sweeter music
Composer: John Rutter
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter
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Joy to the World
Composer: John Rutter
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter
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I saw 3 ships
Composer: Trad.
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter
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Deck the Hall
Composer: Trad.
Ensemble: Cambridge SIngers
Conductor: John Rutter
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The very best time of year
Composer: John Rutter
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter
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We wish you a merry Christmas
Composer: Trad.
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter
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Silent Night
Composer: Franz Xaver Gruber
Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Conductor: John Rutter