The John Rutter Christmas Album / Rutter, The Cambridge Singers

$12.99
Added to Cart! View cart or continue shopping.

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:

  • Release Date: November 05, 2002


  • Catalog Number: CSCD510


  • UPC: 040888051022


  • Label: Collegium


  • Number of Discs: 1


  • Composer: Franz Xaver Gruber, John Jacob Niles, John Rutter, Lowell Mason, Traditional


  • Conductor: John Rutter


  • Orchestra/Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia


  • Performer: Gerald Finley, Ruth Holton, Stephen Varcoe



Works:

  1. Wexford Carol

    Composer: Trad.

    Ensemble: Cambridge SIngers

    Performer: Stephen Varcoe (Baritone)

    Conductor: John Rutter


  2. Jesus child

    Composer: John Rutter

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter


  3. There is a flower

    Composer: John Rutter

    Ensemble: Cambridge SIngers

    Performer: Ruth Holton (Soprano)

    Conductor: John Rutter


  4. Donkey carol

    Composer: John Rutter

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter


  5. Wild wood carol

    Composer: John Rutter

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Performer: Gerald Finley (Baritone)

    Conductor: John Rutter


  6. Angels' Carol

    Composer: John Rutter

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter


  7. Nativity carol

    Composer: John Rutter

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter


  8. Mary's lullaby

    Composer: John Rutter

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter


  9. Star carol

    Composer: John Rutter

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter


  10. Candlelight carol

    Composer: John Rutter

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter


  11. Shepherd's pipe carol

    Composer: John Rutter

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter


  12. Christmas lullaby

    Composer: John Rutter

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter


  13. Dormi, Jesu

    Composer: John Rutter

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter


  14. Love came down at Christmas

    Composer: John Rutter

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter


  15. Sans Day Carol

    Composer: Trad.

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter


  16. I wonder as I wander

    Composer: Trad.

    Ensemble: Cambridge SIngers

    Performer: Gerald Finley (Baritone)

    Conductor: John Rutter


  17. What sweeter music

    Composer: John Rutter

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter


  18. Joy to the World

    Composer: John Rutter

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter


  19. I saw 3 ships

    Composer: Trad.

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter


  20. Deck the Hall

    Composer: Trad.

    Ensemble: Cambridge SIngers

    Conductor: John Rutter


  21. The very best time of year

    Composer: John Rutter

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter


  22. We wish you a merry Christmas

    Composer: Trad.

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter


  23. Silent Night

    Composer: Franz Xaver Gruber

    Ensemble: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

    Conductor: John Rutter