Friday 10 December 2021

Christmas disc round-up: from Christmas Matins in Bavaria & Nine Lessons & Carols at King's College, Cambridge to festive brass from Canada & the Wexford Carols

Daniel Hyde and the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, recording In the Bleak Midwinter in the chapel in December 2020
Daniel Hyde and the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, recording In the Bleak Midwinter in the chapel in December 2020

This year's Christmas round-up has something of an edge to it, many of the discs were recorded under the challenge of social distancing and the effect of the pandemic on child choristers who will have been deprived of the experience of singing in public. Some choirs have clearly made good use of the time offered, whilst others such as King's College, Cambridge took advantage of the unusual circumstances to record the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in a chapel empty of audience.

There is also a sense of looking back, the King's Singers return to their roots, whilst on Alto we can hear the Deller Consort in Medieval carols recorded in the 1950s and 1960s and the St Florian's Boy's Choir celebrates its 950th birthday with archive recordings. It is not all voices, either, with string and brass discs, plus the Harrison & Harrison organ at Belfast Cathedral

Santa Nox: Christmas Matins from Bavaria The Seminarians of Saint Peter Wigratzbad De Montfort Music
Santa Nox: Christmas Matins from Bavaria
The Seminarians of Saint Peter Wigratzbad
De Montfort Music

A disc of Gregorian chant sung by a community of young seminarians, reconstructing Christmas matins. The disc mixes plainchant with early polyphony by Morales and Hassler, plus more romantic later composers, Oreste Ravanello (1871-1938) and Raffaele Casimiri (1900-1943), ending with Silent Night. 

Sung by seminarian who would routinely take part in this sort of service, the performances have a sense of reality and meaning, allied to beauty of tone and flexibility of line that many groups singing plainchant strive for.

A Deep but Dazzling Darkness Apollo5 Voces8 Records
A Deep but Dazzling Darkness
Apollo5
Voces8 Records

The five members of Apollo5 sing intimate consort of music often performed by larger groups. With repertoire ranging from Jacob Handl and William Byrd to to Dobrinka Tabakova and Toby Young, this is a disc that mixes the familiar and unfamiliar, all superbly sung by the five-voice consort. There is an intimate, high-gloss feel to Howells' A Spotless Rose and they bring out the old-new feels of Walton's Make we now joy in this feast.

Christmas Carols with The Kings Singers The Kings Singers Signum Classics SIGCD683

Christmas Carols with The Kings Singers
The Kings Singers
Signum Classics SIGCD683

For their latest Christmas album, The Kings Singers mix items which hark back to the group's origins in Kings College Choir with folksongs and contemporary choral numbers. 

The result is an attractive programme of 25 pieces from O Little Town of Bethlehem to John Tavener's O Do Not Move to Pierre Villette's Hymne a la Vierge. In all the items, the group's familiar sophisticated sound creates an atmosphere at once distinct and recognisable.

Hodie Christus Natus Est: A Medieval Christmas The Boston Camerata, Anna Azema Harmonia Mundi HMM 905339
Hodie Christus Natus Est: A Medieval Christmas
The Boston Camerata, Anna Azema

The five member Boston Camerata mix voices and instruments for this programme of Medieval music for Christmas inspired by the group's ground-breaking programme of the same name from the 1970s. 

Here we have an engaging mixture of the sacred and the secular, music from Britain, France, Spain and more, the joyful and the thoughtful in a programme that sheds a different light on the idea of Christmas music. [Streaming]

An Elizabethan Christmas Helen Charlston Fretwork Signum Classics SIGCD680
An Elizabethan Christmas
Helen Charlston
Fretwork

A lovely programme that places at its centre a series of William Byrd's consort songs and is a world away from rollicking carols. Much of the music is thoughtful, perhaps solemn but Byrd's consort music is always stunning especially when so delivered as here. There are works too by Martin Peerson and Thomas Weelks, whilst Fretwork contributes a selection of purely instrumental pieces, dances by Anthony Holborne with delightful titles and fantasias by Orlando Gibbons. The whole is finely conceived to make a satisfying programme.

A Minstrels Christmas Alfred Deller The Deller Consort Alto ALC1448
A Minstrels Christmas
Alfred Deller
The Deller Consort

A feast for Alfred Deller fans, 38 tracks recorded by the Deller Consort between 1956 and 1965, combining tracks from Deller's four original albums with music varying from tradition carols, folksongs and classical. 

The performance style can sometimes feel old-fashioned, but there is no doubting the superb musicality of the performers and the engaging mixture of music.

Strange Wonders: The Wexford Carols Vol II
Strange Wonders: The Wexford Carols Vol II
Caitríona O’Leary singer/arranger
Seth Lakeman (voice, viola), Clara Sanabras (voice, baroque guitar), John Smith (voice, guitar), Stile Antico (Choir), Alison Balsom (trumpet), Olov Johannson (nyckelharapa), Simone Collavechi (lute & renaissance guitar), Deirdre O’Leary (bass clarinet), Mel Mercier (percussion), and John Hearne (bassoon)

Singer Caitriona O'Leary returns to tradition of carols from Wexford arising from carols published originally in 1684 by Luke Waddinge, Bishop of Ferns, Co. Wexford. They were intended to be set to traditional tunes, and here O'Leary and her fellow performers create engaging new versions of the music, songs that would have been past down between generations of singers. 12 of the carols are still performed today, but more have been lost and here O'Leary reveals her research into the original tunes, but more than that she and her performers create a terrific album, mixing classical, folk and musicology into a heady mix.

Es ist ein Ros Dresdner Kammerchor Hans-Christoph Rademan Accentus ACC305050
Es ist ein Ros
Dresdner Kammerchor
Hans-Christoph Rademan

Most choirs know a bit of Praetorius' Christmas music, but this disc puts his music dead centre. Beginning with the nine part Jubilate Deo from 1607, the disc encompasses a wide variety of music for the Christmas period by Praetorius. This is a welcome opportunity to explore early Baroque German music in fine performances from the Dresden choir with a selection of soloists and instrumentalists.

The sound is sometimes rather more choral than might be idea for music that was probably written for tiny forces, yet Dresdner Kammerchor impress with their flexibility, clarity and focused sound, along with a sense of imagination.

A Star in the East Ronn McFarlane (lute) Carolyn Surrick (viola da gamba)
A Star in the East
Ronn McFarlane (lute)
Carolyn Surrick (viola da gamba)

A disc which brings a new sound to familiar music as the lute and gamba duo create imaginative arrangements of traditional songs. And their imagination stretches from The Wexford Carol and Sure on this Shining Night to a mash up of Grinch on the Run with Personent Hodie. The imagination behind these arrangements is rich and vivid, and the playing makes you forget you are listening to a pair of 'period instruments' and draws you into the players' imaginative world. [Streaming]

Christmas Buzz Brass (Buzz Cuivres) Analekta AN281913
Christmas
Buzz Brass (Buzz Cuivres)

Canadian brass quintet Buzz Brass bring an engaging freshness to a programme of standards, all arranged for brass ensemble. Beginning with an imaginative Christmas medley, the disc works its way through Sleigh Ride, Silent Night, Patapan and the 12 Days of Christmas. For this latter and the Noel Canadien medley the group is joined by the vocal quartet Quarton, and it is with this medley of French Canadian melodies that the disc brings out its Canadian heritage.

Christmas without Words Camerata Tchaikovsky Orchid Classics ORC100186

Christmas without Words
Camerata Tchaikovsky

Directed by violinist Yuri Zhislin, the string ensemble bring a lively manner and brilliant playing to a programme that moves from Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride, to Winter from Vivaldi's Four Seasons, music by Tchaikovsky and even a couple of carols. 

This is an EP which does not try to take itself too seriously, Zhislin not only contributes some fine violin playing but adds the sleigh bells, tongue clicks and even the horse to Sleigh Ride. [Streaming]

Christmas Baroque London Concertante
Christmas Baroque

The London-based chamber ensemble visits Christmas repertoire on disc for the first time, with classics such as Corelli's Concerto Grosso in G minor, Op. 6 No. 8 'Christmas Concerto' and Torelli's concerto grosso inspired by the Corelli, alongside Winter from Vivaldi's Four Seasons and Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, not seasonal but played in a highly uplifting manner. The instruments are modern, but played with bags of style and the result is an engaging seasonal disc, ending with David Gordon's delightful jazz mash-up based on Bach.


https://rvwsociety.com/oxford-christmas/
Vaughan Williams: An Oxford Christmas
Chapel Choir of the Royal Hospital Chelsea
Joshua Ryan (organ)
William Vann

Of the 22 carols on this disc, ten are first recordings; all are arrangements made by RVW for the Oxford Book of Carols plus two later ones published by OUP. The fascinating thing is how many of these are not well known. Not just RVW's arrangements, but the tunes themselves. For those brought up on Carols for Choirs, these carols from an earlier generation of carol publishing are something of a revelation. 

William Vann and his singers (sometimes with organ, sometimes alone) bring out the sophistication of these arrangements, yet often seem to be having fun too.

Czech and Moravian Christmas Carols JITRO Czech Children's Chorus Jan Jirasek Navona Records NV6010
Czech and Moravian Christmas Carols
JITRO Czech Children's Chorus
Jan Jirasek

Czech composer Jan Jirasek presents a programme of Czech and Moravian carols in his new versions, beautifully sung by the children's chorus with accompaniment of wind, percussion and strings. 

I have no idea how traditional these songs are, but they make delightful change to the regular carol repertoire.

I sing of a maiden Cambridge Singers Royal Philharmonic Orchestra John Rutter Collegium Records
I sing of a maiden
Cambridge Singers
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
John Rutter

On this EP, John Rutter presents four new carols, the composer's first new Christmas release since 2008. The music has a variety of origins from a harp piece Rutter originally wrote for Catrin Finch to a carol written for Suzi Digby and ORA Singers. The accompaniments from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra feel rather luxurious, but there is no doubting both the craftmanship and Rutter's ability to craft a memorable musical texture and an engagingly immediate tune. [Streaming]

Hodie! Christmas music for boys voices and harp Schola Cantorum of the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School Zita Silva (harp) Scott Price
Hodie! Christmas music for boys voices and harp
Zita Silva (harp)
Scott Price

The 25 boys from Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School acquit themselves magnificently in this disc that mixes Britten's classic A Ceremony of Carols for boys choir and harp with John Rutter's Dancing Day, written specifically to complement the Britten, plus music by Owain Park, Richard Allain and Errollyn Wallen and two arrangements. 

The boys make a strong, direct sound and bring a real sense of personality to the music. And in the mix of music, Scott Price has shown great imagination so that even if you have a favourite Britten recording there is plenty more to attract on this disc. [Streaming]

All the World Tonight Rejoices: Contemporary Christmas Music Truro Cathedral Choir Christopher Gray Regent Records REGCD560
All the World Tonight Rejoices: Contemporary Christmas Music
Truro Cathedral Choir
Christopher Gray

The first Nine Lessons and Carols service took place in Truro in 1880, and the choir has a long tradition of premiering a new carol each year. On this disc we have eleven Truro commissions. There is a chance for both the girl and boy choristers to shine, and eight of the tracks are first recordings. The majority are unaccompanied, deliberately so, and there are two organ solos so that the Father Willis organ gets to shine too. The composers range from Peter Tranchell (1922-1993) to Helena Paish (born 2002), a wonderful ambitious and superbly executed album.

Carol of the Bells The Sixteen Harry Christophers CORO COR16188
Carol of the Bells
The Sixteen
Harry Christophers

The Sixteen's latest Christmas disc has its feet firmly in the present day. The disc opens with Bob Chilcott's Pilgrim Jesus and ends with his Advent Antiphons. These setting of the seven great O Antiphons were written in 2004 for Reykjavik Cathedral, and whilst Chilcott bases the music on the original plainchant he enriches it in glorious ways. In between there is music by Jan Sandstrom, Matthew Martin, Cecilia McDowall, Kim Porters, RR Bennett, Alan Bullard, Jonathan Dove, Joseph Phibbs and James Burton. Eric Whitacre's radiant Lux Aurumque is not strictly Christmas, but who cares.

Little Christmas The St Florian Boys’ Choir Franz Farnberger and Markus Stumpner (conductor) ARS Produktion
Little Christmas
The St Florian Boys’ Choir
Franz Farnberger and Markus Stumpner (conductor)

St Florian's Boys' Choir has been performing music at St Florian's Seminary in Upper Austria since 1071, and as part of the choir's 950th anniversary celebrations they have issued this compilation of recordings dating from 1998 to 2021, under the direction of Franz Farnberger and Markus Stumpner. The repertoire is eclectic, from Christmas classics to more expected items along with music by Kodaly and Reger. For most of the recordings on the disc, the boys choir performs with the St Florian Men's Choir, formed in 1989 in order to expand the repertoire and the adults are former members of the boys' choir who are either continuing their training or have become professional singers.

A Belfast Christmas Belfast Cathedral Choir Grainne Meyer (harp) Jack Wilson (organ) Matthew Owens (conductor and solo organ) Resonus Classics RES10292
A Belfast Christmas
Belfast Cathedral Choir
Grainne Meyer (harp)
Jack Wilson (organ)
Matthew Owens (conductor and solo organ)

Under its new music director, Matthew Owens, the choir of Belfast Cathedral (a relatively new adult professional ensemble formed in 2019) performs a programme that mixes old favourites such as Elizabeth Poston's Jesus Christ the Apple Tree and Ireland's The Holy Boy, with lesser known gems. Gary Davison was a name that was new to me and I loved his arrangement of an American folk-melody, Rorate Coeli, and whilst Philip Ledger's name is familiar it is lovely to have three of his carols on the disc, along with music by Philip Stopford, Philip Moore, and Philip Wilby. A finely sung disc that brings a new flavour to old favourites.

Christmas Bells: Organ Music from Belfast Cathedral Matthew Owens (organ) Resonus Classics RES 10293
Christmas Bells: Organ Music from Belfast Cathedral
Matthew Owens (organ)

In the second of the discs from Belfast Cathedral on Resonus, Matthew Owens plays the Harrison & Harrison organ (built in 1907 and rebuilt in 1975) in music by Bach, Guilmant, Daquin, Walther, Flor Peeters, Philip Wilby, Gary Davison, Liszt and Garth Edmundson, plus Owens' own Prelude on 'Yorkshire' and Howard Skempton's Christmas Bells which was written specially for the disc.

In the bleak midwinter: Christmas Carols from King's The Choir of King's College, Cambridge Matthew Martin (organ) Daniel Hyde (conductor) King's College, Cambridge KGS0060
In the bleak midwinter: Christmas Carols from King's
The Choir of King's College, Cambridge
Matthew Martin (organ)
Daniel Hyde (conductor)

If the first service of Nine Lessons and Carols was at Truro Cathedral, the service has become irredeemably associated with King's College, Cambridge. Here Daniel Hyde (who took over direction of the choir from the late Stephen Cleobury in 2019) conducts the choir in 16 carols which were broadcast as part of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve, December 2020, along with four recorded subsequently. The recording is unique in that it is made in an empty chapel (thanks to regulations in place at the time). The music is perhaps more reflective than it might normally have been, but the choir is on strong form.







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