Christmas CDs

[mangerton]

Many on Roehre's list, and in addition
Daquin - Douze Noëls played by Christopher Herrick
RVW - Fantasia on Christmas Carols

and three by Paul McCreesh:
Palestrina and others - Christmas Mass in Rome
Schütz - Christmas Vespers and the amazing
Praetorius - Lutheran Mass for Christmas morning

I mentioned the last two in a thread in The Other Place recently

[Roehre]

Every year, while present wrapping, I play my LP of VW's Fantasia on Christmas Carols. Guildford Cathedral Choir with the Pro Arte Orchestra conducted by Barry Rose (1966 EMI recording). The disc also has Warlock's 'Bethlehem Down' and 'Adam lay y-bounden' as well as VW's 'And all in the morning' and 'Wassail Song'. A delight. The other side of the LP has Hely-Hutchinson's Carol Symphony but I never play that as I'm not keen on it.

That's exactly the same contents as the EMI CD I've got, must be a re-issue therefore. The AFAIK only other recording of H-H's Carol Symphony is on a Naxos christmas CD from a couple of years ago.

[JoeG]

It has to be Coope Boyes & Simpson 'Garland of Carols' and their other Christmas Cds for me. Also Robb Johnson's Ghost of Love. Tend not to listen to much 'classical' music at Xmas - prefer to listen to English folk music as a prelude to singing at Whitby over New Year

[johnb]

I don't 'do' Christmas music but, if they arrive in time, the Haitink Mahler Christmas Matinee DVDs will substitute nicely.

.... or should I order more Suzuki Bach Cantatas?

[MickyD]

VodkaDilc - did you also get hold of Peter Holman's other Christmas offering of Georgian festive music called "Nativity"? It's very much in the same vein. All hail to the likes of Holman and Hyperion for bringing us such delightful rarities - such a refreshing change from the standard fare that is trundled out each year.

[Dave2002]

Mmmm. Doesn't look as though one can navigate away, then come back on this board, or am I doing something wrong? I used to do that with the Beeb boards.

Re carols: Probably one or two CDs of Mannheim Steamroller - Chip Davis, though the early ones are the best - later ones are very samey.

I shouldn't even mention South Park!

Otherwise Roehre has made an impressive list, though I notice that Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors is not on it. Another possible is Lars-Erik Larssson's Forkladd Gud (there's two dots over the o - I daren't put them in ...) and there are quite a few worthwhile Swedish (and other Scandinavian) carols.

I'm not actually that fond of the Menotti or the Larsson pieces, but I mention them in case anyone wants to try them.

Apart from regular carols, I think the Messiah, L'Enfance du Christ, and Ceremony of Carols will probably get played at least once, along with the Christmas Oratorio. I treasure a 7 inch EP of carols including Tchaikovsky's Crown of Roses - think it's on Argo.

[Nachtigall]

Finzi's "In Terra Pax" is my favourite Christmas related piece. Magical.

Wholeheartedly agree with this! There is also a beautifully sung compilation of Christmas choral music by the Rodolfus Choir under Ralph Allwood recorded for the latest issue of the BBCMusic Magazine.

[Mahlerei]

Interesting list from Roehre. Would certainly recommend the Penderecki, although its Christmas title is a little misleading. The Praetorius is also very special. As for L'enfance du Christ BBC Four showed a Hickox performance from Cardiff some years ago that really deserves to be issued commercially. And I'm surprised no-one has mentioned:

Messiaen: La Nativité du Seigneur

[BBMmk2]

The last couple of years I listened to (among others) the following pieces of Christmas music (not in a specific order), and I will listen to a selction of it this year again:

JSBach Weihnachtsoratorium plus cantates for advent, New years day and Epiphany ; Magnificat
CPEBach: Magnificat
Saint Saens: Oratorium de Noël
Honegger; Cantate de Noël
Martin: Le Mystère de la Nativité; Chansons de Noël
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Christmas Carols; Hodue; First Nowell
Liszt: Weihnachtsbaum
Beethoven: Glück, Glück zum neuen Jahr (2 canons for 3 voices)
Lutoslawski: Polish Carols
Nicolai: Weihnachtsouvertüre
Penderecki: Symphony no.2 "christmas"
Bax: Christmas Eve on the Mountain
Busoni: Nuit de Noël
Corelli: Christmasconcerto
Britten: A Ceremony of Christmas Carols; A Boy is born
Messiaen: La nativité du Seigneur
Bruch: Gruss an die heilige nacht
Wolf; Christnacht
Hely-Hutchinson: Carol Symphony
Finzi: Dies natalis
Carl Davis: A Christmas Carol (after Dickens)
Bridge: The Christmas Rose
Arnold: Song of Simeon
Mendelssohn: Vom Himmel hoch (choral cantate)
Pierné: L'Enfant de Bethléhem
Schönberg: Weihnachtsmusik
Berlioz: L'Enfance du Christ
Charpentier: Messe de Minuit
Respighi: Lauda per la nativita del Signore

A splendid list there Roehre. i should have commented more in my earlier post! There are some really good brass band cds out there these days, if anyone would like top have a look, eoither on www.worldofbrass.com or www.midlandcdclub.com. I have a certain number of them

[Mahlerei]

Hola BBM!

Ta for those links. Will investigate.

BTW, does anyone know Adams' oratorio El Niño?

[Barbirollians]

A lovely Carol album from Kings College and Stephen Cleobury from the mid 1980s

Fry's santa Claus symphony for a bit of fun

Christmas with Geoff Love on Music for Pleasure and Nat King Cole's Christmas album to remind me of being a child in the early 70s

[BBMmk2]

No problem there Dan!!

I do love 'Tomorrow shall be my dancing day' though!!

[Roehre]

Fry's santa Claus symphony for a bit of fun

I guess that's the Naxos CD, Barbirollians?

There are some really good brass band cds out there these days, if anyone would like top have a look, eoither on www.worldofbrass.com or www.midlandcdclub.com. I have a certain number of them

thanks BBM for the links. Looks very interesting

[Mahlerei]

I can also recommend Wolfgang Seifen's darkly radiant Die Nacht ist vorgedrungen (2008) from an Audite disc called Er ist ein Ros' entsprungen. Lovely choral singing from Vox Bona.

[MickyD]

Hi Barbirollians,

Yes, I agree with you over that KCC/Cleobury Decca disc from the 80s, it is a lovely collection of carols, beautifully recorded.