The Carol Album: Seven Centuries of Christmas Music
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Music CD Cover
Composer: Johann Sebastian BachComposer: Andre Caplet
Composer: Franz Xaver Gruber
Composer: Lukas Osiander
Composer: Philippe Le Chancelier
Composer: Caelius Sedulius
Composer: English Traditional
Composer: William Walker
Conductor: Andrew Parrott
Performer: Choir & Players Taverner Consort
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1990-10-25
Music Label: EMI Records
Soundtracks:
- O come, O come Emmanuel
- Silent Night
- Il est né, le divin enfant
- Nova! nova!
- Marche des rois
- The Babe of Bethlehem
- Verbum caro: Y la Virgen
- Redemption
- This endere nyghth
- O Jesulein süss, O Jesulein mild, BWV 493
- Il est né, le divin enfant
- God rest ye merry, gentlemen
- Swete was the song the Virgine soong
- Quem pastores laudavere
- Quanno nascete ninno
- Ríu, ríu, chíu "El lobo rabioso"
- Gabriel fram heven-king
- Christum wir sollen loben schon
- Lully, lulla, thow littel tyne child "Coventry Carol"
- Gaudete!
- Verbum caro: In hoc anni circulo
- Alleluya: A nywe werk is come on honde
- The Old Year now away is fled
- Ding Dong! Merrily on high
Free Music Notes for The Carol Album: Seven Centuries of Christmas Music
Free Music Review: My favorite Christmas CD of all time
Hit: 5 Stars
This collection of Christmas music strives for authenticity in performance, right down to Old French pronunciation in "Il est né le divin enfant." The carols are of varying antiquity and presented, not in order of age, but in an order that makes for an enjoyable listening experience, by contrast. There is precision in singing, use of period instruments, and presentation in original languages. It all adds up to excellence. Further, it brings joy and delight to the receptive ear.
Another reviewer said there wasn't any joy in these performances, and I say, "Humbug!" As beauty is in the eye of the beholder, joy is in the ear of the listener, and I couldn't receive this music without being transported to bliss.
As to the first track ("Veni, Veni Emmanuel") and audibility issues many have complained about, it's apparent that the a capella singing gets louder and louder as the chant progresses and we, the listeners, are being given the experience of sitting in a large cathedral as the choristers make their processional from the distant back of the nave up the center aisle and into the choir stalls in the chancel. That's why the music is barely audible at first and gets gradually louder, until it has full of volume. It's also why it's the very first track -- the choristers are processing in to begin the concert.
Hearing "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht" performed using its original tune and what is held to be and very likely is the original guitar accompaniment from 1818 was a revelation -- I no longer sing the "improved" version of the tune that has become universal. It has the character of a Tyrolean folk song, light, joyous, reverent, and close to the hearts of the people singing and hearing it in that small Alpine church.
In fact, what's great about this album is that each carol conveys its original joy. The experience is enhanced by the welcome notes in the accompanying booklet that tell you about the history and background of each carol, the particulars of the version being performed, and more.
This CD is like a box of See's chocolates for the ear. The Taverner Consort, Singers and Players eventually came out with a second volume ("The Carol Album 2") and that's definitely worth having, too.
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