Music for Advent and Christmas

[Cato]

I was just wondering: s the Humperdinck opera of Hansel and Gretel still performed anywhere in German-speaking countries at Christmas time?  I have a memory that this was something of a tradition.

[HIPster]

In heavy rotation ~

Bach/Gardiner: Advent Cantatas
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*Note ~ earlier version is cheaper on amazon.

Really glorious recording!  May be my favorite Gardiner Bach/Cantata release (I've not heard anywhere near all of them!  ).

Bach/Pickett: Christmas Oratorio
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Superb, though I wish that the sound was up to the level - literally - of Gardiner's Advent recording.  Still, an excellent reading, nicely sung (OVPP) and played.

I like Pickett in Bach.   

Messe de Noel - Ensemble Organum
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*Multiple editions available.  Mine came from BRO and appears to be a French-only release. . . 

This is a stunning recording and is definitely worth acquiring in some form.  I've used it as my "waking music" for most of the past week and it has really helped me to set up for the day ahead.

Here's amazon's early music maven, 'Giordano Bruno' on it, via an earlier incarnation:

http://www.amazon.com/Ecole-Notre-Dame-Messe-Christmas/dp/B0000007N3/ref=sr_1_46?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1419092051&sr=1-46&keywords=ensemble+organum

Christmas Concertos: Il Giardino Armonico
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*Newer version:
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A joy to listen to.  Very festive!   

[Brian]

I have to work Dec. 22-24, so at work I will play all my favorite Christian music!

- Berlioz's and Dvorak's Te Deum
- Janacek's Glagolitic Mass
- Brahms's Ave Maria
- Two or three Haydn masses
- Lutoslawski's Twenty Polish Christmas Carols
...and of course...
- Berlioz's L'enfance du Christ!!

[Wakefield]

Bach/Pickett: Christmas Oratorio
[asin]B00002R2T1[/asin]
Superb, though I wish that the sound was up to the level - literally - of Gardiner's Advent recording.  Still, an excellent reading, nicely sung (OVPP) and played.

I like Pickett in Bach.   

Me, too, especially his Brandenburgs! I think I will get this Christmas Oratorio; it looks very promising! 

After some Chopin, I'm listening to:



Corelli, Torelli et al.: Christmas Concertos
The Academy of Ancient Music
Christopher Hogwood

Delightful. 

[Florestan]

Some gorgeous Christmas music.



Merry Christmas everyone!

[HIPster]

Me, too, especially his Brandenburgs! I think I will get this Christmas Oratorio; it looks very promising! 

Gordo - I completely agree with you, regarding Pickett's Brandenburg Concertos.  One of my favorite versions!   

I have yet to hear his Orchestral Suites, but am interested in checking them out.   

A Pickett/New London Consort box would be very nice.   

Florestan - nice looking lineup!  I've been meaning to check out the Boston Camerata for a while now; this looks like a good place to start.

[Moonfish]

Some gorgeous Christmas music.



Merry Christmas everyone!

Ok, now we are all coming to YOUR house for Christmas!   

[Peter Power Pop]

At Christmas time I play an album of Edmund Pascha's Christmas music. A lot.

It's a little off the beaten Baroque track. If asked to describe it, I'd call it "charmingly rustic":

Edmund Pascha - Christmas Mass, Christmas Carols
(Musica Bohemica, Jaroslav Krček)





(Samples at Amazon.co.uk)

If anyone wants to hear more, send me a PM.

[Moonfish]

The Huelgas Ensemble under van Nevel is becoming my musical Christmas addiction this year!!!!!   
My family has to endure it!!!  0:)

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[Artem]

I was listening to A Ceremony of Carols from this CD yesterday and I think it is wonderful piece for the season.
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[Florestan]

Ok, now we are all coming to YOUR house for Christmas!   

Oh, please do! I´ll treat you with wine of my own making and sarmale* of my mother´s making.  0:)

*

In Romania, sarmale is a traditional meal for Christmas and are often served with sour cream, mamaliga, hot pepper and smoked meat. Traditionally, a pot filled with sarmale is usually prepared for an entire family. Sarmale are served as one of the main dishes during wedding ceremonies. In diasporic communities, it is often cherished as a reminder of their former homeland.

[Phrygian]

Oh, please do! I´ll treat you with wine of my own making and sarmale* of my mother´s making.  0:)

*

This magnificent Christmas song was written in 1943 with American soldiers away fighting in WW2 as its inspiration.  To all those who are away from home and thinking of loved ones (or estranged/erstwhile friends - I'm thinking of one in particular) at this time of the year....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb7PmHNh4Zc

Merry Christmas to all, and a Happy and Healthy 2015. 

[pjme]

This is a lovely score and the (1986) live performance is excellent. For some this 1907 "mystère" may be too sentimental, too sweetly pious. I find the tunes (inspired by folksong) irresistible, the tone painting wonderful ( a soft horn call and tremolando strings evoke an icy night..., the three kings arrive at the stable in grandly exotic pomp...etc.) and the general feeling of "naiveté" touching. The reciter  is a story teller.

Other works in (more or less) the same vein: RVW's Hodie, of course,  his Fantasia on Christmas carols and Frank Bridge's ( ca. 1920-1930) The Christmas rose.

And as always I love christmas songs from Eastern Europe, Hungary, Bulgaria, or this little jewel from Rumania:

http://www.youtube.com/v/K8nC2ISAiYQ

http://www.youtube.com/v/bu1TWyLKd1I

http://www.youtube.com/v/0ulbmooUgbU?list=RD0ulbmooUgbU

[HIPster]

Celtic Christmas Vespers
Apollo's Fire
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Wow!  This is excellent.

Great for Christmas Eve listening.   

[RJR]

Sir Colin Davis made a cassette recording with the LSO some twenty plus years ago titled The Spirit of Xmas. It's a 45 minute nonstop medley of famous Christmas songs and carols. Very well done.

[vandermolen]

Finzi's 'In Terra Pax' is one of the most beautiful Christmas works known to me. This whole CD is excellent - the best Christmas anthology I know:
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[Brian]

BUMP!

[jochanaan]

...the Middle High German name engellisches Horn, meaning angelic horn. Because engellisch also meant English in the vernacular of the time, the "angelic horn" became the "English horn."...

Well, well!  Ya larn somethink new ever' day!  However, from personal experience, I think even angels would have some difficulty playing it!

[Jo498]

"englisch" for "angelic" is more recent than middle high German (it may have occurred there already). It must have been common until the 18th century or so. Take the text from the finale of Mahler's 4th "Das himmlische Leben" (collected/published in the early 19th century but probably older or slightly archaic): "Die englischen Stimmen erfreuen die Sinnen" - Angelic voices delight the senses.
To this day the "Ave Maria" is also sometimes known as "Der englische Gruß": The greeting of the angel.

Actually, the German wikipedia gives an alternative explanation of the name: It might have originally been "cor anglé" because in was bent in an angle.

[North Star]

Actually, the German wikipedia gives an alternative explanation of the name: It might have originally been "cor anglé" because in was bent in an angle.

That's the etymological theory I was familiar with, but of course 'angelic horn' sells better