Weihnachts-Oratorium BWV 248 - conducted by Harry Christophers

Recording

V-5	Weihnachts-Oratorium BWV 248
Harry Christophers
The Sixteen Choir & Orchestra
Soprano: Lynda Russell; Contralto: Catherine Wyn-Rogers; Tenor: Mark Padmore; Bass: Michael George; Soprano [Angel, Echo]: Libby Crabtree
Collins Classics / Brilliant Classics		Jan 1993	2-CD / TT: 147:38

Christmas

Santu De Silva wrote (November 5, 2001):
One of my vices is to listen to Christmas music long before the holiday season begins, and long after it ends!

Already my alarm clock (which plays a CD) has been playing highlights from Harry Christophers / The Sixteen recording of Bach's Christmas Oratorio. (I highly recommend this. He uses a mixed choir and a (female) Contralto but to my mind they work well. The instruments are all "authentic" i.e. its is a HIP performance in all other respects. (Gardiner, Koopman, Christophers all have their soprano choristers sing in an excellent approximation to the sound of boy trebles.) the soloists, in contrast, sing like ordinary women (I hardly know what terminology to use here).

What other christmas music, especially from Bach, do list members like?

BTW, there is a common arrangement of In dulci jubilo that is often attributed to J.S. bach, but is actually by Pearsall. Does anybody know anything about this Pearsall?

One final note: Bach's chorale-prelude on In dulci jubilo is just an incredibly happy piece, perfect for Christmas day.

Zachary Uram wrote (November 5, 2001):
< Santu De Silva wrote: One of my vices is to listen to Christmas music long before the holiday season begins, and long after it ends! >
I am also guilty! :)

< Already my alarm clock (which plays a CD) has been playing highlights from Harry Christophers / The Sixteen recording of Bach's Christmas Oratorio. (I highly recommend this. He uses a mixed choir and a (female) >
Is that on London label? How much does it cost? Your alarm clock plays CDS?? Wow! How much did that cost?

< Contralto but to my mind they work well. The instruments are all "authentic" i.e. its is a HIP performance in all other respects. (Gardiner, Koopman, Christophers all have their soprano choristers sing in an excellent approximation to the sound of boy trebles.) the soloists, in contrast, sing like ordinary women (I hardly know what terminology to use here). >
Have you got the 2 CDs of Parrot's Christmas music. Really wonderful stuff!

< What other christmas music, especially from Bach, do list members like? >
In dulci jubilo. Some others.

< One final note: Bach's chorale-prelude on In dulci jubilo is just an incredibly happy piece, perfect for Christmas day. >
I agree! I also like to hear on Christmas day Nun komm der Heiden Heiland (II). And also Was mir beghast. There are tons of excellent English Christmas hymns. Whilst on the subject my favorite English cathedral choir is that of Christ Church, Oxford and second favorite is choir of Clare College, Oxford.

Santu De Silva wrote (November 5, 2001):
Me: < Already my alarm clock (which plays a CD) has been playing highlights from Harry Christophers / The Sixteen recording of Bach's Christmas Oratorio. (I highly recommend this. >
Zach: < Is that on London label? How much does it cost? Your alarm clock plays CDS?? Wow! How much did that cost? >
Me: It's on Collins Classics, possibly still available from Berkshire Record Outlet (broinc.com) for around $15.

(Yes, CD-playing clocks are freely available for around sixty dollars!)

Zach: < Have you got the 2 CDs of Parrot's Christmas music. Really wonderful stuff! >
Me: Yes, I have one, and yes, it's very nice!

I wrote: < One final note: Bach's chorale-prelude on In dulci jubilo is just an incredibly happy piece, perfect for Christmas day. >
Zach: < I agree! I also like to hear on Christmas day Nun komm der Heiden Heiland (II). And also Was mir beghast. There are tons of excellent English Christmas hymns. Whilst on the subject my favorite English cathedral choir is that of Christ Church, Oxford and second favorite is choir of Clare College, Oxford. >
Me: Well, there it is! Let's have more favorites! (I'm listening to Rilling's Christmas Cantatas, and some of them are really stunning. I will report one of these days....)

Barry Murray wrote (November 5, 2001):}
For this Christmas, I thought it appropriate to get some seasonal music by JS Bach. I ended up ordering Lionel Rogg's "Christmas Chorales" of Bach, on the Harmonia Mundi label. I haven't heard any of these chorales, but thought they would make good listening at Christmas. I ordered the disc a couple of weeks ago, and am still eagerly awaiting it's arrival. Has anyone heard this recording? Am I in for a treat?

Santu De Silva wrote (November 5, 2001):
I wrote: << One of my vices is to listen to Christmas music long before the holiday season begins, and long after it ends! >>
Allan Balmer wrote: < If listening to Bach's Christmas music long after Christmas is truly a vice, then I may just qualify as a viceroy.......The Christmas Oratorio sounds to me just as impressive on St Swithin's day as on St Christopher's. >
I also listen to stuff like Christmas at King's, etc, sort of musical pizza, but a step up from Silver Bells, which is like, well, junk food (IMHO).

Jim Groenevld wrote (November 14, 2001):
[To Santu De Silva] I like listening to Christmas music the whole year long. It is very sad, that the (Dutch) radio only broadcasts it (if it does) during a rather narrow time period mainly, between 5 December (Santa Claus) and Christmas (25+26 December). Christmas music from JS Bach, that I like particularly, is the Christmas Oratorio, which I know since I was a child. Next I very much like traditional English and German Christmas music, like the well-known Christmas Carols, which we (the Holland Boys Choir) perform each year several times in the traditional way.

Sixteen C.O

Michael Grover wrote:
On another note, I just received my Christmas Oratorio the other day, performed by Harry Christophers and the Sixteen, and now available through Brilliant Classics for a measly $4 from BRO. I put on the first disc this morning while I was trying to get ready for work (keep in mind, I've never heard the Christmas Oratorio before...) and from the very first notes of "Jauchzet, frohlocket" I stopped dead in my tracks and wasn't able to do anything else for the 7 and a half minutes while it played. Absolutely riveting and marvelous! THIS is how I like to hear drums and trumpets played, not to mention the oboes, flutes, strings, and voices! Wonderful! And now you know why I was 7 and a half minutes late for work this morning.

:-) Looking forward to hearing the rest...

Ehus Shiloni wrote (October 21, 2001):
[To Michael Grover] Thanks for the recommendation, Michael,

My two cents: It's GREAT!! Energy, clarity , great sound, generally fine singing, and all for an insignificant cost. Even the absence of any booklet or other liner notes was hardly noticed.

Bravo BRO and Bravo Sixteen!!

Robert Sherman wrote (November 21, 2001):
[To Ehud Shiloni] I'm not a general fan of the Sixteen, but I strongly recommend their Messiah because of Lynne Dawson's soprano. Her Redeemer is magnificent.

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Last update: ýDecember 11, 2004 ý12:18:43