December 2014

A Medieval Christmas

NOTE: All of the releases on this program are from recent recordings of material for Christmastide. Keeping the tradition of the Twelve Day celebration, we’ll range from Florence to England to an exclusive service for St. Thomas a Beckett (whose Feast Day is Dec. 29).

Composer: Anders Jormin, William Brooks, Andrew Smith, Heinrich Isaac, Tomás Luis da Victoria, Luca Marenzio, Antony Holborne, George Kirbye, Orlando Gibbons, William Byrd, Thoinot Arbeau, Guillaume Costeley, Francesco da Milano, Tarquinio Merula, Giovanni Gabrieli

CD Info: ECM CD246.

A Renaissance Christmas

From the solemnity of Thomas Tallis, to rare first-time recordings of composers famous and obscure, to early 17th century Bohemia, we will celebrate the Feast with our 35th annual Christmas show.

Composer: Fabian Ximeno, Antonio Salazar, Gaspar Fernandes, Trujillo del Peru Codex, Juan de Araujo, Lucas Ruiz de Ribayaz, Santiago de Murcia, Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla, David Funck, Adam Vacláv Michna, Johann Michael Nicolai, Michael Praetorius, Samuel Capricornus, Vacláv Karel Rovensky, Francesco de Layolle (1492–c 1540), Giovanni Maria Nanino (c 1543-4–1607), Jacob Handl (1550–1591), Georg Prenner (c 1517–1590), Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c 1525–1594), Melchor Robledo (c 1510–1586), Dominique Phinot (c 1510–c 1556), Thomas Crecquillon (c 1505-15–1557), Ivo de Vento (c 1543-5–1575), Elzéar Genet (c 1470–1548), Gregorio Turini (c 1553-5–1596), Leonhard Paminger (1495–1567), Thomas Tallis

CD Info: Bard CD, Hyperion CD CDA 68026, SCL CD-504,

Christmas with the Shepherds

The latest from Rory McCleery and the Marian Consort gives us the famous shepherd motet by Jean Mouton and its impact in the 16th century.

Composer: JEAN MOUTON (c.1459-1522), ANNIBALE STABILE (c.1535-1595), CRISTÓBAL de MORALES (c.1500-1553)

CD Info: Delphian CD DCD34145, ECM CD 2408

Sacrum Mysterium: A Celtic Christmas Vespers

Apollo’s Fire and the Canadian ensemble La Nef combine the ancient medieval Scottish tradition with carols, dances and even fiddle tunes.

Composer: Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738)

CD Info: CD AV2269

Three New Releases for the Holidays

Christmas with two Cambridge Choirs (Gonville & Caius and Clare) and the Chamber Choir of Ireland.

Composer: SCHOENBERG, RUTTER, WILLCOCKS, WEBERN, GRAHAM ROSS, SWAYNE, BACH, PETTMAN, MENDELSSOHN, Clavis David, Gerald Barry, Henry Cowel, Paul Hillier, Tom Lehrer (b.1928), William Walton (1902–1983), Peter Warlock (1894–1930), Gustav Holst (1873–1934), Franz Gruber (1787–1863), Eric Whitacre (b.1970), Thomas Tallis (1505–1585), Henry Walford Davids (1869–1941), Benjamin Britten (1913–1976), Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958), John Jacob Niles, Paul Mealor (b.1975), Herbert Howells (1892–1983), Michael Prætorius (1571–1621), John Tavener (1944–2013), Charles Wood (1866–1926), Elizabeth Poston (1905–1987), Jeremiah Ingalls (1764–1838), Kenneth Leighton (1929–1988), Robert Croo, Peter Wishart (1921–1984), Sigfrid Karg-Elert, Giovanni Gabrieli, Martin Shaw, William Walton, Francis Poulenc, Anton Webern, Robert Parsons, William Mathias, Pierre Villette, Peter Andrew Tranchell, Franz Xaver Gruber, Thomas Hewitt Jones, Herbert Howells, Matthew Owens, Michael Praetorius, Carl Rütti,

CD Info: Harmonia Mundi CD HMU 907615, Delphian CD DCD34152, Harmonia Mundi CD HMU 807610, Quire CD QC 105