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Album Title: Christmastime in Vienna
Composer: José Maria Cano, Eduard Ebel, Steven Krikorian, Katherine K. Davis, Richard Storrs Willis, Ann Wilson, Vasily Solov'yov-Sedoy, Irving Berlin, Miguel Bernal Jimenez, Johann Abraham P. Schulz, Franz Xaver Gruber, Hugh Martin
Conductor: Steven Mercurio
Performer: Plácido Domingo (Tenor)
Patricia Kaas (Voice)
Alejandro Fernández (Voice)
Andrea Zeiner (Boy Soprano)
Ensemble: Gumpoldskirch Boys Choir
Orchestra: Vienna Symphony Orchestra
Audio CD (September 21, 1999)
Number of Discs: 1
Spars Code: DDD
Recorded in: Stereo
Label: Sony Classical
Copyright: (P) 1999 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Total Length: 1:04:22
Genre: Vocal, Classical, Music, Classical Crossover, Holiday, Opera, Opera, Christmas
Styles: Classical Crossover, Christmas, Holidays, Opera
Conductor Steven Mercurio
Orchestra Wiener Symphoniker
Date of Recording 12/20/1998
Studio/Live Live
Venue Live Rathaus, Vienna, Austria
1. Announcing Christmas (2:48)
Composer Christian Kolonovits
Period 20th Century
2. Y nos vamos pa Belén (3:02)
Composer José Maria Cano
Performer Andrea Zeiner (Boy Soprano)
Plácido Domingo (Tenor)
Ensemble Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen
Period 20th Century
Written Madrid, Spain
Country Madrid, Spain
Language Spanish
3. Leise rieselt der Schnee (How Gently Falls the Snow) (2:58)
Composer Eduard Ebel
Performer Plácido Domingo (Tenor)
Patricia Kaas (Voice)
Ensemble Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen
Period Romantic
Written by 1900; Germany
Language German
Country Germany
Notes Arranged: Christian Kolonovits
4. Canción de Cuña (para Jesús) (3:04)
Composer Domingo, Placido, Jr.
Performer Plácido Domingo (Tenor)
Alejandro Fernández (Voice)
Period 20th Century
Language Spanish
Notes Arranged: Juan J. Colomer
5. Merry Christmas, Baby (4:15)
Composer Steven Krikorian
Performer Patricia Kaas (Voice)
Period 20th Century
Language English
Notes This work was written in collaboration with John Keller. Arranged: Christian Kolonovits
6. El Niño del Tambor (The Little Drummer Boy) "Carol of the Drum" (4:31)
Composer Katherine K. Davis (1892 - 1980)
Performer Alejandro Fernández (Voice)
Period 20th Century
Written 1958; USA
Country USA
Language Spanish
Notes Arranged: Christian Kolonovits
7. It came upon the midnight clear (2:34)
Composer Edmund Hamilton Sears / Richard Storrs Willis (1819 - 1900)
Performer Plácido Domingo (Tenor)
Ensemble Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen
Period Romantic
Language English
Notes Arranged: Christian Kolonovits
8. Here is Christmas (4:26)
Composer Ann Wilson
Performer Alejandro Fernández (Voice)
Patricia Kaas (Voice)
Ensemble Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen
Period 20th Century
Language English
Notes This work was written in collaboration with Nancy Wilson and Ritchie Zito. Arranged: Christian Kolonovits
9. Amours éternal (Midnight in Moscow) (4:23)
Composer Philippe Bergman / Vasily Solov'yov-Sedoy (1907 - 1979)
Performer Patricia Kaas (Voice)
Period 20th Century
Written USSR
Language French
Notes French Lyrics by Philippe Bergman. Arr: Christian Kolonovits
10. Blanca Navidad (Holiday Inn: White Christmas) (3:21)
Composer Irving Berlin (1888 - 1989)
Performer Alejandro Fernández (Voice)
Ensemble Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen
Period 20th Century
Written 1942; USA
Country USA
Language Spanish
Notes Arranged: Christian Kolonovits
11. Por el valle de rosas (2:47)
Composer Miguel Bernal Jiménez (1910 - 1956)
Performer Plácido Domingo (Tenor)
Alejandro Fernández (Voice)
Ensemble Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen
Period 20th Century
Language Spanish
Notes Arranged: Christian Kolonovits
12. Medley: Ihr Kinderlein Kommet: Der Morgen im Lenze (1:53)
Composer Johann Abraham P. Schulz (1747 - 1800)
Performer Plácido Domingo (Tenor)
Alejandro Fernández (Voice)
Patricia Kaas (Voice)
Ensemble Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen
Period Classical
Written by 1790; Germany
Country Germany
Language German
Notes: This selection is part of a medley which also incorporates the songs "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Jeg er saa glad hver julekveld," "Buenos Reyes," "Christmas Must Be Tonight," "Hay que sembrar en Navidad," "Il est né le divin enfant," "Mary's Boy Child" and "Ding, Dong! Merrily on High."
Arranged: Christian Kolonovits.
13. Meet Me in St. Louis: Have yourself a merry little Christmas (2:48)
Composer Ralph Blane / Hugh Martin (1914 - )
Performer Alejandro Fernández (Voice)
Patricia Kaas (Voice)
Plácido Domingo (Tenor)
Ensemble Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen
Period 20th Century
Written 1944; USA
Country USA
Language English
Notes This selection is part of a medley which also incorporates the songs "Ihr Kinderlein kommet," "Jeg er saa glad hver julekveld," "Buenos Reyes," "Christmas Must Be Tonight," "Hay que sembrar en Navidad," "Il est né le divin enfant," "Mary's Boy Child" and "Ding, Dong! Merrily on High." Arranged: Christian Kolonovits
14. Jeg er sa glad hver julekveld (1:10)
Composer Traditional
Performer Alejandro Fernández (Voice)
Patricia Kaas (Voice)
Plácido Domingo (Tenor)
Ensemble Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen
Written Norway
Country Norway
Language Norwegian
Notes This selection is part of a medley which also incorporates the songs "Ihr Kinderlein kommet," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Buenos Reyes," "Christmas Must Be Tonight," "Hay que sembrar en Navidad," "Il est né le divin enfant," "Mary's Boy Child" and "Ding, Dong! Merrily on High." Arranged: Christian Kolonovits
15. Buenos Reyes (2:15)
Composer Traditional
Performer Alejandro Fernández (Voice)
Patricia Kaas (Voice)
Plácido Domingo (Tenor)
Ensemble Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen
Language Spanish
Notes This selection is part of a medley which also incorporates the songs "Ihr Kinderlein kommet," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Jeg er saa glad hver julekveld," "Christmas Must Be Tonight," "Hay que sembrar en Navidad," "Il est né le divin enfant," "Mary's Boy Child" and "Ding, Dong! Merrily on High." Arranged: Christian Kolonovits
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16. Christmas Must Be Tonight (2:38)
Composer Robbie Robertson (1943 - )
Performer Alejandro Fernández (Voice)
Patricia Kaas (Voice)
Plácido Domingo (Tenor)
Ensemble Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen
Period 20th Century
Written by 1977
Notes This selection is part of a medley which also incorporates the songs "Ihr Kinderlein kommet," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Jeg er saa glad hver julekveld," "Buenos Reyes," "Hay que sembrar en Navidad," "Il est né le divin enfant," "Mary's Boy Child" and "Ding, Dong! Merrily on High."
Arranged: Christian Kolonovits
17. Hay que sembrar en Navidad (4:17)
Composer Manuel Alejandro (20th Century)
Performer Alejandro Fernández (Voice)
Patricia Kaas (Voice)
Plácido Domingo (Tenor)
Ensemble Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen
Period 20th Century
Written Spain
Country Spain
Language Spanish
Notes This selection is part of a medley which also incorporates the songs "Ihr Kinderlein kommet," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Jeg er saa glad hver julekveld," "Buenos Reyes," "Christmas Must Be Tonight," "Il est né le divin enfant," "Mary's Boy Child" and "Ding, Dong! Merrily on High."
Arranged: Christian Kolonovits
18. Il est né, le divin enfant (1:15)
Composer Traditional
Performer Alejandro Fernández (Voice)
Patricia Kaas (Voice)
Plácido Domingo (Tenor)
Ensemble Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen
Period Renaissance
Written 15th Century; France
Country France
Language French
Notes This selection is part of a medley which also incorporates the songs "Ihr Kinderlein kommet," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Jeg er saa glad hver julekveld," "Buenos Reyes," "Christmas Must Be Tonight," "Hay que sembrar en Navidad," "Mary's Boy Child" and "Ding, Dong! Merrily on High."
Arranged: Christian Kolonovits
19. Mary's boy child (2:39)
Composer Jester Hairston (1901 - )
Performer Alejandro Fernández (Voice)
Patricia Kaas (Voice)
Plácido Domingo (Tenor)
Ensemble Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen
Period 20th Century
Language English
Notes This selection is part of a medley which also incorporates the songs "Ihr Kinderlein kommet," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Jeg er saa glad hver julekveld," "Buenos Reyes," "Christmas Must Be Tonight," "Hay que sembrar en Navidad," "Il est né le divin enfant," and "Ding, Dong! Merrily on High." Arranged: Christian Kolonovits
20. Ding Dong! Merrily on high (2:13)
Composer Traditional
Performer Alejandro Fernández (Voice)
Patricia Kaas (Voice)
Plácido Domingo (Tenor)
Ensemble Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen
Period Renaissance
Written 16th Century; France
Country France
Language English
Notes This selection is part of a medley which also incorporates the songs "Ihr Kinderlein kommet," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Jeg er saa glad hver julekveld," "Buenos Reyes," "Christmas Must Be Tonight," "Hay que sembrar en Navidad," "Il est né le divin enfant," and "Mary's Boy Child."
Arranger: Christian Kolonovits. This selection is based on the tune "Branle l'officiel" from Thoinot Arbeau's "Orchésographie".
21. Encore: Silent Night (Video) (5:00)
Composer Franz Xaver Gruber (1787 - 1863)
Performer Alejandro Fernández (feat. Voice)
Patricia Kaas (Voice)
Plácido Domingo (Tenor)
Ensemble Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen
Period Classical
Written 1818; Austria
Country Austria
Notes Arranged: Christian Kolonovits
by Bradley Torreano
Christmastime in Vienna is a Christmas music collaboration between vocalists Placido Domingo, Patricia Kaas, and Alejandro Fernandez. The incredible amount of vocal talent found on the disc can be a bit overwhelming, especially on the numbers sung by opera star Domingo. But what results is a decent album of holiday songs given the royal treatment by the three singers. Especially impressive is Kaas, who stands out as the most charismatic vocalist of the trio. Her sultry, understated vocals on "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" are an album highlight among some very dramatic interpretations. A dream for fans of the three singers, Christmastime in Vienna is an album that has its ups and downs, but features some incredible talents.
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It is impossibly difficult to inject new life into the Christmas concert formula. Each year there are recordings featuring the same old menu of traditional carols in tiresome renditions. Fortunately this is not so for an artist with such exacting standards as the tenor Plácido Domingo. 'Christmas in Vienna' is an exciting recording of the live Christmas concert gala that has featured Domingo for the past few years.
This recording is filled with holiday treats both familiar and rare. The concert opens with an exuberant and colorful medley of favorite Christmas tunes arranged by conductor Steven Mecurio. Of course the vocal selections are the heart of the program. Domingo is joined by French singer Patricia Kaas and the Mexican vocalist Read more Alejandro Fernández in Spanish, English and German favorites. Most memorable is Fernández's Spanish rendition of "The Little Drummer Boy" and Domingo's moving by such well-known composers as Alberto Ginastera, Ernesto Lecuona, Enrique Granados and Isaac Albeniz are played with panache by Iruzun. Iruzun makes the program even more compelling by introducing such obscure composers as Ernesto Nazareth, Alberto Nepomuceno, Marlos Nobr and Francisco Mignone.
Most interesting is the music by a handful of Brazilian composers. Ernesto Nazareth was born in Rio de Janeiro and developed his art by improvising music for silent films. Nazareth's musical voice is lyrical and spiced by tango rhythms. Folk music was a major influence for another Brazilian, Fructuoso Vianna whose "Dansa de Negros" is filled with sensuality and verve. Iruzun obviously loves this music and her playing reflects her passion. Whether she is launching into ragtime-like syncopated rhythms or playing a melancholy line, Iruzun impresses throughout. Read less Works on This Recording.
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