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Conductor Timothy J. Krueger
Ensemble St. Martin's Chamber Choir
Ⅰ. The Angels Announce
1. The Fader of Heven (2:19)
Composer Peter Maxwell Davies (b. 1934)
2. Quem pastores laudavere (2:32)
Composer Christmas Traditional
Period Medieval
Written 14th Century
Notes Arranger: John Rutter (b. 1945).
3. Angelus ad pastores ait (4:28)
Composer Samuel Scheidt (1587-1654)
Period Baroque
Written 17th Century; Halle, Germany
4. Fürchtet euch nicht (3:09)
Composer Johann Topff (c. 1700)
Period Baroque
Written circa 1700; Germany
5. Love came down at Christmas (1:57)
Composer Rodney Williams (b. 1941)
Ⅱ. The Virgin Accepts
Three Marian Carols (3)
Composer Glen McGrath (2000)
Period 20th Century
Written 2000
6. The Flower of Heaven (2:15)
7. The Prophecy (2:39)
8. I Sing of A Maid (1:52)
9. Maria Laudate (6:44)
Composer John White (b. 1931)
10. Gradualia, Volume 1: Part 1 - Beata viscera (2:18)
Composer William Byrd (1543-1623)
Period Renaissance
Written by 1605; England
Ⅲ. The Infant Asleep
11. Upon my lap my soveraigne sits (2:48)
Composer Martin Peerson (c.1572-1650)
Period Baroque
Written by 1620; England
12. Esti Dal (Evening Song) (2:57)
Composer Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967)
Period 20th Century
Written 1938; Hungary
13. Brazilian Carol (1:54)
Composer William J. Tubbs (1901-1973)
Period 20th Century
14. Le sommeil de l'Enfant Jésus (Entre le boeuf et l'âne gris) (2:02)
Composer François-Auguste Gevaert (1848-1908)
Period Romantic
Written Belgium
15. The Virgin's cradle Hymn, song (1:27)
Composer Edmund Rubbra (1901-1986)
Period 20th Century
Written England
Ⅳ. The People Adore
16. Two French Noëls (2)
Composer Christmas Traditional
Period 20th Century
Notes Arranger: M. Susan Brown (2002)
17. Wexford Carol (3:33)
Composer Christmas Traditional
Written Ireland
Notes Arranger: Brock Erickson (b. 1958).
18. I saw three ships (1:27)
Composer Christmas Traditional
Written England
Notes Arranger: Ian Humphris (1986).
19. A Christmas Cantata: Rejoice, O make we merry, both more and less (3:21)
Composer Geoffrey Bush (1920-1998)
Period 20th Century
Written 1947; England
20. Masters in this hall (3:01)
Composer Christmas Traditional
Written France
Notes Arranger: Alfred Whitehead (1887-1974).
21. My dancing day (2:23)
Composer Christmas Traditional
Written England
Notes Arranger: Clifford Harker (1912-1999).
22. The Gloucester Wassail (2:01)
Composer Christmas Traditional
Notes Arranger: Bradley Dunkin (2002)
A MARIAN CHRISTMAS II
Works and arrangements by Peter Maxwell Davies, John Rutter, William Byrd, Zoltán Kodály, Edmund Rubbra, Geoffrey Bush, Ian Humphris, Glen McGrath, others, St. Martin's Chamber Choir, Timothy Krueger, Cygnus Records- 010(CD)
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You have to be a little more creative these days if you want to compile a unique choral Christmas music program--traditional carols and their various popular arrangements and the classic original Christmas works, from Bach to Britten, are more than generously represented in the CD catalog. The excellent St. Martin's Chamber Choir handily solved that problem on its first A Marian Christmas recording (type Q9402 in Search Reviews) with a performance of Distler's rarely-heard variations on Es ist ein Ros entsprungen, along with a number of worthy but lesser-known gems, both arrangements and recently composed original works. With this new follow-up, it's safe to say that the choir and its director Timothy Krueger have done it again, this time highlighted by Glen McGrath's beautiful Three Marian Carols. Written in 2000, these lovely, at times gentle, poignant, and powerful settings capture the mystery and magnificence of their subject through careful attention to the poetic texts and an artful joining of both ancient and modern harmonic/melodic/rhythmic techniques.
Geoffrey Bush's Make we Merry is a challenging yet thoroughly modern, infectious treatment of an old carol, as is M. Susan Brown's melding of Two French Carols into a lively, eminently repeatable arrangement (although I wish it had ended about 20 seconds before it does!). You may never have heard John White's Maria Laudate, but if you know the beloved Britten setting of this text, titled Hymn to the Virgin, you'll appreciate White's unique and equally compelling version, which contains an additional verse.
There's much more to savor here, all of it first rate and very well sung (although there are some rare moments where soprano intonation is just slightly under-pitch)--and you'll be certain to appreciate the discovery of many new and rarely-heard works unduplicated elsewhere in your choral Christmas library.
Highly recommended! --David Vernier
American Record Guide
Nov/Dec 2009 issue:
A Marian Christmas II
Byrd, Peerson, McGrath, Davies, Kodaly, Rubbra, Williams
St. Martin's Chamber Choir/ Timothy J. Krueger
Cygnus 10 � 60minutes
If you are looking for an imaginative, unhackneyed collection of Christmas music, look no further. Most of the short hymns and carols are by modern and contemporary composers, and all of them offer a concise spirituality; you'll not hear lovelier music by Davies, Kodaly, and Rubbra. Byrd, Scheidt, and Peerson offer a sublime cushion and a sense of where this aesthetic comes from. The St Martin's Chamber Choir sings with authoritative ethereality, and the recording is clear but reverberant, as a church acoustic should be. --Jack Sullivan
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