Favorite Christmas Recordings
While I'm on the subject of Christmas music (see previous post), Amy Welborn had a post the other day about her favorite types of Christmas music.
My tastes somewhat mirror Amy's. I favor medieval and renaissance Christmas music (both ecclesiastical and folk), with a preference for the musical traditions of the British Isles. Here are several of my favorite Christmas recordings, which I strongly recommend:
"The Christmas Revels" collection * "The Earliest Songbook in England" by Gothic Voices "Tydings Trew" by Lionheart *** "Now Make We Merthe" by The Purcell Consort of Voices "Thys Yool - A Mediaeval Christmas" by the Martin Best Ensemble "Wolcum Yule" by Anonymous 4 "On Yoolis Night: Medieval Carols & Motets" by Anonymous 4 *** "Bright Day Star: Music for the Yuletide Seasons" by The Baltimore Consort * "A Waverly Consort Christmas - Christmas from East Anglia to Appalachia" by The Waverly Consort * "Sing We Noel" by The Boston Camerata "A Medieval Christmas" by The Boston Camerata "A Renaissance Christmas" by The Boston Camerata "A Baroque Christmas" by The Boston Camerata "An American Christmas" by The Boston Camerata * "Christmas Day in the Morning" by The Cambridge Singers "The Bells of Dublin" by The Chieftains * "A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols" by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge Vivaldi's "Gloria" by Robert Shaw & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
And, for sentimental reasons, because I grew up listening to these:
"A Charlie Brown Christmas" by Vince Guaraldi "The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole "Christmas With Conniff" by The Ray Conniff Singers
* Highly Recommended (you really should get these)
*** Very Highly Recommended (must buy)
posted by Pro Ecclesia 11:24 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Personally, I'm a big fan of the "Nativitas" collection by the Choir of New College, Oxford, under the direction of Edward Higginbottom.
Oh my goodness, what a wealth of great links. Thank you.
Thanks for thte recommendations, Jay! I've spent way too much time looking for new and interesting Christmas music this year, and you've given me some new albums to try.
My favorite finds this year include James Galway's "Christmas Carol", "Christmas with the Academy", John Rutter's "Carols from Clare", and Chanticleer's "Sing We Christmas".
Zach,
I also own "Christmas With the Academy" - an excellent recording. The main reason I didn't mention it is that it is very similar to "Christmas Day in the Morning" by the Cambridge Singers, and I happen to prefer the latter.
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