Christmas special recordings review (Oct to Dec 2011)

Okay I know it isn't really Christmas yet, not even December, but I've received my first Christmas card, the December issue of Gramophone Magazine is in my grubby little mitts and I probably won't get around to another post before the new year, so 'Christmas Special' it is!

What really makes it special is that intead of three recommendations you're getting a massive six recordings thrust under your nose as featured in the last three months of Gramophone Magazine plus the extra Awards issue.

Awards issue - a bit of a cheat as it was actually launched several months earlier, but it's definitely worth cheating a bit to include the winner of the Early Music Award, which was Alessandro Striggio's Mass in 40 parts by I Fagiolini on Decca. The linked page on Youtube has several interesting videos connected to this recording. An absolutely amazing work and performance - I'd be desperately trying to find an opportunity to sing it myself if I didn't realise how difficult it must be to make it sound that marvellous.
October issue - 'Beyond all mortal dreams' by the Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge on Hyperion. Wonderful performances of post 2nd World War acapella works by not so well known American composers. Very atmospheric, but not one to get the pulses racing - one to chill out to (as they seem to be permanently telling us on Classic FM). The linked Youtube video features one of the tracks performed by a slightly less accomplished, but still competent choir which gives you an idea of the overall feel of this recording.
November issue - MacMillan Miserere, O bone Jesu etc by The Sixteen on Coro. One of my favourite choirs performing works by one of my favourite contemporary Scottish composers. The linked Youube video includes O bone Jesu six minutes into a James MacMillan TV documentary.
PLUS.... 'Song wants to be light' Cuban choral music by the National Chorus of Cuba on Dabringhaus & Grimm. To be absolutely honest I haven't managed to hear any of this recording yet, but I'm going to keep trying to track it down - a good review and it has to sound different from the average vocal recording in your collection.
December issue - 'In the beginning' by the Choir of Merton College, Oxford on Delphian. A mixture of 16th century through to contemporary works around the theme of Genesis (biblical, not pop), all beautifully sung.
PLUS.... it has to be a festive recording to finish off the year, so why not try something a little bit different? Pick up a copy of 'Gregorianische Gesange' by the Choral School of the Benedictine Abbey of Munsterscwarzach for only £4.59 on Amazon and there's not a carol in sight, just 46 tracks of Gregorian Chant to help drown out the Queen's speech on TV. Who could ask for more?

Ten slightly obscure, but wonderful, choral recordings.

There's a good chance that most of these will be new discoveries for the majority of readers. Even if you've been singing in choirs or going to concerts for years my bet is that none of you will have more than two of these recordings in your collection or sung / heard them live. They cover everything from baroque through to contemporary composers so everyone should be able to find something to like.

Here they come in alphabetical order:

(1) Corrette Laudate Dominum & Denoye Mass / Le Parlement de Musique etc. / Ambronay.
(2) Finzi Intimations of Immortality / Bournemouth Symphony Chorus & Orchestra / Naxos.
(3) Hindemith When lilacs last in the dooryard bloom'd / Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus / Telarc.
(4) Part Choral works (incl. 7 Magnificat Antiphons) / Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir / Virgin Classics.
(5) Penderecki Polish Requiem / Warsaw National Philharmonic Choir & Orchestra / Naxos.
(6) Saint Saens Requiem / Coro della Radio Svizzera / Chandos.
(7) Szymanowski Stabat Mater / CBSO Chorus / EMI.
(8) Tormis Estonian Calendar Songs / Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir / Virgin Classics.
(9) Whitacre Light & Gold / Eric Whitacre Singers etc. / Decca.
(10) Zelenka Missa Votiva / Collegium 1704 / Zig-Zag Territoires.

Click on the works to hear excerpts. Most are Youtube videos of the listed artists performing part of the works (although some of these are live performances rather than the studio recording), but the Finzi and Tormis are different performers, and the latter is just short snatches of ten songs on Amazon as no video seems to exist in that case.

Enjoy, as our American cousins would say.