Post by Benjamin A. Vazquez U.E. on Aug 31, 2010 13:59:26 GMT -5
A Christmas Celebration
Artist: Amabile Youth Singers
Artist: London Citadel Band of the Salvation Army
Album: A Christmas Celebration
Year: 1995
CD#: 111
Best Tracks - Choir: #8, #9, #15, #18
Best Tracks - Band: #1, #2, #6, #7, #11, #17, #18
Comments Overall: Light. Beautiful. Classical Christmas music at its best. Some of the tracks are good for year-round use. Some tracks feature the band, others the choir. On occasion they play together, but on every such track but the last the band simply plays backup on the joint tracks. Inspiring all round. The insert includes extra notes on a number of the tracks.
1. Fanfare of Praise, 3:52 - Band alone - Begins softly. Rises slowly. Peaks magnificently. Stupendous composition. Beautiful. Inspiring. Uplifting.
2. Normandy Carol, 2:43 - Band alone - Deep, low, soulful, sad. Rises and falls beautifully.
3. O Magnum Mysterium, 3:13 - Choir & Band - Deep, low, soulful, sad. Rises and falls beautifully. Ends on a high note.
4. The Three Kings, 2:49 - Choir alone - Quiet. Simple. Lovely.
5. Virgin at the Manger, 3:43 - Choir alone - Piano accompaniment. Mary tries to coax Christ to sleep. Simple & lovely.
6. Huron Carol, 4:06 - Band alone - Magnificent tune. There's a certain kind of nationalist who revels in the Huron Carol because of its Canadian origin. That kind of attitude only serves to blind us to just what beautiful music it is. This is music for all humanity, not just the ten provinces. Here it's stripped of its lyrics, but none the weaker for that. Majestic. Imperial. Mysterious. Slow & weighty.
7. Carol of the Bells, 3:45 - Band alone - A classic melody, brilliantly performed. Some of the lightness of the original is sacrificed for greater majesty. The compromise works beautifully.
8. Ding Dong Merrily on High, 1:34 - Choir & Band - Light, energetic, rapid, magnificent. Beautiful. Classic caroling.
9. Song of the Littlest Angel, 2:43 - Choir alone - Piano accompaniment. Lovely. An angel asks permission to join the choir heralding Christ's birth. Simple & heartwarming. Rises in places, but mostly quiet.
10. O Christmas Tree, 3:06 - Choir & Band - A classic carol done more or less precicely as we expect it.
11. Joyous Carillon, 3:09 - Band alone - Active, very much a marching piece. Light and joyous despite the martial feel. I imagine a Victorian officer's ball.
12. Christmas Triptych, 6:04 - Band alone - Begins with a drumroll. Proceeds through scraps & pieces of various carols strung together into a single composition - "Angels We Have Heard On High" to "Silent Night" to "The Coventry Carol" to "Good King Wencelass".
13. Christmas Triptych, 10:06 - A series of carols sung one after another. "Song of the Crib" to "The Wexford Carol" to "The Garden of Jesus".
14. Il est Ne, 1:43 - Band alone - Begins with trumpets. Lively, if slightly awkward piece.
15. The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy, 3:09 - Choir alone - Robust. Rises and falls. Somewhat sparse at the low moments. Clapping.
16. Apple Tree Wassail, 2:35 - Choir alone - Begins simply. Becomes richer with the addition of drums, and still more so with clapping. A "caller" is an annoying addition to the piece.
17. Sleigh Ride, 2:54 - Band alone - My personal favorite carol done splendidly. It's quite everything I could have asked for.
18. Joy To The World, 2:40 - Choir & Band - Both choir and band shine here. A fitting conclusion. Not quite the arrangement you're used to, but excellent nevertheless, perhaps the more so for the novelty.
Note: Also posted in Choral Music, Brass Bands, and Christmas Music.
Choir Website: www.amabile.com/
Band Website: londoncitadelband.on.ca/
Choir Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Amabile-Choirs-Of-London-Ontario/11970126267
Choir Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amabile_Choirs_of_London,_Canada
Artist: Amabile Youth Singers
Artist: London Citadel Band of the Salvation Army
Album: A Christmas Celebration
Year: 1995
CD#: 111
Best Tracks - Choir: #8, #9, #15, #18
Best Tracks - Band: #1, #2, #6, #7, #11, #17, #18
Comments Overall: Light. Beautiful. Classical Christmas music at its best. Some of the tracks are good for year-round use. Some tracks feature the band, others the choir. On occasion they play together, but on every such track but the last the band simply plays backup on the joint tracks. Inspiring all round. The insert includes extra notes on a number of the tracks.
1. Fanfare of Praise, 3:52 - Band alone - Begins softly. Rises slowly. Peaks magnificently. Stupendous composition. Beautiful. Inspiring. Uplifting.
2. Normandy Carol, 2:43 - Band alone - Deep, low, soulful, sad. Rises and falls beautifully.
3. O Magnum Mysterium, 3:13 - Choir & Band - Deep, low, soulful, sad. Rises and falls beautifully. Ends on a high note.
4. The Three Kings, 2:49 - Choir alone - Quiet. Simple. Lovely.
5. Virgin at the Manger, 3:43 - Choir alone - Piano accompaniment. Mary tries to coax Christ to sleep. Simple & lovely.
6. Huron Carol, 4:06 - Band alone - Magnificent tune. There's a certain kind of nationalist who revels in the Huron Carol because of its Canadian origin. That kind of attitude only serves to blind us to just what beautiful music it is. This is music for all humanity, not just the ten provinces. Here it's stripped of its lyrics, but none the weaker for that. Majestic. Imperial. Mysterious. Slow & weighty.
7. Carol of the Bells, 3:45 - Band alone - A classic melody, brilliantly performed. Some of the lightness of the original is sacrificed for greater majesty. The compromise works beautifully.
8. Ding Dong Merrily on High, 1:34 - Choir & Band - Light, energetic, rapid, magnificent. Beautiful. Classic caroling.
9. Song of the Littlest Angel, 2:43 - Choir alone - Piano accompaniment. Lovely. An angel asks permission to join the choir heralding Christ's birth. Simple & heartwarming. Rises in places, but mostly quiet.
10. O Christmas Tree, 3:06 - Choir & Band - A classic carol done more or less precicely as we expect it.
11. Joyous Carillon, 3:09 - Band alone - Active, very much a marching piece. Light and joyous despite the martial feel. I imagine a Victorian officer's ball.
12. Christmas Triptych, 6:04 - Band alone - Begins with a drumroll. Proceeds through scraps & pieces of various carols strung together into a single composition - "Angels We Have Heard On High" to "Silent Night" to "The Coventry Carol" to "Good King Wencelass".
13. Christmas Triptych, 10:06 - A series of carols sung one after another. "Song of the Crib" to "The Wexford Carol" to "The Garden of Jesus".
14. Il est Ne, 1:43 - Band alone - Begins with trumpets. Lively, if slightly awkward piece.
15. The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy, 3:09 - Choir alone - Robust. Rises and falls. Somewhat sparse at the low moments. Clapping.
16. Apple Tree Wassail, 2:35 - Choir alone - Begins simply. Becomes richer with the addition of drums, and still more so with clapping. A "caller" is an annoying addition to the piece.
17. Sleigh Ride, 2:54 - Band alone - My personal favorite carol done splendidly. It's quite everything I could have asked for.
18. Joy To The World, 2:40 - Choir & Band - Both choir and band shine here. A fitting conclusion. Not quite the arrangement you're used to, but excellent nevertheless, perhaps the more so for the novelty.
Note: Also posted in Choral Music, Brass Bands, and Christmas Music.
Choir Website: www.amabile.com/
Band Website: londoncitadelband.on.ca/
Choir Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Amabile-Choirs-Of-London-Ontario/11970126267
Choir Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amabile_Choirs_of_London,_Canada