December 2022

Orpheus Records Returns!

The famous sub-label under the Musical Heritage Society has been revived at year’s end with some lost rarities. Before the season ends, we share “In Dulci Jubilo: German Christmas Music of the Renaissance” with Elly Ameling and soloists including Walter Gerwig, lute.

Composer: Michael Praetorius, Bartholomäus Gesius, Johannes Eccard, Johann Walter, Andreas Reussner (the Elder), Adam Gumpelzhaimer, Arnolt Schlick, Vasyl Barvinskyi (1888–1963), Georgiy Izvekov (1874–1937), Alexandr Dmitriyevich Kastalsky (1856-1926), Nikolai Kedrov (1871-1940), Mykola Dmytrovich Leontovich (1877-1921), Arvo Pärt (b.1935), Kyrylo Stetsenko (1882–1922), Piotr IlyichTchaikovsky (1840–93), Yakiv Yatsynevych (1869-1945)

CD Info: Harmonia Mundi CD HMU 9067410,

Three Christmas Discs We Missed

The Miracles of St. Nicholas with the superb Ensemble Venance Fortunat, Palestrina with the Vienna Vocal Consort, and a Spanish Christmas with the Ensemble Corund.

Composer: Giovanni Pierluigi Palestrina, Francisco Guerrero, Cristóbal de Morales, Juan Esquivel, Tomás Luis de Victoria,

CD Info: L’empreinte digitale CD ED13153, Dorian CD DOR-93255, Dorian CD DOR-93249

Monteverdi Christmas Vespers

Our special Christmas centerpiece is the new reconstruction of what Monteverdi wrote in a 1616 letter was the “hard work on a Mass for Christmas Eve” with the brilliant reconstruction by conductor Andrea Marcon.

Composer: Claudio Monteverdi, Giovanni Gabrieli, Alessandro Grandi, Francesco Usper, Giovanni Valentini.

CD Info: CD 486 2977

Lux Laetitiae

The latest by the Italian ensemble called La Reverdie (founded by two sisters) gives us “Splendors of the Marian Cult in Early Renaissance Ferrara” with music by Binchois, Dunstable, and Dufay.

Composer: Gilles Binchois (1400 - 1460), John Dunstable (1390 - 1453), Leonel Power (1370 - 1445), Guillaume Dufay (1397 - 1474).

CD Info: Arcana label CD A526.