December 2023

Morning Star

Owain Park and the Gesualdo Six have a new release celebrating the season, with a particular emphasis on the Feast of the Epiphany. It includes plainchant, Renaissance motets, and contemporary settings.

Composer: Peter Cornelius, Johannes Eccard, William Byrd, Joanna Marsh, Jacob Handl, Herbert Howells, C. non Papa, Arvo Pärt, Adrian Peacock, Lassus, Judith Bingham, Manchicourt, Adam de la Halle, Colin Muset,

CD Info: Hyperion CD CDA 68404, Analekta CD AN 2 9780

Musical Concepts Christmas

This group has specialized in some wonderful reissues, and for the season are giving us two gifts: the Alfred Deller “A Minstrel’s Christmas” and Ex Cathedra’s “Baroque Christmas: Sanctus.”

Composer: Franz Xaver Grüber, John Henry Hopkins Jr., Richard Storrs Willis, Henry John Gauntlett, George Frideric Handel, Johann Georg Ebeling, J. S. Bach, Montancy, Guillaume Bouzignac, Crestot, Corrette, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, G. Gabrieli, Monteverdi, Gibbons, Sweelinck, Scheidt, Schütz, Buxtehude

CD Info: Alto ALC 1448, Alto ALC 1377, Alto ALC 1377

Music Before 1800 Christmas

While we have heard many performances from this great concert series in the past, this time the founder, Louise Basbas, returns to take us through some of her favorite ensembles for the season.

Composer: Josquin, Verdelot, Victoria, M Praetorius, H Praetorius, Tallis, Taverner, Byrd, White, Plainchant, Sheppard, Christian Erbach, Roland de Lassus (1532-1594), Josquin Des Prés (1450-1521), Guillaume Dufay (1397-1474), William Horwood, Robert Ramsey, Cipriano de Rore, Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643 - 1704), Sébastien de Brossard (1655 - 1730)

CD Info: Harmonia Mundi CD HMU 90799, Koch Schwann CD KIC CD 7562, Gimell CD CDGIM 202, Harmonia Mundi CD HMU 807517, Arkiv CD 449 819-2, Harmonia Mundi CD HMM 902707

A German Christmas

Two recent releases we have featured earlier this year have extensive seasonal works we've saved for the holidays: world-premiere recordings from Isaac’s Choralis Constantinus, and extensive 13 part motet by Johann Rosenmuller.

Composer: Heinrich ISAAC, Johann Rosemüller

CD Info: Carus CD # 83.524, Christophorus CD CHE 0221-2, VMP CD 0201