Noel Nouvelet

Track Listings

1. Noel Nouvelet ( Sing We now of Christmas)

2. Silent Night / I wonder as I wander

3. Angels we have heard on high

4. Away in a Manger

5. Veni Emmanuel? What Child is this ?

6. It came upon a Midnight Clear

7. O Little Town of Bethlehem

8. Melting Snow

9. Sleep Thou Little Child

10. We Three Kings

11. Carol of the Bells

Noel Nouvelet,Singular Vision

Noel Nouvelet

Tracks:

A Visit From St. Nicholas
Carol Of The Bells
Away In A Manger
Jingle Bells
The First Nowell
Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy
We Three Kings
Angels From The Realms Of Glory
Coventry Carol
D'ou veins-tu, bergere
The Twelve Days Of Christmas
Oh Come, Immanuel
I Wonder As I Wander
What Child Is This?
La cloche de Noel
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Noel Nouvelet
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Silent Night
Good King Wenceslas
Hallelujah Chorus
Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
O Come, All Ye Faithful

Customer Reviews:

WOW!!!.......2007-03-26

What has not been said about the Canadian Brass? The album is a wonderful blend of brass and voices. I especaily appreciate the non-traditional selections. It is a heart warmer.

The Best of The Best.......2004-12-15

Just be sure to buy this version (18 tracks) rather than what appears to be a very pared-down later issue (same cover, only about half a dozen tracks).

This is by far the best holiday album I have ever heard. I am a double-reed player and I must take issue with the complaints about intonation and musicianship by the one negative reviewer on this page. The song selection, mix of secular and religious, mix of serious and light, mix of familiar/less heard - Good as driving music, gift wrapping, or sing-along. This is the Holiday CD I listen to year round. If you are looking for ONE CD to buy for the season- for your collection or as a gift- This is it!

You can find better.......2004-11-24

Lousy musicianship here, frankly-- missed notes and poor intonation. I was hugely disappointed when I heard this album. Greatly recommend A Festival of Carols in Brass (Philadelphia Brass Ensemble) instead, which is pure joy for the listener.

Great Christmas Album.......2003-11-05

I've had this particular Canadian Brass album for so long that I have it on cassette! But it's become a classic family Christmas album for us. It's a great addition to any Christmas, especially as background music. It's very calming and just plain good. I can't imagine my Christmas without it.

Good Stuff!.......2000-12-12

This is yet another top-notch Canadian Brass Christmas album. These guys, once again, demonstrate why they are the best in the world at what they do. With the addition of the fine choral singing by the Iseler Singers, this is the complete Christmas CD, one you'll never get tired of year after year. Buy it!

Average customer rating:

Carols From Clare
This music makes me wish Christmas season would never end!!!
Delicious carol arrangements by Rutter--a holiday MUST HAVE
Beautiful, Glorious, Inspiring!!
Great Christmas Cheer

Carols From Clare College

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

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Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Holiday Music | Compilations | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

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General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:

The Holly and the Ivy: Carols from Clare College
The John Rutter Christmas Album
Christmas Star
Christmas Night: Carols of the Nativity
Cambridge Singers Christmas Album

ASIN: B000002SHT
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Shepherd's Pipe Carol
Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
Angel Tidings
Quelle est cette odeur agreable
Once In Royal David's City
Il est ne le divin enfant
I Saw Three Ships
In dulci jubilo
Nativity Carol
Quem pastores laudavere
Rocking
The Twelve Days Of Christmas
Here We Come A-Wassailing
The Coming Of Our King
O Come, O Come, Immanuel
The Infant King
Shepherds' Noel
Noel Nouvelet
O Little Town Of Bethlehem
Gabriel's Message
Sans Day Carol
Stille Nacht
Flemish Carol
Past Three A Clock

Customer Reviews:

Carols From Clare.......2006-12-12

Here again is a Christmas collection from Clare College that will easily find its way to the top of your list. The mixed male and female choir is accompanied by an orchestra whose excellence is manifest in it perfect coordination with the voices throughout. All the arrangements capture your soul and bring you into a dimension of Christmas not found elsewhere. If giving this as a gift, make sure to buy one also for yourself!

This music makes me wish Christmas season would never end!!!.......2001-12-22

This CD is absolutely beautiful. I can't bear to put it away after the holiday season is over! The voices of the Clare College Singers, accompanied by the orchestra blend together to make a heavenly sound. The songs are so gentle and almost mystical. I discovered John Rutter and the Clare College Singers by listening to the local classical music station, and fell in love with their unique sound. "Shepherds Pipe Carol" is one of my favorites, but all of the songs are wonderful on this CD. I also purchased "The Holly and the Ivy" (also with the Clare choir and John Rutter), and it is beautiful too. 5 stars is not enough. If you enjoy gentle, spiritually uplifting Christmas music, buy this CD. You won't regret it.

Delicious carol arrangements by Rutter--a holiday MUST HAVE.......2001-11-29

Delicious Rutter carol arrangements with beautiful pure singing by Clare College Singers of Cambridge, England.

I was delighted to find "Carols from Clare" which includes 11 of the 12 recordings of my Capitol International Series LP recording , "Christmas in Cambridge, " featuring the Clare College Singers and Orchestra, Rutter as arranger.NEVER THOUGHT I'D FIND !!! It has been my FAVORITE Christmas holiday recording for 19 years. Only piece missing is "Of the Father's Love Begotten" which I will be searching for, of course, on another Rutter CD.

Beautiful, Glorious, Inspiring!!.......2001-11-28

I fell in love with John Rutter's music when I heard his "Magnificat" performed locally. I by chance heard the first selection on this cd- one of two he wrote himself- and bought it just based on that one tune. I am of the mind that you can't own enough Christmas music because you'll want variety. This cd, and others from the Clare or Cambridge collection, is not about "Mama kissing Santa" or a red-nosed reindeer. It's about the magic of Christmas and the reason we have celebrate a birth in a manger. Of course like any great sacred music, even athiests will love the beauty of it!

Great Christmas Cheer.......2001-01-27

Great old standards and some new stuff thrown in from jolly ole England. Wonderful selection and performance. Great addition to holiday collection.

Average customer rating:

Unexpected Gem

Veni, Veni, Emmanuel

Manufacturer: White Line
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Classical Instrumental | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Classical Instrumental | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:

The John Rutter Christmas Album
A Robert Shaw Christmas - Angels on High
Christmas Night: Carols of the Nativity
Christmas Star
Songs of Angels - Christmas Hymns and Carols

ASIN: B0000030Z3
Release Date: 1996-10-15

Tracks:

Veni, Veni, Emmanuel
What Sweeter Music
Once In Royal David's City
The Angel Gabriel
Ding Dong Merrily On High
A Hymn To The Virgin
Noel Nouvelet
This Is The Truth Sent From Above
Sir Christhmas
Bethlehem Down
Wither's Rocking Hymn
Swete Was The Song The Virgin Soong
In Dulchi Jubilo
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day
The Shepherd's Farewell
Lully, Lulla, Thou Little Tiny Child
Remember, O Thou Man
We Three Kings Of Orient Are
Adam Lay Y-Bounden
Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!
O Come, All Ye Faithful
The Wexford Carol
New Year Carol
Benedicamus Domino

Customer Reviews:

Unexpected Gem.......2005-12-10

A few years ago I took a chance on buying this album from Amazon and I've been glad I did ever since. The Emmanuel College Choir is not as well known as some of the other Cambridge choirs but they are on a par with the best of them. This choir has both male and female singers. The sound is pure and the diction is crystal clear. The musical selections are wonderful and include many less familiar songs as well as the old favorites. The choir does a good job in moving from more reverent songs to joyous ones. It's hard to single out any work but "Bethlehem Down" and "The Shepherd's Farewell" are especially beautiful. There are also some very fine solos in some of the songs. If you're wondering if you should buy this album, do yourself a favor and do it!

Average customer rating:

Christmas Echoes, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: Gothic Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:

Christmas Echoes, Vol. 1
Christmas With the Dale Warland Singers
Harvest Home
December Stillness
Blue Wheat

ASIN: B000ARFPZ8
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Album Description

2003 Grammy nominee for Best Choral Performance! An assortment of carols from traditional to modern, in familiar and new arrangements, featuring America's preeminent choral ensemble, which retired in 2004 after a legendary 31 seasons. This album includes a cappella tunes as well as accompaniment for harp, guitar, organ, handbells, and other instruments.

Average customer rating:

A Timeless Tradition
A nice blend of music for Christmas

Candlelight Carols
The Choir of Trinity Church
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Holiday Music | Compilations | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:

Now It is Christmas Again
Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas [Remastered]
Christmas at Trinity
The Spirit of Christmas
The Christmas Song

ASIN: B0000041Y7
Release Date: 1991-09-13

Tracks:

O Come, All Ye Faithful
Candlelight Carol
Carol Of The Bells
All Poor Men And Humble
Shepherd's Pipe Carol
The First Nowell
What Is This Lovely Fragrance?
King Jesus Hath A Garden
A Spotless Rose
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Away In A Manger
Joseph est bien marie
Sleeps Judea Fair
Noel Sing!
O Holy Night
Suo Gan
What Strangers Are These?
I Wonder As I Wander
O Little Town of Bethlehem

Customer Reviews:

A Timeless Tradition.......2005-12-15

I have been listening to this choir since 1982. I wore out the original tape, in the days before CD's. I have been to the actual performance, a week before Christmas three times and am going back this year 2005.

The performance is so delicate, yet so powerful that it is emotional and moving, regardless of your orientation. Imagine this performance, in the manificent HH Richardson-designed Trinity Church, Copley Square, Boston. People wait for hours to get in. The lights go out, the Choir, brass timpani and organ just work so well together. One by one, candles are lit, and the huge church comes alive. The choir processes down the asiles singing in strength and everyone joins in.

It is a spiritual experience even if you are not religious. The strength of the performance invites you to participate. I find myself singing louder than I do anywhere else.

After my first child was born, I held her in my arms, and "Candlelight Carol" became my anthem:
How do you capture
The wind on the water?
How do you count all the stars in the sky?
How can you measure
The love of a mother
Or how can you write down
A baby's first cry?

I am not a musician and to my ear, the Chorus is professional. The tunes are classic, but they bring a new life to familiar tunes.

If you've been feeling stressed out, this is the perfect time to calm the nerves, focus on meaning and purpose, and let you enjoy yourself for a few minutes.

If you can't attend, do the next best thing, get the CD, turn it up till you hear the bass of the organ rumble your rafters and sing your heart out.

Enjoy!

A nice blend of music for Christmas.......2003-12-30

This is one of my favorite discs at Christmas time. It is at once peaceful and calm, yet joyous and expectant. There are the usual brass and organ carols, but also stunning arrangements and performances of lesser-known things. Prime among these are the setting of "Away in a Manger" that makes me want to pull off the highway and listen just to that song without distractions, and the pulsing, exciting "What Strangers are These", which I have never heard anywhere else. Chorally, the disc is a little unsatisfying because of balance issues with the rest of the disc--some songs are loud, others very soft, so it makes it hard to listen to without having to adjust the volume periodically. However, I still wouldn't trade it for all the Messiahs in the world!

Average customer rating:

Not that amazing.
Are you kidding?
Very nice!
The Holidays Never Sounded So Good!
Very pleased

50 Most Loved Christmas Carols
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:

More Than 50 Most Loved Hymns
The Best Carols in the World...Ever!
O Come All Ye Faithful: Christmas Carols at King's College, Cambridge
Songs of Angels - Christmas Hymns and Carols
Carols from Trinity

ASIN: B000A2H4J8
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

Joy To The World
O Come, All Ye Faithful
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Deck The Halls
Away In A Manger (American Melody)
The Holly And The Ivy
Good Christian Men Rejoice
God That Madest Earth And Heaven
Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee (Ode To Joy)
What Child Is This (Greensleeves)
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
O Holy Night
Sussex Carol
Here We Come A-Wassailing
Up On The Housetop
I Wonder As I Wander
Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
Infant Holy, Infany Lowly
Pat-A-Pan
Once In Royal David's City
O Christmas Tree
O Little Town Of Bethlehem
The Twelve Days Of Christmas
Good King Wenceslas
We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Tracks:

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Jingle Bells
The First Noel
Angels We Have Heard On High
Away In A Manger (European Melody)
Silent Night
Angels From The Realms Of Glory
O Sing A Song Of Bethlehem
'Hellelujah' Chorus From The Messiah
Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
We Three Kings
Ave Maria
I Saw Three Ships
I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
Gloucestershire Wassail
Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Lights
Sing We Now Of Christmas
In The Bleak Midwinter
Ukranian Bell Carol
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
Coventry Carol
Ding Dong! Merrily On High!
Auld Lang Syne

Tracks:

Jingle Bells
The First Noel
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Up On The Housetop
Ding Dong! Merrily On High
O Little Town Of Bethlehem
Sussex Carol
Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
'Hallelujah' Chorus From The Messiah
O Come All Ye Faithful
What Child Is This
O Holy Night
Away In A Manger
Joy To The World
We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Customer Reviews:

Not that amazing........2007-01-19

I bought this somewhat based on the glowing reviews others had given it. It's not bad, but not that fantastic either. I've heard much better versions of most of the music on it. Not quite worth the price.

Are you kidding?.......2007-01-05

While the musical arrangements are tolerably adequate and the orchestra is fair, this is some of the worst choral singing I've ever heard. They obviously have no concept of tuning and couldn't stay on pitch if their lives depended on it. I can't believe this is supposed to be a professional recording and the director didn't correct these glaring errors. I picked up this CD at an after-Christmas sale at 75% off, and I will forever mourn the loss of my $5.00. I guess it might suffice as a mediocre white elephant gift, but I pity whomever may be forced to listen to it. I suggest you not waste your money. If it's classical Christmas carols you want, search for more well-known and trustworthy music groups like the London Philharmonic and the Cambridge Singers.

Very nice!.......2007-01-02

I have to agree with the other reviewers that this is a very enjoyable CD of traditional carols. It contains a huge selection of songs. I was afraid that they might all sound the same, but to me, the orchestration and vocals are varied and well done. I bought this for Christmas, and it's one of my favorite new Christmas CDs in recent memory.

The Holidays Never Sounded So Good!.......2005-12-17

I loved the "50 Most Loved Piano Classics," so I decided to try another "50 Most Loved" collection, this time the Christmas Carols album. These are classics in their own right as the arrangements and orchestrations are enchantingly beautiful and the choir vocals provide perfect point-counterpoint. I hate to admit this, but I'll probably still be listening to this CD long after Christmas is over. There's a cinematic soundtrack quality that I find haunting. Have a great holiday with this one!

Very pleased.......2005-11-23

This is an excellent value. 3 CD's and 50 songs for under $20.00. If you're looking for traditional Christmas music, this is the collection to buy.

A Choral Christmas - The Trinity Choir, Boston

Average customer rating:

Inspirational!
Magical and Magnificent!
What sweet music
Celestial Experience in Choral Music

A Choral Christmas - The Trinity Choir, Boston

Manufacturer: Dorian Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:

Christmas Star

ASIN: B00005OAHY
Release Date: 2001-09-04

Tracks:

Sing We To This Merry Company
Still, Still, Still
Ding! Dong! Merrily On High
In Dulci Jubilo
What Sweeter Music
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day
The Holly And The Ivy
Jesus Christ The Apple Tree
Go Tell It On The Mountain
Mid-Winter
I Saw Three Ships
Coventry Carol
Before The Marvel Of This Night
Once, As I Remember
A Stable In Bethlehem
Noel Nouvelet
O Magnum Mysterium
On This Day Earth Shall Ring
The Little Road To Bethlehem
O Little Town Of Bethlehem
God Is With Us

Customer Reviews:

Inspirational!.......2002-12-22

A magnificent recording, from the performance to the engineering. The choir sings like angels and the percussion player is alive! Who is that flutist?-- he's great!!!

Magical and Magnificent!.......2001-12-18

A CD which gets one into the Christmas spirit ... magically, and, amazingly, keeps on being magical no matter how many times it is played! This CD is an inspiration, not only for the casual listener, but for music directors, choir members, et al. As with the other CDs in this Trinity Church Boston series, there is a big, full, precise sound; choir is in-tune, enthusiastic, yet controlled: a cohesive sound! The organ is thrilling, complementing the other instruments well. CD contains a broad spectrum of carols--both old and new, heard and seldom-heard, but never jarring, nor totally unfamiliar. All are "traditional" in that they satisfy, esp. for the Christmas holidays. From a compositional point of view, these carols are "complex," and yet Brian Jones (and the choir) make them "sing" and sound "easy." Special attention should be paid to the arrangement by Alan Murchie of "Go, Tell It on the Mountain": fresh, vibrant, new, and charming! Beautifully packaged CD; well recorded; 66+ minutes of music. A great gift; valuable addition to one's musical library; a perfect accompaniment to writing cards/wrapping gifts. Surely worth the wait, if out of stock.

What sweet music.......2001-10-23

This CD is full of accessible Christmas music, beautifully sung by the superb Trinity Choir. The sound is blended, clear, and nuanced, with the dynamics and phrasing for which the choir is justly known. Those who have attended the Candlelight Carols services at Trinity over the last years will recognize some of the selections, as will anyone who has ever sung in a church choir at Christmas. The pieces range from the light and fun "I Saw Three Ships" to the traditional to the unexpected "God is With Us".

"O Little Town of Bethlehem" is a staple of any Christmas recording, especially for Trinity, since the author was once rector there. One delight on this recording is the morphing from the traditional tune to one that is less familiar -- it makes the words fresh and alive. Nicely done!

Any recording with "Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day" and "What Sweeter Music" deserves a permanent spot on the CD player during the Christmas season. You will find gems here to brighten your holiday season.

Celestial Experience in Choral Music.......2001-09-29

A splendid collection of seasonal treasures for choir, this CD is a must for anyone who appreciates choral music. The recording is balanced in terms of sound reverberation and beautiful blend of accomplished voices lead by knowledgeable and sensitive director, Brian Jones. Compositions and arrangements by a variety of composers from Holst to Rutter make this anthology playable not just during Advent and Christmas, but thoughout the year.

Tracks:

This Is The Truth Sent From Above
A Christmas Round
Today The Virgin
Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen
Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen
Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen
Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen
Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen
Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen
Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen
Noel Nouvelet
A Lullaby/Away In A Manger
The First Nowell
The Three Kings
Die Stimme Des Kindes
Suo Gan
Spanish Carol
Coventry Carol
Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem
Huron Carol
Mary And The Baby Medley: I. Maria Wanders Through The Thorn/II. What Child Is This?
Mary And The Baby Medley: III. Mary And The Baby/IV. Jerusalem In The Morning
Stille Nacht

Customer Reviews:

Full of gems........2007-05-12

If you are a Chanticleer purist and are turned off by the idea of someone else singing with them, I can tell you that you will miss out on a large number of some of Chanticleer's best recorded tracks ever by passing up this CD. The tracks with Dawn Upshaw are in the minority on this disc and do not detract from the majority which are of Chanticleer only. Also, it must be stated that while many may still not be a fan of the concept upon listening, she performs wonderfully with them and even blends well at many points! I urge you to at least give it a chance.

Anyway, on to the music. This recording is literally overflowing with impeccably chosen arrangements and compositions, all of which encompass a wonderfully peaceful holiday ambiance. It is full of tracks which are worth the price of the disc alone. Joe Jennings' gorgeous arrangement of the Huron Carol, the wonderfully different arrangement of Noel Nouvelet, and The First Nowell are among the many highlights. However, Die Stimme des Kindes by the Finnish composer Mantyjarvi, is the crown jewel of this disc. It is a brilliant and extremely haunting piece of music full of gorgeous polychordal harmonies and it is performed with astonishing intensity and accuracy! Also to be found here is one of the very best gospel/spiritual arrangements Chanticleer has ever done - Jerusalem In The Morning will become an instant favorite with anyone.

Not what I expected. .......2007-01-18

I was very disappointed when I listened to this CD. I should have paid more attention to the fact that there was another artist performing with the group before I ordered it. I am sorry I bought it.

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-11-29

For nearly 25 years Chanticleer has performed a large and wide variety of music, from Gregorian Chant to the most modern fare. With its seamless blend of 12 male voices,ranging from counter-tenor to bass, the ensemble has earned international renown as "an orchestra of voices". Chanticleer was founded in 1978 by tenor Louis Botto, and was named after the 'clear-singing' rooster in Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales'. This CD offers a wide variety of choral gems, some well-known; some traditional;some in French, in German; most in English. But all of them are performed with great skill as well as exquisite tone quality. Dawn Upshaw is an added plus on this disc. Just commenting on a few of them that captured my interest:
"A Christmas Round"/"Today The Virgin". Sir John Tavener joined the Russian Orthodox Church in 1977 which had a tremendous impact on his compositions. The brief text for 'A Christmas Round' is from the Orthodox Liturgy for Christmas Day. 'Today the Virgin' is a strophic setting of a text by Mother Thekla, an Orthodox nun, who has provided him with the libretti for several of his major works. In typical Russian Orthodox style, a drone is employed in the bass, and the upper voices move in parallel fifths and octaves.
"Es ist ein Ros entsprungen" (Lo, How an ever-blooming rose).Hugo Distler combines an extensive use of rediscovered forms and genres,and a very effective use of word-paintings in his music. Based on the famous tune of the same name, his setting resembles a fantasia,finally submerging the theme in rhythmic complexity as the number of voice parts expands from 4 to as many as 8. The text for the soprano that is laid over verse 3 is taken from the 'Magnificat' (Luke I:46-55).
"Die Stimme des Kindes" (The voice of the child) Finnish composer,Jaako Mantyjarvi adopts influences from a number of styles and periods, fusing them into his own idiom. This gently-rocking setting for eight-part men's chorus uses lush tone clusters to impart a late-
Romantic sentiment.
This album is a thinking-man's joy!!!!We all love the familiar carols, but it's so refreshing to hear some new ones. This group is certainly reminiscent of the "King's Singers" who preceded them; both excellent in every way!!!!

Christmas amoungst the stars!.......2004-10-19

This must be what the angels in heaven sound llike when they sing. The voices of Chanticleer blend so beautifully that it seems as if one voice is singing 12 parts. This album is a serious must have for all those who consider music an important part of the holidays.

There is one fly in the ointment though. No disrepect to Dawn Upshaw. Her voice is beautiful but we purists don't like to hear anyone sing with Chanticleer. We even find it difficult to adjust when instrumentation is used. Hearing a piano or flute throws us into a talespin. We just don't want anything to interupt the beauty of the voices. Let's face it, how many great groups are there out there who can sing without music let alone hold a note for more than 10 seconds without wandering off the note into oblivion!

The First Nowell is sung as it was meant to be sung when it is written so long ago. Lovely harmony but not over done or severly complicated. Most of the beauty is in the message it gives. No need to over sing it.

Die Stimmes des Kindes (The Voice of the Child) is gently sung to perfection with an other worldly, etheral quality. A haunting but gentle, sweet, harmony sings the last line here, "Ein schlafend Kind! (A sleeping child), they sing (Almost as wonderous as the child Himself. Almost!) of the Christ child. Countertenors above while the basses support them as they sing a final "o still!" I literally could not move as it ended. In a trance, I somehow found my remote and hit the replay button again and again. How in the world can this music be written by mere humans? Hmmmmmm, not of this earth, you think?

The Three Kings is something I haven't heard before. The music, written by Healy Willan in 1928, includes text from a poet named Laurence Housman (1856-1959). I thought I was going to hear a new rendition of "We Three Kings." WRONG!!! As the kings arrive to the place that the star of Bethlehem lead them, the last line of the song invites the kings to "come in ye kings and kiss the feet of God." The countertenors sing angelic while the lower voices sing the parts of the kings (two three voice choirs SSA and TBB). I dare you to listen to it just once. You'll play it over and over. Sometimes you must do that with Chanticleer because the arrangements are so rich you want to make sure that hear everything that there is to hear. Listening to Chanticleer sometimes requires a sophisticated enough ear to get through all the layers but everyone can enjoy it to the fullest. Some folks might say it's too high brow for them but I strongly urge you to give it a try. Sit your kids down and turn off the hip hop stuff for awhile. It's a music lesson in a bottle!

nice.......2004-06-22

These are a cappella renditions of songs from a variety of sources; Chanticleer's style gives almost all of them a distinctly medieval feel. Beautiful arrangements, but don't expect to understand all the lyrics, even when you speak the featured language. The faked accents (as on "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem," where I guess they were trying for Ozark mountain hillbilly and wound up with my home dialect) can be moderately annoying.

Average customer rating:

A Simple Collection That Conveys the Beauty of Christmas
Simply Lovely. It deserves a Rosette!

En la Fete de Noel/O Holy Night

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Partsongs | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Classical Instrumental | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Classical Instrumental | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

$7 - $10 | Today's Deals | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Under $7 | Today's Deals | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

A French Christmas
Noel, Noel!: Noels Francais/French Christmas Music (1200-1600)
Chansons Pour Noel: Mon Beau
Joyeux Noel
Weihnachten - A German Christmas

ASIN: B00002R2X7
Release Date: 1999-10-12

Tracks:

O Holy Night
The Night
Christmas Comes Anew
Let's Go Merry Shepardesses
Pastourelles, Pastoureaux (NoAngevin)
Oh, What A Great Mystery!
So, Shepherds!
Les Anges Dans Nos Campagnes
The Sleep Of The Infant Jesus
In This Manger
Il Est Ne Divin Enfant
Come My Children
What Is This Perfume So Appealing
All The People Of Chres
Au Saint Nau (NoPoitevin)
It Was On Christmas Eve
Jesous Ahatonhia (Huron Carol)
Carol Of The Bells (Ukranien Carol)
There Is A Flower
Yule-Tide Fires
Bel astre que j'adore
O Come All Ye Faithful

Customer Reviews:

A Simple Collection That Conveys the Beauty of Christmas.......2005-12-08

EN LA FETE DE NOEL is one of those "why not?' choices that find a way into my music library. It looked interesting and the price was right. Why not take a chance? I'm glad I took the chance because it's worth far more than its modest price.

It's not the most complex recording in the world. The choir La Petite Bande de Montreal under the direction of conductor Martin Dagenais sing Christmas carols, sometimes accompanied by the organ and at other times without any accompaniment at all. Most of the carols are sung in French, and some that do not translate easily into French are performed in English. Each carol is sung with great beauty and the performance allows the simplicity of the carols to bring out the musical and spiritual qualities so inherent in these works. While each carol is performed well, the real treasure of this recording would be the French carols. There are a variety included in the collection such as the well known "Les Anges Dans Nos Compagnes" (Angels we have Heard on High) and favorite of many "Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant" but the set also contains a number not included on most standard collections in English.

Most of the carols are religious pieces, with the exception of "The Carol of the Bells." For me this is a plus. While I do love so much of the music associated with the Christmas season, both religious and secular, I have a special spot for music that is beautiful and conveys the spiritual message of Christmas, and this is something I believe this set does well. Since Christmas recordings can often be as commercial as the holiday itself is becoming, it's refreshing to find a disc that evokes the beauty of Christmas while recalling what the season is all about: the birth of Christ.

Simply Lovely. It deserves a Rosette!.......2000-08-29

I confess to liking French Christmas carols, and these are performed extremely well by La Petite Bande de Montréal under director Martin Dagenais. There is a lively folk quality to so many French carols, and others are more lyrical.

A number of the tunes will be familiar to English speakers, of course, such as Sainte nuit (Silent Night), Les anges dans nos campagnes (Angels We Have Heard on High), perhaps Le sommeil de l'enfant Jésus (The Sleep of the Infant Jesus), Jesous Ahatonhia (Huron Carol), Carol of the Bells (a Ukrainian carol, sung in English), and Adeste Fideles.

There are many typically French carols, such as Noël nouvelet, Ah! Quel grand mystère, Dans cette étable, Il est né le divin enfant, and what I think is the most beautiful of all carols, Bel astre que j'adore.

Bel astre has such beautiful words, compressed and full of meaning, which cover most of Christian spirituality. I love Bel astre and have sung it many times as a solo. La petite bande de Montréal gives it a smooth and beautiful rendition, and every word is clear.

The organ accompaniment is restrained and very beautiful.