The Very Best of Christmas CD 2

The Very Best of Christmas CD 2 앨범: The Very Best of Christmas CD 2 Various Artist (2006 NAXOS) 1-3. The 4 Seasons (Winter) 　 Album Title: The Very Best of Christmas Composer: Leroy Anderson, Johann Sebastian Bach, Hector Berlioz, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Arcangelo Corelli, Harold Darke, Franz Xaver Gruber, George Frideric Handel, Franz Joseph Haydn, Gustav Holst, Franz Liszt, Felix Mendelssohn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sergey Prokofiev, Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov, John Rutter, John Tavener, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Antonio Vivaldi, Traditional Lyricist: Hector Berlioz, Bible - New Testament, Robert Herrick, Text Mass, Josef Mohr, Christina Rossetti, Gottfried van Swieten, Valentin Thilo, Traditional, Isaac Watts, Charles Wesley, George Ratcliffe Woodward Conductor: Andrew Sackett, Christopher Robinson, Donald Hunt, Geza Oberfrank, Grace Rossiter, Igor Golovschin, Jaroslav Krcek, Kevin Mallon, Michael Halasz, Morten Schuldt-Jensen, Noel Edison, Norman Scribner, ondrej Lenard, Richard Hayman, Stephen Gunzenhauser, Theodore Kuchar Performer: Various Artists                  Stephan MacLeod (bass-baritone)                  J. ReillyLewis (organ)                  Michael Bloss (organ)                  Raymond Johnston (organ)                  Eteri Andjaparidze (piano)                  John Evanson (piano)                  Sibylla Rubens (soprano)                  Andreas Karasiak (tenor)                  Philip Langridge (tenor)                  Robert Stringer (treble)                  Takako Nishizaki (violin) Choir: Tewkesbury Abbey Choir           Worcester Cathedral Choir           St. John's College Choir, Cambridge           Washington Choral Arts Society           Elora Festival Singers           Finchley Children's Music Group           Gewandhaus Chamber Choir Ensemble: Aradia Ensemble, Scholars Baroque Ensemble Orchestra: Washington Choral Arts Society Orchestra                   Leipzig Chamber Orchestra                   Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra                   Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra                   Ukraine National Symphony Orchestra                   Capella Istropolitana                   Moscow Symphony Orchestra                   Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra                   Richard Hayman Symphony Orchestra Audio CD (September 18, 2006) SPARS Code: DDD Mono/Stereo: Stereo Number of Discs: 2 Label: Naxos Copyright: (C) 2006 Naxos Rights International Total Length: 2:13:26 Period: 20th Century, Baroque (1600-1750), Classical (1750-1830), Contemporary, Romantic Genres: Classical, Music, Holiday, Christmas: Classical, Ballet; Choral - Sacred; Choral - Secular; Concertos; Instrumental; Orchestral Styles: Choral Disc II : La saison de Noël 1-3. The 4 Seasons: Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in F minor, Op. 8, No. 4, RV 297, "L'inverno" (Winter)  (9:10)    Common Name   L'hiver (Les Quatre Saisons)    Composer   Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)    Conductor   Stephen Gunzenhauser    Performer   Takako Nishizaki (violin)    Orchestra   Capella Istropolitana 1. Ⅰ. Allegro non molto   (3:32) 2. Ⅱ. Largo   (2:25) 3. Ⅲ. Allegro   (3:13) 4. Weihnachtsoratorium (Christmas Oratorio), in six parts, BWV 248 (BC D7), Part II: Sinfonia ('Shepherd's Music': Oratorio de Noël)   (5:59)    Common Name   Christmas Oratorio (6 Cantatas, from Christmas to Epiphany), BWV248...Oratorio 2: Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend (Dec. 26), BWV248, No.2    Composer   Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)    Conductor   Geza Oberfrank    Orchestra   Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra                (Orchestre de Chambre Failoni de Budapest & Chœur de la Radio Hongroise) 5. Concerto Grosso in G Minor, Concerto de Noël, Op. 6, No. 8, "Christmas Concerto": Ⅵ. Pastorale ad libitum: Largo   (4:20)    Composer   Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713)    Conductor   Jaroslav Krcek    Orchestra   Capella Istropolitana 6. 6 Schubler Chorales, BWV 645-650: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645   (4:12)    Common Name   Cantata No.140: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (27th Sunday after Trinity), BWV140 (includes 'Sleepers Awake'): 1. Chorus: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme    Composer   Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)    Performer   J. Reilly Lewis (organ) 7. Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons), oratorio, Hob.XXI:3: Winter: Introduction: L'hiver "Die Einleitung schildert die dicken Nebel" (Les Saisons)   (2:56)    Composer   Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)    Lyricist   Gottfried van Swieten    Conductor   Morten Schuldt-Jensen    Performer   Andreas Karasiak (tenor)                Stephan MacLeod (bass-baritone)                Sibylla Rubens (soprano)    Choir   Gewandhaus Chamber Choir    Orchestra   Leipzig Chamber Orchestra 8. German Dances (3) for orchestra, Promenade en traineau (Trois danses allemandes, K.605), K. 605: No. 3 in C Major, "Die Schlittenfahrt" (Sleigh Ride)   (3:19)    Composer   Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)    Conductor   Richard Hayman    Orchestra   Richard Hayman & His Symphony Orchestra 9. The Nutcracker, ballet Suite, Op. 71a...Act 2: Danse de la Fée Dragée (Casse-Noisette) (16. Pas de deux, Variation 2: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy)   (1:52)    Composer   Pyotr Il'yich Tchaïkovsky (1840-1893)    Conductor   Michael Halász    Orchestra   Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra    Recording date   17-20 August 1990 10. Sleeping Beauty, ballet, Op. 66...Act 1: Waltz: 7. Valse (La Belle au bois dormant)   (4:36)    Composer   Pyotr Il'yich Tchaïkovsky (1840-1893)    Conductor   ondrej Lenárd    Orchestra   Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra    Recording date   18-23 March (CD 1) and 13-25 May (CDs 2-3) 11. Christmas Eve Suite (from opera) (Noch' pered rozhdestvom), for orchestra (with optional chorus ad lib): 4. Polonaise (Nuit de Noël)   (5:52)    Composer   Nikolaï Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908)    Conductor   Igor Golovschin    Orchestra   Moscow Symphony Orchestra    Recording date   February 1996 12. Les Saisons (The Seasons), for piano, Op. 37b: No. 12. Décembre: Noel   (3:45)    Composer   Pyotr Il'yich Tchaïkovsky (1840-1893)    Performer   Eteri Andjaparidze (piano)    Recording date   9-11 September, 1987 13. Weihnachstraum (Christmas Tree), S186/R71 (LW A267): IV. Adeste Fideles (L'arbre de Noël : N° 4, Marche des trois rois mages) (March of the Three Holy Kings)   (4:05)    Composer   Franz Liszt (1811-1886)    Performer   Eteri Andjaparidze (piano)    Recording date   15-16 June 1995 14. Lieutenant Kijé, film score and suite for orchestra, Op. 60: IV. Troika (n° 4 de la Suite du Lieutenant Kijé, op. 60)   (3:03)    Composer   Sergey Prokofiev (1891-1953)    Conductor   Richard Hayman    Orchestra   Richard Hayman & His Symphony Orchestra 15. Cinderella, ballet Suite, Op.87: No. 1, Op. 107: VII. Cinderella's Waltz (30. Grand Waltz)   (2:55)    Common Name   Valse de Cendrillon (Cendrillon)    Composer   Sergey Prokofiev (1891-1953)    Conductor   Theodore Kuchar    Orchestra   Ukraine National Symphony Orchestra 16. Sleigh Ride (popular song), for orchestra (Promenade en traineau: original piano version)   (2:41)    Composer   Leroy Anderson (1908-1975)    Performer   Eteri Andjaparidze (piano)    Recording date   15-16 June 1995 Love Peace Freedom 　 　 Christmas Review Naxos' 2006 double-disc compilation, The Very Best of Christmas, presents an agreeable and balanced assortment of holiday favorites, with vocal and choral numbers assigned to the first disc and instrumental and orchestral pieces on the second. The roster of choral performers includes the Worcester Cathedral Choir, the Scholars Baroque Ensemble, the Tewkesbury Abbey Choir, the Elora Festival Singers, and the Choral Arts Society of Washington, among others; the list of orchestral performances by the Leipzig Radio Chamber Orchestra, the Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Capella Istropolitana, and the Slovak Philaharmonic Orchestra, to name a few, is representative of some of Naxos' leading ensembles from 1987 to 2004. The carols, hymns, and other choral works have a decidedly reverent tone, not only because they are the most often performed in church settings, but also because the ensembles are frequently accompanied by organ. In contrast, the instrumental selections on the second half of the program have a secular feeling, since they are largely excerpts from ballets, concertos, and other concert music associated with the Christmas season. Even though the recordings cover a wide time period and were made in numerous venues, the tracks have been mixed for consistency of tone and evenness of dynamic levels, so if the album is played in the background at holiday gatherings, volume adjustments are unnecessary. by Blair Sanderson