[ BIS SACD / Hybrid SACD ]
Release Date: Wednesday 10 October 2018
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Bach Collegium Japan sing classic Christmas carols in new arrangements.
Bach Collegium Japan and Masaaki Suzuki have sung of the wonders of Christmas a number of times, in Bach's cantatas and Christmas Oratorio as well as in Handel's Messiah. Here, instead, we hear the choir a cappella in a selection of classic Christmas carols. Masato Suzuki, son of the ensemble's founder and director, has selected some of the best-loved songs of Christmas, such as Adeste fideles and Silent Night, as well as less familiar hymns, arranging them especially for these singers. A consummate organist, he also performs a number of Louis-Claude Daquin's noëls variés - keyboard variations on Christmas songs which became a highly popular genre in 18th-century France.
"The performances are typically classy, and punctuated by a selection of Daquin's 'Noels' for solo organ, played with peppery registrations by Suzuki" BBC Music
"This is a very special Christmas album. The heavenly voices of the Bach Collegium Japan Chorus resonate with their rendition of carols. Silent Night, one of few well-known carols on this disc, sounds 'new' due to an inspiring performance. These carols are interspersed with 7 Noels by Daquin (1757) on a glorious organ played by Masaaki Suzuki's son Masato. The overall effect is of being transported to a wonderful evening concert. Highly recommended." Nicholas Butler/Marbecks
Arrangements by Masato Suzuki of:
Verbum caro factum est
Let all mortal flesh keep silence
Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier
Silent Night
In dulci jubilo
The First Noel
Hark! The herald angels sing
Adeste fideles
Three Carols (medley)
O Jesulein süß! ...
Veni, veni, Emmanuel
Noëls 1-3, 6, 8, 10 & 12 for organ solo, by LouisClaude
Daquin