Celestial Christmas is a richly textured musical tapestry that gracefully weaves together selections of sacred choral and instrumental music from the High Renaissance and Baroque eras. The recording journeys through moods of tenderness, solemnity, and joy, as expressed by Johann Sebastian Bach in the numerous choral selections from his Christmas oratorios and cantatas, including the beloved Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and Sleepers, Awake! as well as the prayer for peace from the glorious Mass in B Minor. Bach is also the featured composer in the many joyful instrumental pieces for harpsichord, flute, and organ. Also included in the program are many exceptionally beautiful pieces, both choral and instrumental, by Claudio Monteverdi, Orlande de Lassus, Henry Purcell, William Lawes, Carlo Farina, Johann Pachelbel, and Georg Friedrich Händel.
| 1 | Conditor alme siderum (excerpt), Anonymous | 0'32" |
| 2 | Introductio: Domine ad adiuvandum me festina Deus in adiutorium from Marienvesper by Claudio Monteverdi | 2'06" |
| 3 | L'Orfeo (Excerpt) by Claudio Monteverdi | 0'30" |
| 4 | Fantasia: Three parts on a ground in D, Z. 731 by Henry Purcell | 4'38" |
| 5 | Da pacem Domine by Orlande de Lassus | 2'25" |
| 6 | Gloria patri et filio, et spiritu sancto by Orlande de Lassus | 1'28" |
| 7 | Magnificat (excerpt) from Marienvesper by Claudio Monteverdi | 2'26" |
| 8 | Fantasia from Suite Nr. 2 in F by William Lawes | 4'23" |
| 9 | Adagio from Capriccio stavagante by Carlo Farina | 1'30" |
| 10 | In nomine from Suite Nr. 3 in B by William Lawes | 5'30" |
| 11 | Adagio from Capriccio stavagante by Carlo Farina | 1'30" |
| 12 | Hymnus: Ave maris stella (excerpt) from Marienvesper by Claudio Monteverdi | 1'24" |
| 13 | Arioso from Capriccio for Harpsichord BWV 992 by J.S. Bach | 2'26" |
| 14 | Chorales »Wie soll ich dich empfangen«, »Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein« | |
| and »Wir singen dir in deinem Heer« from Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 by J.S. Bach | 3'40" | |
| 15 | Sonata from Cantata 106 by J.S. Bach | 2'38" |
| 16 | Adagio from Concerto for Two Harpsichords in C Minor BWV 1060 by J.S. Bach | 5'05" |
| 17 | Chorale »Herr, ich hoff' je, du werdest dir in keiner Not verlassen» from Cantata 184 by J.S. Bach | 1'17" |
| 18 | Largo e piano from Concerto grosso IV in A Minor, Op. 6 Nr. 4 by Georg Friedrich Handel | 2'43" |
| 19 | Chorale »Lobe den Herren, was in mir ist, lobe den Namen« from Cantata 137 by J.S. Bach | 0'55" |
| 20 | Partitas 1, 2, 6 and 5 from Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan by Johann Pachelbel | 3'53" |
| 21 | Chorales »Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme« and »Gloria sei dir gesungen« from Cantata 140 by J.S. Bach | 9'03" |
| 22 | Chorale »Jesus bleibet meine Freude« from Cantata 147 by J.S. Bach | 2'38" |
| 23 | Variationen 1, 2 and 6 from Partita über »Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein« BWV Anhang 78 by J.S. Bach | 3'00" |
| 24 | Chorale »Dein ist allein die Ehre« from Cantata 41 by J.S. Bach | 2'09" |
| 25 | Chorale »Alleluja! Gelobt sei Gott« from Cantata 110 by J.S. Bach | 0'50" |
| 26 | Dona nobis pacem from Mass in B minor BWV 232 by J.S. Bach | 2'51" |
| 27 | Variation Nr. 10 from Partite diverse sopra: Sei gegrüßet, Jesu gütig BWV 768 by J.S. Bach | 3'51" |
| 28 | Aus meines Herzens Grunde by J.S. Bach | 0'56" |
| Total Time: | 78'40" |
Celestial Harmonies continues its tradition of presenting classics for the holidays with the release of Celestial Christmas 2. While its popular predecessor, Celestial Christmas, featured sacred choral and instrumental music from the High Renaissance and Baroque eras, Celestial Christmas 2 offers a special collection of seasonal favorites arranged in Baroque style performed by the musicians of the I Solisti di Duino under the direction of conductor Antonio Pellegrino.
This anthology of carols from the thirteenth to the nineteenth centuries flows naturally, with rich orchestral arrangements and sparkling instrumental counterpoint unifying the many moods of Christmas. It sounds almost as if Johann Sebastian Bach or Antonio Vivaldi themselves have incorporated these beloved melodies into a festive holiday suite.
Celestial Christmas 2 explores feelings of compassion, wonder, renewal, and joy through the masterful reworking of traditionals like Little Drummer Boy, Silent Night, We Wish You A Merry Christmas, O Tannenbaum, and The First Noël. In addition, the recording also offers a fresh perspective on the holidays with lesser known works like the seventeenth century Czechoslovakian carol Kommet Ihr Hirten, and the anonymous Sicilian shanty O du Fröhliche.
| 1 | Little Drummer Boy by K. Davis, H. Onorati and H. Simone | 1'11" |
| 2 | Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht / Silent Night, Holy Night by Franz Xaver Gruber | 3'36" |
| 3 | We Wish You A Merry Christmas, English carol of unknown origin | 3'25" |
| 4 | Jingle Bells by James Pierpont | 5'05" |
| 5 | Kommet Ihr Hirten, Anonymous 17th century Czechoslovakian carol | 4'29" |
| 6 | Alle Jahre Wieder attributed to Friedrich Silcher | 2'59" |
| 7 | God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Anonymous 16th century English carol | 6'45" |
| 8 | Kling, Glöckchen by Benedikt Widmann | 4'36" |
| 9 | The First Noël, Anonymous 13th or 14h century English carol | 3'08" |
| 10 | O du Fröhliche, Anonymous Sicilian shanty | 4'36" |
| 11 | Jolly Old St. Nicholas, Anonymous 19th century American carol | 2'54" |
| 12 | Adeste Fidelis / O Come All Ye Faithfull by John Francis Wade | 3'07" |
| 13 | O Tannenbaum, Anonymous 19th century German carol | 4'17" |
| 14 | Good King Wenceslas, Anonymous 16th century English carol | 3'32" |
| 15 | Get Up, Shepherds, carol of unknown origin | 6'04" |
| 16 | Little Drummer Boy (Reprise) by K. Davis, H. Onorati and H. Simone | 1'11" |
| Total Time: | 64'28" |
This special collection of seasonal works includes over an hour of the most moving and beautiful Christmas compositions of Europe's Baroque era. The instrumental music of Celestial Christmas 3 is a fabulous addition to any listener's compilation of Christmas recordings.
Baroque instrumental music is distinguished by the all–pervasive basso continuo: an instrumental bass line played on a low melody instrument, with expressive harmonies created on keyboard, strings, or plucked instruments. Baroque music came to its pinnacle with the Italian and German composers of the seventeenth to mid–eighteenth centuries. Celestial Christmas 3 includes eight of those pre–eminent composers.
Four Italian composers, Arcangelo Corelli, Francesco Maria Manfredini, Giuseppe Torelli and Pietro Locatelli, each provide a glorious Christmas Concerto. These are interspersed with three shorter pieces from German composers Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Friedrich Handel and Johann Pachelbel. The spectacular montage comes to a grand conclusion with Antonio Vivaldi's stunning Winter from The Four Seasons.
Each of the pieces is tremendously emotional; together, they are powerfully stirring. Even though the composers intended them as Christmas music, most listeners would not want to limit Celestial Christmas 3 to that season alone. Not only is the music itself gloriously gratifying, but the European orchestra and its conductor perform each piece with remarkable virtuosity.
This is the third in this series of Christmas recordings released by Celestial Harmonies, each offering a unique contribution to the joy of the Christmas season.
| Concerto Grosso in G Minor Op. 6 No. 8 »Christmas Concerto« by Arcangelo Corelli | ||
| 1 | Vivace-Grave | 1'22" |
| 2 | Allegro | 2'06" |
| 3 | Adagio-Allegro-Adagio | 3'37" |
| 4 | Vivace | 1'14" |
| 5 | Allegro | 2'04" |
| 6 | Pastorale | 4'16" |
| 7 | Sinfonia from Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 by Johann Sebastian Bach | 6'53" |
| Concerto Grosso in C Major Op. 3 No. 12 »Christmas Concerto« By Francesco Maria Manfredini | ||
| 8 | Largo | 4'37" |
| 9 | Largo | 2'01" |
| 10 | Allegro | 2'27" |
| 11 | Pastoral Symphony »Pifa« from The Messiah by Georg Friedrich Handel | 3'05" |
| Concerto Grosso in D Minor Op. 8 No. 12 »Christmas Concerto« by Giuseppe Torelli | ||
| 12 | Grave-Vivace | 2'17" |
| 13 | Largo | 2'30" |
| 14 | Vivace | 1'33" |
| 15 | Canon by Johann Pachelbel | 4'44" |
| Concerto Grosso in F Minor Op. 1 No. 8 »Christmas Concerto« by Pietro Locatelli | ||
| 16 | Largo-Grave-Vivace | 3'17" |
| 17 | Grave | 1'51" |
| 18 | Largo-Andante | 3'33" |
| 19 | Andante | 1'48" |
| 20 | Pastorale | 4'00" |
| Winter from The Four Seasons Op. 8 No. 4 by Antonio Vivaldi | ||
| 21 | Allegro non molto | 3'25" |
| 22 | Largo | 2'22" |
| 23 | Allegro | 3'06" |
| Total Time: | 69'11" |
The glorious body of music written specifically for the Christmas season is unparalleled in Western civilization; no other event or time of year is as inextricably linked with music, especially with music of such quiet strength and emotion. Some traditional Christmas melodies like The Coventry Carol from England or Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head from the American Appalachian mountains (both included on this release) are enjoyed throughout the year; but for most listeners, these pieces conjure up the intimate and powerful sentiments of Christmas—the falling snow, a warm home, family, and friends.
The fourth CD in the series builds on the popular collections of sacred Renaissance and Baroque works of the first three volumes and branches out to include some later works. Included are some of the world's most beloved Christmas melodies—Away In A Manger, Silent Night, Holy Night, O Come All Ye Faithful, and several other favorites—side by side with some of the greatest composers of Western music. Johann Sebastian Bach, Felix Mendelssohn, and Gustav Holst all wrote heartfelt musical tributes to the Christmas season.
Most Christmas traditions that we know come from three sources: Germany, England, and the United States. Appropriately, Celestial Christmas 4 focuses on the music of these three countries. The earliest works were collected and published in sixteenth century England, and probably date from medieval times. The most recent are the famous adaptations of Appalachian tunes by the pre–eminent American musicologist John Jacob Niles, published in the 1930s. In addition, traditional Christmas carols from France, Ireland, and Czechoslovakia are included. As with earlier Celestial Christmas recordings, this volume offers a carefully chosen progression of sounds and moods. Like so much music of the Christmas season, these works have an unusually broad appeal, naturally and gracefully bridging the gap between classical and popular music.
| 1 | Joy to the World | 1'29" |
| 2 | Once in Royal David's City | 3'21" |
| 3 | O Little Town of Bethlehem | 4'34" |
| 4 | The Cherry Tree Carol | 2'48" |
| 5 | In the Bleak Midwinter | 3'39" |
| 6 | Sing Aloud | 2'17" |
| 7 | Away in a Manger | 3'10" |
| 8 | Joy's Seven | 2'34" |
| 9 | I Wonder As I Wander | 3'34" |
| 10 | Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head | 3'26" |
| 11 | In Dulci Jubilo (Now Sing We, Now Rejoice) | 3'43" |
| 12 | O Little Sweet One | 1'59" |
| 13 | Rocking Carol | 1'40" |
| 14 | Ding Dong, Merrily on High | 2'04" |
| 15 | O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles) | 3'42" |
| 16 | The Coventry Carol (Lullay, Thou Little Tiny Child) | 4'02" |
| 17 | As I Outrode | 1'23" |
| 18 | Unto Us is Born a Son (Puer Nobis Nascitor) | 1'57" |
| 19 | Hark! The Herald Angels Sing | 2'57" |
| 20 | Silent Night, Holy Night | 4'32" |
| Total Time: | 61'42" |
Celestial Harmonies continues its tradition of presenting a special collection of Christmas music in Celestial Christmas 5, a beautiful and moving collection of seasonal organ music performed by Professor Franz Lehrndorfer on the new organ in the Dome Frauenkirche at Munich, Germany. It is, without doubt, one of the largest and most technically sophisticated organs ever built and is considered a sonic spectacular by those who have heard it. This awesomely powerful and moving sound is produced by 7,165 pipes ranging in height from two millimeters (less than 1/10 inch), to the largest, an incredible eighteen meters (approximately sixty feet), making the organ's overall size comparable to a six story building. At a cost of millions of dollars, the organ was built over three years as part of the first major reconstruction work performed on the Dome since the devastating bombing of World War II.
This truly historic and innovative digital recording is the first made on the new organ. Completed over the course of three weeks by lifelong friends, engineer and producer Ulrich Kraus and Franz Lehrndorfer, it was recorded at night with the organ's master builder, Georg Jann, constantly on hand to provide tuning expertise.
Through his classical variation and compositional techniques, Professor Franz Lehrndorfer articulates the music of Böhm, Bach, Murschhauser, Metsch, Grünberger, Guilmant, and Karg-Elert, as well as his own compositions. Böhm helped to develop the Choralvorspiel, or Choral Prelude, and so influenced and taught much to Bach, who superseded the labors of his predecessors and contemporaries. Two of Bach's Choral Preludes, BWV 605 and BWV 608, are included in this outstanding release.
| 1 | Praeludium und Fuge by Georg Böhm | 4'29" |
| 2 | Choralspiel »Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland« BWV 659 by J.S. Bach | 5'15" |
| 3 | Fuga sopra »Vom Himmel hoch da komm' ich her« BWV 700 by J.S. Bach | 2'37" |
| 4 | Choralspiel »Der Tag, der isr so freudenreich« BWV 605 by J.S. Bach | 1'49" |
| 5 | Choralspiel »In dulci jubilo« BWV 608 by J.S. Bach | 1'20" |
| 6 | Aria »Dein große Lieb, o Jesulein« Thema mit sechs Variationen by Franz Xaver Anton Murschhauser | 8'00" |
| 7 | Pastorella by Placidus Metsch | 2'24" |
| 8 | Pastorale by Theodor Grünberger | 4'54" |
| 9 | Offertoire (Nr. 4) sur le Noel: »Nuit sombre, ton ombre vaut les plus beaux jours« by Alexandre Gulimant | 9'32" |
| 10 | Choralvorspiel »Es ist ein Ros entsprungen« Franz Lehrndorfer | 2'45" |
| 11 | Choralvorspiel »O laufet, ihr Hirten« by Franz Lehrndorfer | 1'45" |
| 12 | Variationen über »O du fröhliche« by Franz Lehrndorfer | 10'08" |
| 13 | Choralvorspiel Op. 65, 2 »Aus meines Herzens Grunde« (Pastorale) by Sigfrid Karg-Elert | 2'42" |
| 14 | Freie Improvisation über »In dulci jubilo« by Franz Lehrndorfer | 18'33" |
| Total Time: | 77'23" |