Performed by New York's Ensemble for Early Music
Frederick Renz, Director
"variegated adventures of more than historical interest. polish, rusticity and grandeur of spirit. irresistible. can't get enough... I'm addicted..." New York Times
EMF’s Ex cathedra Records continues its highly popular series of holiday recordings with “A Baroque Christmas.” This new CD, produced in association with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, features 17th-century French noels in full flower, Lutheran Advent hymns masterfully crafted into chorale variations by J.S. Bach’s precursors, Spanish villancicos composed in the New World, arias fashioned in the new Italian opera style, as well as Scots airs and English ballad tunes -- over an hour of uniquely engaging baroque holiday repertoire.
A kaleidoscopic panorama of the Old and New World features composers Praetorius, Schein, Scheidt, Charpentier, Delalande, Frescobaldi, Gagliano, Piccinini and Mexican composers Salazar, Vidales, Ximeno and Mucia. Researched and directed by Frederick Renz, this program is specially chosen for performances at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and features the ENSEMBLE for EARLY MUSIC’s six male voices in consort with theorbo, lute, guitars, cittern, Spanish cross-strung, Italian triple and Celtic harp, bass viola da gamba and chamber organ.
Anonymous composers of unique Scots airs and poets of English ballads with seasonal texts, including “The old year now away is fled,” set to the popular country dances tune "Greensleeves,“ enliven this vivid 17th-century Christmas celebration.
MP3 Downloads
Play List
1.All sons of AdamAnonymous Scotch, ca.1666
2.BalulalowAnonymous, Scotch, ca.1660
3.Nou let us singAnonymous, Scotch, ca.1639
4.Les bourgeois de ChâtresMarc-Antoine Charpentier, d.1704/Renz
5.Or, nous dites MarieMichel-Richard Delalande, 1657-1726/Renz
6.Joseph est bien mariéCharpentier/Renz
7.Le triste etat/ arr. Renz
8.L’Altesse RoyaleJacques Gallot, le Vieux, d.1647
9.Viens vite, laisse ta houletteCharpentier/Renz
10.Vous qui desirez sans finCharpentier/Renz
11.Un ciego que contrabajoAntonio de Salazar, fl.1690
12.Otros CanariesSantiago de Mucia, ca.1720
13.Los que fueren de buen gustoFrancisco de Vidales
14.Nun komm, der Heiden HeilandJohann Herman Schein, pub.1618
15.Verses 2, 3, 4, 5Michael Praetorius, pub.1610
16.Ach mein herzliebes JesuleinSamuel Scheidt, pub.1635
17.Toccata IVAlessandro Piccinini, pub.1621
18.O meraviglie belleMarco da Gagliano, pub.1615
19.Ciaccon in partite variataPiccinini, pub.1621
20.Beata visceraGabriele Fattorini, pub.1602
21.Capriccio PastoraleGirolamo Frescobaldi, pub.1615
22.All you that are good fellowsAnonymous, English, ca.1642
23.The old yeare now away is fledAnonymous, English, ca.1642