7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Beautifully Sung Recording Prepares the Spirit for Christmas, August 21, 2010
This review is from: Advent Carols from St. John's (Audio CD)
So few recordings are compiled for Advent - that wonderful and distinctive season that begins the Church year and is sadly all but forgotten in the U.S. consciousness. I began searching for Advent CD's in an effort to develop a library of music that fostered the preparation for Christmas (instead of listening to to "Joy to the World" from the day after Thanksgiving to December 25th). I was surprised that it was the only one on Amazon. There are two new cd's since then, which I have not heard. This one is excellent.
The CD is worth it if only for the beautiful recordings of "Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending" (the closing descant makes my heart soar) and the "alternate" (superior?) tune for "O, Little Town of Bethlehem" (Forest Green). The chant tracks of four of the "O Antiphons" taken from the Missal the last week of Advent are also a real treat. The CD would also be fine throughout the Christmas season. The music is generally of the quieter, more subdued kind, contemplative, wintry. It sets the table, as it were.
My one critique is that there is a Gospel reading inserted at the end of one of the tracks. Carols and readings is a nice idea, but at least I wish they'd put the reading on a separate track so I could skip it when I just want music.
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