Bright Day Star: Music for the Yuletide Season

The Baltimore Consort (Artist), Anonymous (Composer), English Anonymous (Composer), Johann Michael Bach (Composer), John Bull (Composer), Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi (Composer), Nickolaus Hermann (Composer), Michael Praetorius (Composer), Thomas Ravenscroft (Composer), William Sandys (Composer), John Stainer (Composer), Christmas Traditional (Composer), Baltimore Consort (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Baltimore Consort
• Composer: Anonymous, English Anonymous, Johann Michael Bach, John Bull, Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi, et al.
• Audio CD (April 16, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Dorian Recordings
• ASIN: B000001QAB
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #132,189 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #28 in Music > Miscellaneous > Holiday > Classical Instrumental

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Christmas Favorite, December 8, 2000

By 

Frederick Lauritzen - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bright Day Star: Music for the Yuletide Season (Audio CD)

Had enough of animated snowmen and over-sweetened carol arrangements? Here's a hugely enjoyable recording of songs and dances done with flair by the Baltimore Consort. There are a few familiar tunes, such as the lilting arrangement of "Ding, Dong Merrily On High" and a beautiful solo flute version of "Lo, How a Rose 'Er Blooming." But most the songs are off the beaten track, and are therefore fresh and new despite their antiquity. Custer LaRue brings feeling and energy into the songs. This has become the most played Christmas CD in our household.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent performances and unique music, December 12, 1999

By 

Victoria Suarez (Richardson, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bright Day Star: Music for the Yuletide Season (Audio CD)

This is my favorite Christmas CD, and it is very different from everything else we hear this time of year.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars why to get this disc (in rhyme), November 23, 2001

By 

NotATameLion (Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bright Day Star: Music for the Yuletide Season (Audio CD)

'Twas the day after Thanksgiving, and all through the house, Christmas spirit was stirring and starting to rouse feelings of joy and expectation in the hearts of the people who were there. Beautiful music and Custer LaRue's singing filled the air.

Wonderful songs, written by people long dead, caused pictures to form and stories to dance through each listening head. Stories of a virgin bearing a child, stories of the little Savior's entrance into this world...meek and mild.

Each song is sung with such haunting beauty and care. The Consort's playing could not be more wonderfully fair. Each song is a masterpiece--"The Cherry Tree Carol," "In dulci jubilo," and "Quem pastores laudavere." Each song's focus is on the true meaning of Christmas--no appearance made by St. Nick--but with singing like this, in your head they are sure to stick.

More beautifully than snowflakes this music drifts down. In sheer loveliness, "Christmas Is My Name" deserves the crown. Oh but each tune is strong--like "Ding Dong Merrily" and "The Wren Song." Most come in at under three minutes each, none is overlong. Each is stunning...how can the listener go wrong? How they twinkle...they are most merry. One even makes mention of Cherries.

(...)

I highly recommend this disc.