Customer Reviews

Christmas Night: Carols of the Nativity

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Of the 4 John Rutter/Cambridge Singers Christmas CD's that I own, this is my favorite, although they are all unspeakably lovely. I think it is the tone of the entire CD that makes it so special. It posesses a quality of tranquility and peace that I personally find mesmerizing and ethereal. Although only 3 of the carols could be considered familiar in both lyric and melody, (there are 22 carols in all) they are all beautiful. The texts and melodies range in age from 14th century to the present day. Some have ancient texts/new melodies, and some are the reverse. Most have a lullaby quality which is very calming and hypnotic, but never boring. The entire effect is haunting and almost other-worldly. One of the nicest things about this CD (practically speaking) is that each carol is not only written out in full text in the front booklet insert, but a brief description of its history is given (composer, arranger, national origin, age of both text and melody). Interesting facts are included as well. I feel that this selection's universal appeal transcends stylistic preferences that might divide many. It is impossible to listen to "Christmas Night: Carols of the Nativity" without being captivated by it.

Of all the myriad Christmas albums available, this gem stands out as one of the finest. The Cambridge Singers cement their place as one of the world's finest choral groups and John Rutter's beautifully written Christmas music truly captures the meaning and wonder of the season. If you had to own only one Christmas abum, this would be a wonderful choice.

The recording is warm and reverberant, with good depth and space, marred only by a certain amount of vocal siblance. The best recorded of all the Rutter Christmas albums to date. I cannot recommend the disc highly enough.

I have owned this CD for three Christmas seasons now, and never tire of it. If you love traditional music, this will open your ears to so many new (and very old) tunes. John Rutter is a masterful conductor, and his original compositions are among the most uplifting on this disc. If you buy no other new Christmas CD, BUY THIS ONE. You will fall in love with every gorgous melody, as my entire family has. The words to each are included -- and some bring tears to your eyes. Times have changed, but love for the meaning of Christ's birth and expressions of that love, awe and wonder, have not.

This is another beautiful CD amply demonstrating John Rutter's capacity to achieve a virtually unique choral sound. He seems to be able to obtain a sound from a choir that is at once different and easily recognizable. It has a more lyrical, more ethereal quality to it, particularly with respect to his own compositions, which in this collection, include There Is a Flower, Candlelight Carol, and Nativity Carol.

If one is not familiar with John Rutter's work, acquiring this CD, will generate an acquaintance that will soon ripen into a friendship.

Rutter and his Cambridge Singers are quite reknowned, and with good reason. Having sung in a workshop he put on once, I know how difficult he can be to please. This CD, however, is just about perfect -- it has a couple of tunes I'm not crazy about, but that's being picky.

The singing is impeccable. The women's voices are especially good. Rutter keeps a tight rein on the choir; since he does not allow any vibrato, you can actually hear every note. And the soprano soloist for "There is a Flower" is absolutely heavenly.

I have all the Rutter Christmas CDs. This is the most "pure", the one where every track could be used in a "Festival of 9 Lessons & Carols" service.

If you want to know what Christmas music is really about, just listen here.

This compilation of Christmas carols both traditional and modern stands in stark contrast to much of the bubble gum, soda pop Christmas music so often heard on popular radio these days. There are no divas or over the top performances or attempts to make "a moment". What there is are beautiful songs sung by talented singers.

So many of these carols are so beautiful that it's hard to pick out which are the best. More likely than not, that's going to be a highly personal choice but if you see one of your favorites on the track list you can be sure that it's well performed.

In short, this album should be part of your Christmas collection. It's best listened to in the quiet time on Christmas Eve.

I came upon this CD a few years ago when I purchesed it for the public library I work for. When it arrived I popped it in the CD player to sample it before I cataloged it. Let me just say that, from the first note I was captivated by the sheer beauty of the music. In fact, I called all the other librarians and some patrons to come and listen to it. Needless to say, everyone of us ran out and bought a copy for ourselves. Of all the Christmas albums I've ever bought this one is the one that I would never be without.

I,ve been collecting Christmas Music for over 25 Years especially the non-pop genre. This is my desert CD. The Chanticleer and Kings College CDs are very good but this is the summit of quiet meditative music for the season. I always listen to this alone at night and still get thrilled and overwhelmed by it's beauty and sublimity. My favorite track is "In the Bleak Mid-Winter" simply because of the beauty of the poetry of Rossetti. I always give this as a gift to my friends who enjoy beautiful acapella music.Do yourself a favor and purchase this most beautiful of all Christmas music. I own over 200 Christmas CD'S and this one gets played at least twice a season. The other Rutter Christmas CD's are excellent but not quite in the same class. This is a once in a lifetime album. It is the centerpiece of my own personal celebration of christmastime.

You can't beat the polished ensemble sound of the Cambridge Singers and John Rutter has devoted his life to celebrating the joys of Anglican Christmas music. This is a coherent program of carols that you can play without skipping tracks. The selection is well-balanced and covers a broad historical range. Although there are some interesting alternatives out there for purists (such as Kings College Choir and the Tallis Singers)if you own just one CD of English Christmas music--this should be the one.

I've loved "The Candlelight Carol" since the first time I heard it ten years ago, and have been looking for a definitive recording of the song ever since. (An aside: Neil Diamond should be HORSE-WHIPPED for even TRYING to sing this song.) I'd bought a few other recordings, most notably one on a Broadway Cares Christmas album, but they all seemed flat... then I came across this one. Of course, John Rutter,who wrote the song in the first place, would be able to conduct a choir to sing this song to near-perfection! In fact, all of the recordings on this album are moving... I especially enjoy the songs "Myn Liking" and "I Wonder as I Wander." But if you have never heard "The Candlelight Carol," listen to it when you get this album, and try not to be moved to tears. This album is wonderful atmosphere music for a quiet Christmas dinner or for a break from other holiday madness. You will be glad you've bought it.