Customer Reviews

A Medieval Christmas

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This collection of Medieval Christmas music has a wonderful mixture of pieces - Hebrew cantillation, Old Saxon readings, plainchant, processional music - with varying countries of origin - Spanish, Provencal, French, Italian, German, English. The net result is a varied program that will appeal even to those not particularly familiar with Medieval music.

The musical instruments are period instruments - rebec, viola da gamba, flutes, recorders, shawm, etc. They are well utilized in the service of the words. The Boston Camerata is, as usual, a well trained choir - the words are clear, the voices blend beautifully.

This can be an excellent addition to your Christmas music collection - one that helps keep Christmas a religious holy day rather than just a civil holiday.

This one's superb. I was absolutely thrilled to see it on CD a few years back (I had the LP). "Medieval Christmas" may sound a little...sullen, or something, but ho ho, this one is different. Sure it's early music, one of the best early music CDs I've heard, and I have many, but it fits the spirit of the holiday season perfectly without being preachy, or overtly Christmas-like. I bought a few copies for friends and they say they like it so much, they play it year 'round.

That's a heck of a recommendation for a Christmas CD, eh? I really don't know what makes this one so special. All that I know is that it's a 5-star production, and the "Renaissance Christmas" I would give only 3.5 stars. It doesn't pack as much of a wallop. So grab this one, folks, and enjoy. From me to you I love this CD!

I was 7 years old and excited as all get out for Christmas when my stepfather brought this album into our family, and it immediately became a classic. This is by far my favorite music to listen to during christmas time. While carols become slightly stale as you grow older, the melodies and performance from this album are timeless, enchanting, historic and carry deep meaning. Now that I'm 33, I appreciate these performances even more, if that is even possible. A true gem. When I discovered it here on CD, I was so excited I telephoned my whole family to let them know.

This has been my favorite holiday album since it first came out some nearly 25 years ago. It has *definately* stood all tests of time.

I've gone several years without writing a review of this, because I can't think of anything to add to the existing heaps of praise this disc has gotten. I found it by chance over 10 years ago, questing for Christmas music that was different from everything else available. I can't claim to be any sort of authority about this type of music, although I like it a lot, but I have heard a few badly executed albums of medieval music and know what I don't like - dry, academic interpretation, or on the other side of the spectrum, overly corny, cartoony sounding. This disc is alive and very soulful, not too reverent but respectful of its heritage.

This is the first Christmas CD I listen to every year, right after the dishes are done from the Thanksgiving meal. I like it so much that I have not only given 4 copies of this as gifts (as well as giving 4 other Boston Camerata discs as gifts), but I have bought 5 other Boston Camerata discs for myself. They're all good, but this one is still my favorite. I wish satellite radio would pick this up so more people could hear it. It is otherworldly, unlike anything else out there...

We're bombarded with modern Christmas music at work ALL...DAY...LONG. Or at the mall or at the grocery store. Why would anyone want to bring the same music home with them that only reminds them of work? And yet people do this every year. Get back to the basics. Put on the kettle, light the fireplace, use those flicker flame lights on your tree, turn off all those modern white house lights and then put on this cd and just sit on your couch. You'll be in the 13th century in no time. Leave the Bob Hope specials and Lawrence Welk Christmases to the idiots.

A friend gave me this album - on a 33RPM record! - over 20 years ago and it has remained one of my all time favorites. Words defy the magic contained in it. You will be transported back hundreds of years. I cannot laud enough the Boston Cantata's attention to details and professionalism in the playing of original instruments, the old English readings, and the incredible vocals, especially the countertenor on "Gabriel's Prophecy."

Joel Cohen & company present Christmass when it was ChristMass. The music is haunting and mystical in a way that engages the mystery of the Gospel of John, provided in Saxon. It has become essential to my meditations on the Incarnation.

The program is unique with rarely heard compositions performed superbly. Nonesuch was a fantastic LP label, and it is nice to see some of their recordings coming to CD.