Customer Reviews

Nativitas

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
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My goodness, this is such lovely, impeccable, inspired singing! I particularly like 'In Time of Softest Snow' and the Kevin Oldham re-setting of 'Silent Night'. The Kansas City Chorale meets the highest international standards.

This CD is one of my favorite choral discs. The Kansas City Chorale is a professional group of 24 singers who sing at the highest international level and have made six or seven CDs, mostly for the now-defunct Nimbus label. They sing primarily a cappella, although a few of the selections are expertly accompanied by organist James Higdon. The late Kevin Oldham's arrangement of 'Silent Night' is lightly accompanied by flute and harp.

All of the music here was composed or arranged by American composers and it includes the carol group 'Nativitas' by Jean Belmont, as well as two three-carol groups by Conrad Susa and Arnold Freed. My particular favorites, like the previous reviewer's, are 'In Time of Softest Snow' by John Carter and Oldham's arrangement of 'Silent Night.' Others I like are Ned Rorem's brief 'Shout the Glad Tidings' and Joel Martinson's 'There is No Rose.'

I'm not a religious person, but this music, to me, brings out the true meaning of Christmas. I listen to it year round. Beautiful voices; beautiful songs.

Superb voices, a strong sense of ensemble, in a luminous, warm recording.

(I'm also partial to a classical disc centered around American Christmas music.)