Noël: Carols & Chants for Christmas - Anonymous 4 (4 CD Set) [Box set]

Codex Las Huelgas Anonymous (Composer), English Anonymous (Composer), French Anonymous (Composer), Richard Rodney Bennett (Composer), Benjamin Britten (Composer), Geoffrey Burgon (Composer), Gregorian Chant (Composer), Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (Composer), King of England Henry VIII (Composer), Anonymous 4 (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Anonymous 4
• Composer: Codex Las Huelgas Anonymous, English Anonymous, French Anonymous, Richard Rodney Bennett, Benjamin Britten, et al.
• Audio CD (October 11, 2005)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Harmonia Mundi
• ASIN: B000A5HJUO
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #91,296 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #58 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Lullabies & Berceuse

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Intonent Hodie

2. Exultemus Et Letemur

3. Gaudens In Domino

4. Seint Nicholas Was Borne In The Citee Of Patras

5. Confessor Dei Nicholaus

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Awake, And Join The Cheerful Choir

2. Good People All

3. The Seven Rejoices Of Mary

4. The Lamb

5. A Scots Lilt

See all 19 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Hodie Christus Natus Est

2. O Nobilis Nativitas/O Mira Dei/O Decus Virgineum/Apparuit

3. Lux De Luce (Chant)

4. Alleluya: A Nywe Werke

5. Verbum Supernum Prodiens (Chant)

See all 23 tracks on this disc

Disc: 4

1. Ave Spes Nostra

2. Mi Atyank Atya Isten

3. Veni Domine

4. O Mundi Domina

5. Fuit Virgo

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

4 CD Set

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compilation of 4 existing CDs, December 14, 2006

By 

Music Lover (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Noël: Carols & Chants for Christmas - Anonymous 4 (4 CD Set) (Audio CD)

This is a great compilation of Anonymous 4 Christmas music - but it is NOT new. It simply boxes 4 existing CDs together. The CDs are Legends of St. Nicholas, Wolcum Yule, On Yoolis Night, and A Star in the East. If you already have those CDs, there is nothing new here.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The CD set to get for Christmas, December 12, 2007

By 

Jay Young (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Noël: Carols & Chants for Christmas - Anonymous 4 (4 CD Set) (Audio CD)

I will just reiterate that this is a compilation of 4 existing CDs- Legends of St. Nicholas, Wolcum Yule, On Yoolis Night, and A Star in the East. If you don't own any of them, or even if you just own one of them, I would strongly suggest buying this set, since you'll save a lot of money from buying each disc individually.

Anonymous 4 performs all the music flawlessly. If you're looking for Christmas music that lifts up the spirit, you can't do much better than these recordings. Legends of St. Nicholas is an interesting and beautiful collection of chants devoted to the historical figure Nicholas of Myra (who became Santa Clause in our culture); Wolcum Yule is focused on Christmas songs from the British isles, some of them familiar and some not- after listening to Britten's "New Year Carol" on the "Wolcum Yule" CD, I wish people would replace Auld Lang Syne with that on New Year's celebrations; "On Yoolis Night" focuses on Christmas music from the Medieval period and is a must-listen for any early music lover; "A Star in the East" is a sublime and haunting collection of music from medieval Hungary- you won't find music like this anywhere else. What can I say? Highly recommended- this is perfect music to listen to this holiday season, and particularly when you're at home on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Music!, December 20, 2006

By 

Ryan P. Hilderbrand (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Noël: Carols & Chants for Christmas - Anonymous 4 (4 CD Set) (Audio CD)

The previous reviewer is correct - this isn't new music, so if you already have these albums, do not buy this set.

However, if you don't have these albums (or have never heard of the Anonymous 4), this is a BEAUTIFUL collection of their Christmas music. These women have amazing voices and, on top of that, a wonderful way of bringing to life music that had been thought dead since the Middle Ages. I am particularly fond of their music about St. Nicholas, being deeply interested in medieval hagiography. You simply must add this collection to your personal stash of music!