Our Heart's Joy: A Chanticleer Christmas

Chanticleer (Composer), Jean Mouton (Composer), Andrea Gabrieli (Composer), Michael Praetorius (Composer), Francisco Guerrero (Composer), Spanish Anonymous (Composer), Anonymous (Composer), Franz Biebl (Composer), Christmas Traditional (Composer), Benjamin Britten (Composer), Spiritual Traditional (Composer), Franz Xaver Gruber (Performer), Mark Daniel (Performer), Neal Rogers (Performer), Foster Sommerlad (Performer), Matthew Thompson (Performer), Kenneth Fitch (Performer), Karl Schmidt (Performer), Peter Maund (Performer), Chad Runyon (Performer), Tim Gibler (Performer), Kevin Baum (Performer), Steven Rickards (Performer), Mark Keller (Performer), Frank Albinder (Performer), Joseph Jennings (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Franz Xaver Gruber, Mark Daniel, Neal Rogers, Foster Sommerlad, Matthew Thompson, et al.
• Composer: Chanticleer, Jean Mouton, Andrea Gabrieli, Michael Praetorius, Francisco Guerrero, et al.
• Audio CD (December 15, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Chanticleer Records
• ASIN: B000003VV3
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #74,215 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #45 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Vocal Non-Opera > Partsongs
  • #86 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Vocal Non-Opera > Songs & Lieder > General

Track Listings

1. Ave Maria... Virgo serena

2. Quem vidistis pastores?

3. In dulci jubilo

4. Virgen sancta

5. E la don don

6. Rmu, rmu, chmu

7. Ave Maria

8. There is no rose

9. A hymn to the Virgin

10. Tomorrow shall be my dancing day

11. Il est ni le divin enfant

12. O come, O come, Emmanuel

13. I wonder as I wander

14. Medley of Christmas Spirtuals

15. Silent Night

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sublime Singing, June 5, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Our Heart's Joy: A Chanticleer Christmas (Audio CD)

The all male, A Capella choir Chanticleer includes songs of many styles on this recording, but one in particular has always shined the brightest for me. The "Ave Maria," written by Biebel, includes introductory passages of traditional Gregorian chant, which lead into lush choral passages of neo-classical style, richly colored by impressionism. The sound is sonorous, fluid, and radiant, and communicates a deep sense of spiritual fulfilment. The "Ave Maria" text has been set numerous times in history, but this rendition seems best to capture the delicate longing and pleading for intercession between humans and the Virgin Mary. It is a quiet comment on the human condition, as we turn to the heavens to find order both in our lives, and in the world around us. If there is a heaven, it must sound like this.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two great tracks - everything good, May 12, 2000

By 

M. J. Smith (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Our Heart's Joy: A Chanticleer Christmas (Audio CD)

Biebl's Ave Maria is a gem of 20th century church music. Chanticleer does a superb job of this piece which is most powerful as a male only choir piece.

The medley of spirituals is another gem - the director has teased out of the Chanticleer singers the same spontaneity and musicianship that one hears in the Belleville A Capella choir - absolutely stunning interplay between soloist and choir.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most soothing compilations of music I own, December 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Our Heart's Joy: A Chanticleer Christmas (Audio CD)

I first owned a tape of this in 1993, and went out of my way to purchase the CD last summer. I never get tired of this CD. Of course, there is nothing more healing than the Biebl Ave Maria, which grows more and more beautiful everytime I listen to it. Chanticleer introduced this beautiful piece to me, I've had the good fortune of having it sung at my wedding, and being able to sing it last year in the Cathedrals, Abbeys and Basilicas of France! The rest of the CD is just as superb, and yes, those really are men singing those most amazing Soprano sections in Go Tell It On the Mountain. Other favorites are the Mouton that opens the CD, There Is No Rose, and O Come Emmanuel. A wonderful addition to anyone's Christmas CD collection, and one that you can play year round!