One of the finest Christmas recordings ever made, this 1994 production by the Baltimore Consort makes a welcome return (complete with a new cover) along with the revival of the Dorian label. Glowing with the high, clear soprano of Custer LaRue and brimming with versatile, virtuoso instrumental work by Mary Anne Ballard (viols, rebec), Mark Cudek (cittern, Baroque guitar, viols, bandora), Larry Lipkis (viol, recorder, gemshorn), Ronn McFarlane (lute), Chris Norman (wooden flutes, pennywhistle), and Webb Wiggins (organ), this program literally lives up to the promise of its title.
Many of these 20 tunes/carols/dances are among the most familiar Christmas standards--Ding dong merrily onRead more high; Greensleeves; Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen; In dulci jubilo; The Cherry Tree Carol; Tomorrow shall be my dancing day--presented in both vocal/instrumental and strictly instrumental arrangements. But whatever the tune, and however it's presented, the result is invariably engaging, artful, classy, and infinitely repeatable, which means it's perfect for multiple repetitions, whether at Christmas or any other time of year. Chris Norman's flute improvisation on "Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen" is a classic, and Custer LaRue's rendition of the beautiful "Rorate coeli desuper" is not to be missed. In fact, that last instruction applies to this entire disc. If you're a Christmas music fan (and who isn't?) and you don't already own this CD, you know what you have to do.
Tomorrow shall be my dancing dayby William Sandys Performer:
Ronn McFarlane (Lute),
Custer LaRue (Soprano),
Mark Cudek (Cittern),
Chris Norman (Flute),
Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da gamba),
Larry Lipkis (Viola da gamba)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Period: Romantic Written: 1833 Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 2 Minutes 17 Secs. Language: English
2.
Cherry Tree Carolby Traditional Performer:
Custer LaRue (Soprano),
Ronn McFarlane (Lute),
Mark Cudek (Viola da gamba),
Larry Lipkis (Viola da gamba),
Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da gamba)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Written: England Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 4 Minutes 45 Secs. Language: English
3.
The Wren Songby Traditional Performer:
Mark Cudek (Cittern),
Ronn McFarlane (Lute),
Custer LaRue (Soprano),
Larry Lipkis (Recorder),
Chris Norman (Pennywhistle),
Mary Anne Ballard (Rebec)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 1 Minutes 27 Secs. Language: English
4.
Ding Dong! Merrily on highby Traditional Performer:
Ronn McFarlane (Lute),
Larry Lipkis (Viola da gamba),
Custer LaRue (Soprano),
Chris Norman (Flute),
Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da gamba),
Mark Cudek (Cittern)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Period: Renaissance Written: 16th Century; France Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 1 Minutes 45 Secs. Language: English Notes: Arranged: Larry Lipkis This selection is based on the tune "Branle l'officiel" from Thoinot Arbeau's "Orchésographie." This selection is based on the tune "Branle l'officiel" from Thoinot Arbeau's "Orchésographie".
5.
The Old Year now away is fledby Traditional Performer:
Mark Cudek (Cittern),
Chris Norman (Flute),
Ronn McFarlane (Lute),
Custer LaRue (Soprano),
Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da gamba),
Larry Lipkis (Viola da gamba)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Period: Renaissance Written: 16th Century; England Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 3 Minutes 31 Secs. Language: English Notes: This selection is based on the tune "Greensleeves."
6.
Christmas Day in da Mornin'by Traditional Performer:
Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da gamba),
Mark Cudek (Cittern),
Chris Norman (Flute),
Ronn McFarlane (Lute),
Larry Lipkis (Viola da gamba)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Written: Shetland Islands, Sc Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 2 Minutes 30 Secs.
7.
Wir singen dir, Immanuelby Traditional Performer:
Ronn McFarlane (Lute),
Chris Norman (Flute),
Larry Lipkis (Viola da gamba),
Mark Cudek (Cittern),
Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da gamba)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Written: Germany Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 2 Minutes 25 Secs.
8.
Wassail Songby Traditional Performer:
Mark Cudek (Cittern),
Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da gamba),
Ronn McFarlane (Lute),
Larry Lipkis (Viola da gamba),
Chris Norman (Flute)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Period: Renaissance Written: 16th Century; England Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 2 Minutes 14 Secs. Notes: This selection is based on the tune "Chesnut" or "Dove's Figary" from "The English Dancing Master".
9.
Een Kindeken is ons geborenby John Bull Performer:
Webb Wiggins (Organ)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Period: Baroque Written: Netherlands (Holland Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 3 Minutes 17 Secs.
10.
The bellman's Carolby Traditional Performer:
Ronn McFarlane (Lute),
Larry Lipkis (Viola da gamba),
Mark Cudek (Viola da gamba),
Webb Wiggins (Organ),
Custer LaRue (Soprano),
Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da gamba)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Written: England Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 3 Minutes 14 Secs. Language: English
11.
A Christmas Jigby Traditional Performer:
Chris Norman (Flute),
Ronn McFarlane (Lute),
Larry Lipkis (Bass Viola da gamba),
Mark Cudek (Bandora),
Mary Anne Ballard (Rebec)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Written: USA Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 4 Minutes 11 Secs.
12.
In dulci jubiloby Johann Michael Bach Performer:
Webb Wiggins (Organ)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Period: Baroque Written: Germany Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 1 Minutes 30 Secs.
13.
Rorate coeli desuperby Traditional Performer:
Custer LaRue (Soprano),
Chris Norman (Flute),
Ronn McFarlane (Lute),
Mary Anne Ballard (Viola da gamba),
Larry Lipkis (Viola da gamba),
Mark Cudek (Viola da gamba)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Written: Scotland Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 5 Minutes 43 Secs. Language: English
14.
Drive the cold winter awayby Traditional Performer:
Ronn McFarlane (Lute),
Mary Anne Ballard (Treble Vla da gamba),
Mark Cudek (Bandora),
Chris Norman (Alto Flute),
Larry Lipkis (Bass Viola da gamba)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Period: Renaissance Written: England Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 3 Minutes 24 Secs.
15.
Remember, O thou manby Thomas Ravenscroft Performer:
Larry Lipkis (Bass Viola da gamba),
Mark Cudek (Bandora),
Mary Anne Ballard (Treble Vla da gamba),
Custer LaRue (Soprano),
Ronn McFarlane (Lute)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Period: Renaissance Written: by 1611; England Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 4 Minutes 0 Secs. Language: English
16.
Quem pastores laudavereby Traditional Performer:
Larry Lipkis (Gemshorn)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Period: Medieval Written: 14th Century Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 1 Minutes 52 Secs.
17.
Christmas is my nameby Traditional Performer:
Webb Wiggins (Chamber Organ),
Custer LaRue (Soprano),
Larry Lipkis (Bass Viola da gamba)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 6 Minutes 30 Secs. Language: English
18.
In dir ist Freudeby Traditional Performer:
Ronn McFarlane (Soprano Lute),
Mary Anne Ballard (Bass Viola da gamba),
Chris Norman (Fife),
Mark Cudek (Guitar),
Larry Lipkis (Gemshorn)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 1 Minutes 52 Secs.
19.
The Shropshire wakes, or, Hey for Christmasby Traditional Performer:
Mark Cudek (Cittern),
Custer LaRue (Soprano),
Mary Anne Ballard (Rebec),
Chris Norman (Fife),
Ronn McFarlane (Lute),
Larry Lipkis (Bass Viola da gamba)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Period: Baroque Written: 17th Century; England Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 5 Minutes 31 Secs. Language: English
20.
Musae Sioniae: Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungenby Michael Praetorius Performer:
Chris Norman (Flute)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Baltimore Consort
Period: Renaissance Written: by 1609; Germany Date of Recording: 01/1994 Venue: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY Length: 2 Minutes 54 Secs.
Featured Sound Samples
Ding Dong! Merrily On High (Traditional)
Christmas Day in da Mornin' (Traditional)
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review: ( 1 Customer Review )
The best of the bestOctober 26, 2016By M. Drake (South Beach, OR)See All My Reviews"On a desert island, with only 1 Christmas CD allowed, this would be the one. LaRue is a sheer delight to listen to, not to mention the skill and energy of the whole ensemble. The carol selections are unique, which makes a refreshing change from the endless round of overworked pop music at the Holidays. This is the first CD that comes out after Thanksgiving every year and it's the last one to go back in the cupboard for another year. Honestly, cannot recommend it enough."Report Abuse