Notes and Editorial Reviews
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 on
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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.
-- David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com
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Works on This Recording
1.
Tomorrow shall be my dancing day by 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 Carol by 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 Song by 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 high by 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 fled by 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, Immanuel by 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 Song by 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 geboren by 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 Carol by 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 Jig by 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 jubilo by 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 desuper by 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 away by 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 man by 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 laudavere by 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 name by 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 Freude by 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 Christmas by 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' entsprungen by 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)
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