A Danish Christmas

This is a lovely disc, of music largely unknown outside of Scandinavia yet which ought to have the broadest possible appeal, especially when performed with such style

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: J. Meidell, Peter Faber, Christoph Ernst Friedrich Weyse, Thorvald Aagaard, Carl Nielsen, Traditional, Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann, H. O. C. Zinck, Johann Abraham Peter Schulz, Vilhelm Gregersen, Henrik Rung, Bo Holten, Povl Hamburger, Anonymous, Peter Erasmus Lange-Müller, Thomas (Linnemann) Laub, Andreas Peter Berggreen, Egil Harder, Thora Borch, Niels (Wilhelm) Gade, C Balle

Label: Naxos

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 78

Mastering:

DDD

Catalogue Number: 8 554627

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
Like a Rose Garden, `Blomstre som en rosengård' Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann, Composer
Musica Ficta
Christmas has brought a blessed message, `Julen ha Christoph Ernst Friedrich Weyse, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Christoph Ernst Friedrich Weyse, Composer
Musica Ficta
(The) Christmas message, `Julebudet til dem, der b Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann, Composer
Musica Ficta
(The) Bushes are hidden in snow, `I sne står urt Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann, Composer
Musica Ficta
Ring out, ye bells, `Kimer, I klokker' Henrik Rung, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Henrik Rung, Composer
Musica Ficta
Nothing in the world is as quiet as snow, `Der er Povl Hamburger, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Musica Ficta
Povl Hamburger, Composer
Bells ring out for the Christmas feast, `Det kimer C Balle, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
C Balle, Composer
Musica Ficta
Old Christmas Song, `Gammel julesang' Peter Erasmus Lange-Müller, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Musica Ficta
Peter Erasmus Lange-Müller, Composer
Welcome again, God's little angels, `Velkommen ige Christoph Ernst Friedrich Weyse, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Christoph Ernst Friedrich Weyse, Composer
Musica Ficta
(The) Infant Jesus lay in a crib (Barn Jesus i en Niels (Wilhelm) Gade, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Musica Ficta
Niels (Wilhelm) Gade, Composer
Here come your little ones, Jesus, `Her kommer, Je Johann Abraham Peter Schulz, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Johann Abraham Peter Schulz, Composer
Musica Ficta
My heart always wonders, `Mit hjerte altid vanker' Carl Nielsen, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Carl Nielsen, Composer
Musica Ficta
Praise be to you, Jesus Christ, `Lovet vaere du, J Traditional, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Musica Ficta
Traditional, Composer
Our Jesus can find no lodging, `Vor Jesus kan ej n Christoph Ernst Friedrich Weyse, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Christoph Ernst Friedrich Weyse, Composer
Musica Ficta
Now shall we sing and be glad, `Nu vil vi sjunge o Thomas (Linnemann) Laub, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Musica Ficta
Thomas (Linnemann) Laub, Composer
How beautiful is the blue sky, `Dejlig er den himm J. Meidell, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
J. Meidell, Composer
Musica Ficta
(A) Little child so delightful, `Et lidet barn sa C Balle, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
C Balle, Composer
Musica Ficta
At this sweet Christmas time, `I denne søde jule Bo Holten, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Bo Holten, Composer
Musica Ficta
Snow-flakes come streaming, `Sneflokke kommer vrim Thorvald Aagaard, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Musica Ficta
Thorvald Aagaard, Composer
Now comes a message from the angel choir, `Nu kom Christoph Ernst Friedrich Weyse, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Christoph Ernst Friedrich Weyse, Composer
Musica Ficta
(The) Clouds turn grey, `Skyerne gråne' Thora Borch, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Musica Ficta
Thora Borch, Composer
Let the clouds sweetly resound, `Lad det klinge s Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Musica Ficta
There is something in the air, `Der er noget i luf Vilhelm Gregersen, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Musica Ficta
Vilhelm Gregersen, Composer
Among the stars of the night, `Imellem nattens stj Povl Hamburger, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Musica Ficta
Povl Hamburger, Composer
Welcome again, God's little angels Andreas Peter Berggreen, Composer
Andreas Peter Berggreen, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Musica Ficta
Now let us gather, `Nu ville vi os samle' H. O. C. Zinck, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
H. O. C. Zinck, Composer
Musica Ficta
It is white out there, `Det er hvidt herude' Thomas (Linnemann) Laub, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Musica Ficta
Thomas (Linnemann) Laub, Composer
(The) sparrow sits silently on the eaves, `Spurven Thorvald Aagaard, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Musica Ficta
Thorvald Aagaard, Composer
(The) Christmas tree with its decorations, `Juletr Egil Harder, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Egil Harder, Composer
Musica Ficta
What a great throng and noise - now it is Christma Peter Faber, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Musica Ficta
Peter Faber, Composer
We welcome our Lord's new year, `Vaer velkommen, H Andreas Peter Berggreen, Composer
Andreas Peter Berggreen, Composer
Bo Holten, Conductor
Musica Ficta
The 31 Yuletide songs contained here are not merely occasional pieces to be dusted off in December and put back on the shelf on Boxing Day. There are some real gems, the best being Nielsen's My heart always wonders, in a choral arrangement by Paul Hellmuth. This may sound familiar to British ears, as will Gade's The infant Jesus lay in a crib, one of only two to be available in other recordings and then in versions for solo voice. Indeed, several of the composers themselves will be making their debut in the catalogue, such as Balle, Vilhelm Gregerson and Meidell.
If Nielsen and Gade are the best known, there are others whose names at least should be familiar, such as J. P. E. Hartmann and Weyse. Perhaps the heartiest plaudits should go to the conductor, Bo Holten - himself no mean composer and represented by At this sweet Christmas time - who has done the lion's share of the arranging. Particularly effective are those of Thora Borch's The clouds turn grey, the anonymous Let the clouds sweetly resound (with its tinkling bells) and Gregersen's There is something in the air (tracks 21-3). Apart from one or two intonational slips in solos, Musica Ficta does not put a foot wrong. Play this disc on Christmas Eve to get into the Christmas mood.'

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