When this recording appeared in advance of the 2020 holiday season, it served in one respect as an affirmation of tradition at a difficult time: Benjamin Britten's joyous Ceremony of Carols is among the most popular works of Christmas music across the English-speaking world and even beyond. In another sense, however, it represented something new. In this work, Britten balanced a neo-medieval impulse with his own modern sound world, and most performances incline toward the former. This is especially true in performances ...
Read More
When this recording appeared in advance of the 2020 holiday season, it served in one respect as an affirmation of tradition at a difficult time: Benjamin Britten's joyous Ceremony of Carols is among the most popular works of Christmas music across the English-speaking world and even beyond. In another sense, however, it represented something new. In this work, Britten balanced a neo-medieval impulse with his own modern sound world, and most performances incline toward the former. This is especially true in performances using Britten's original scoring for boy trebles (or female sopranos) but is even common in the mixed-choir arrangement by Julius Harrison heard here. The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge, under director Graham Ross goes in the other direction with vigorous, even full-throated performances: sample "This Little Babe." The Ceremony of Carols is effectively introduced by other works in the vein of enthusiasm, by Britten and others, which is all to the good. Other draws here include the...
Read Less
Portions of content provided by Rovi Corporation. © 2024 Rovi Corporation.