Best Carols 100

Number of Discs: 6
Total time: 319:16
Label: EMI Music Distributio
SPAR: ADD
Availability: In stock
Item #: 5689965

Member Price: $69.98

Review

If you're in the market for a disc of mostly English choirs performing mostly English carols, then this is the set for you. It opens and closes with a matched pair of discs by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, under either Philip Ledger or David Willcocks, and in-between it has a disc by the Clare College Choir, Cambridge, under John Rutter; a disc by the Taverner Consort, Choir, and Players under Andrew Parrott; a disc by the Huddersfield Choral Society under Owain Arwel Hughes, the Bach Choir under David Willcocks and the {Hallé Choir} under Maurice Handford; and a disc featuring eight different sets of carols almost entirely by non-English performers like Hermann Prey, Barbara Hendricks, and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. The Anglophone repertoire naturally favors perennially popular carols like "The First Nowell," "Away in a Manger," and "O Come All Ye Faithful," but also makes room for many more later hits like "The Little Drummer Boy" and, of course, "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Recorded between 1957 and 1996, the sound here is consistently big, bold, and brazen. For Brits and Anglophiles, this set can't be beat. ~ James Leonard, All Music Guide

Read About This Recording

What we've got here is, as the title suggests, the 100 Best Carols, performed by some of the leading choral ensembles, including the Choir of King's College and the Taverner Consort. The EMI label's English roots lend them some credibility in choosing titles from the best of the English choral tradition, and they have delivered the goods, as well as some fine choral arrangements of the most popular hymns.

One disc is devoted entirely to Star Performers, vocal stars ranging from Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, Thomas Hampson and Kiri Te Kanawa to The King's Singers, the latter of whom kick things off with a delightful a cappella version of The Little Drummer Boy. Tenor Andrew Parrott's performances of English carols have become staples in this repertoire and his voice is generously represented on the third disc in the set, blending well with the Taverner's choir and players.

Disc two features a world sampler - carols from England, Poland, Germany, France and beyond - arranged by John Rutter. Beautifully performed by the Clare College Singers of Cambridge, these recordings could easily be considered definitive performances. David Willcocks and Philip Ledger, meanwhile, lead the Choir of King's College through more traditional arrangements of the standards, including The First Nowell, The Holly and the Ivy and Once in Royal David's City on disc one and some lesser known, but equally moving selections on the final CD in this set.

In the digital download era, a compilation such as this one may initially seem a bit antiquated. But consider, for a moment, what it would cost you to download this entire set piecemeal - and not just in money, but in the time spent looking for the best of the best. During a hectic holiday season, it's not always easy to find that kind of time! So EMI has done the hard work for you, and the Society has it ready to ship right to your door at an unbeatable price. This is one gift that will surely keep on giving throughout the holiday season and for years to come.

-Elaine Sutcliffe

CD 1 (TT: 52:59)-Choir of King's College, Cambridge: The First Nowell; Away in a Manger; Up! Good Christian Folk and Listen; O Little Town of Bethlehem; I Sing of a Maiden; A Spotless Rose; Once in Royal David's City; Personent Hodie; Myn Lyking; O Come, O Come, Emmanuel; The Holly and the Ivy; Silent Night; While Shepherds Watched; It Came Upon the Midnight Clear; The Lord at First Did Adam Make; Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.

Gareth Maxwell, Stephen Varcoe, Baritones; Francis Grier, Ian Hare, John Wells, Organs; Choir of King's College, Cambridge; Philip Jones Brass Ensemble; Sir Philip Ledger, Sir David Wilcocks, Directors.

CD 2 (TT: 50:06)-Clare College Singers, Cambridge: Shepherd's Pipe Carol; Infant Holy, Infant Lowly; Angel Tidings; Quelle est cette odeur agreable; I Saw Three Ships; Nativity Carol; Quem pastores laudavere; Rocking; Here We Come A-Wassailing; The Coming of Our King; The Infant King; Shepherd's Noel; Noel nouvelet; Gabriel's Message; Sans Day Carol; Past Three O'clock.

Simon Vaughan, Baritone; Roger Garland, Violin; Jeremy Blandford, Organ; Clare College Singers, Cambridge; Clare College Orchestra; John Rutter, Director.

CD 3 (TT: 50:01)-Taverner Consort, Choir & Players: Methinks I See An Heav'nly Host; Los que fueren de buen gusto; A Virgin Unspotted; The Babe of Bethlehem; Thys endere nyghth; Riu, riu, chiu; Christum wir sollen loben schon; Gaudete; Verbum caro: in hac anni circulo; Alleluya: A nywe werk is come on honde; The Old Year Now Away is Fled; Hodie nobis celorum rex; Audite, principes; In dulci jubilo.

Emily Van Evera, Rachel Platt, Evelyn Tubb, Tessa Bonner, Sopranos; Catherine King, Mezzo-soprano; Jonathan Kenny, Alto; Andrew Parrott, Charles Daniels, Nigel Robertson, Angus Smith, Nicolas Robertson, Mark Padmore, John Dudley, Rogers Covey-Crump, Tenors; Angus Davidson, Countertenor; Simon Grant, Richard Wistreich, Chris Purves, David Thomas, Basses; Stephen Charlesworth, Donald Greig, Baritones/Basses; Jakob Lindberg, Bandora; Taverner Consort Choir & Players.

CD 4 (TT: 65:36)-Star Performers:

The Little Drummer Boy; El nino querido; The Gift (Simple Gifts). The King's Singers; Jeremy Jackman, Alastair Hume, Countertenors; Robert Chilcott, Tenor; Bruce Russell, Simon Carrington, Baritones; Stephen Connolly, Bass; City of London Sinfonia; Richard Hickox, Conductor.

Maria Wiegenlied; Go Tell it on the Mountain; Joy to the World. Barbara Hendricks, Soprano; Eric Ericson Chamber Choir; Children's Choir; Stockholm Chamber Orchestra; Eric Ericson, Director.

Tochter Zion, freue dich; Zu Bethlehem geboren. Hermann Prey, Baritone; Tolzer Knabenchor; Christfried Bickenbach, Organ; Graunke Symphony Orchestra; Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden, Director.

Mary's Boy Child; Ukraine Bell Carol. Wiener Sangerknaben; John Parricelli, Guitar; Andy Pask, Bass; Paul Clarvis, Percussion; Orchestra/Geoffrey Alexander.

Il est ne le divin enfant; Minuit, Chretiens. Roberto Alagna, Tenor; The Abbey Road Ensemble.

Marche des Rois; Noel des iles; Chanson joyeuse de Noel. Les Petits Chanteurs a la Croix de Bois; Abbe Rene Delsinne, A. Barbarat, Directors.

Weihnachten; Vom Himmel hoch. Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Soprano; Ambrosian Singers; Philharmonia Orchestra; Sir Charles Mackerras, Conductor.

In the Bleak Midwinter; O Tannenbaum; The Twelve Days of Christmas. Kiri Te Kanawa, Soprano; Roberto Algano, Tenor; Thomas Hampson, Baritone; London Voices; The Abbey Road Ensemble; Jonathan Tunick, Conductor.

CD 5 (TT: 48:51)-Huddersfield Choral Society/Bach Choir/Halle Choir: Huddersfield Choral Society: God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen; Good King Wenceslas; We Three Kings of Orient Are; Angels From the Realm of Glory; As With Gladness Men of Old; Bach Choir: Coventry Carol; We've Been a While A-Wandering; Masters in This Hall; See Amid the Winter's Snow; Sussex Carol; Ding Dong! Merrily on High; O Little One Sweet; Wassail Song; Carol With Lullaby; Halle Choir: Cowboy Carol; The Shepherds' Farewell; We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

David Bell, Organ; Huddersfield Choral Society/Owain Arwel Hughes; Bach Choir; Jacques Orchestra/Sir David Wilcocks; Halle Choir; Halle Orchestra/Maurice Handford.

CD 6 (TT: 52:31)-Choir of King's College, Cambridge: Nowell, Nowell, Nowell; And All in the Morning; I Saw a Maiden; A Child is Born in Bethlehem; Where Riches is Everlasting; How Far is it to Bethlehem; Of the Father's Heart Begotten; Resonemus laudibus; The Shepherd's Cradle Song; Quittez, pasteurs; Lully, Lulla, Thou Little Tiny Child; Remember, O Thou Man; Hodie Christus natus est; Hosanna to the Son of David; Angelus ad virginem; My Dancing Day; O Come, All Ye Faithful.

Robert Chilcott, Tenor; Timothy Byram-Wigfield, Treble; Douglas Whittaker, Flute; Christopher van Kempen, Cello; Andrew Davis, Ian Hare, Francis Grier, Organs; Choir of King's College, Cambridge; Philip Jones Brass Ensemble; Sir David Wilcocks, Sir Philip Ledger, Directors.