Bläser Weihnacht

Read About This Recording

The album Bläser Weihnacht (Brass Christmas) features the Meran Brass Ensemble under the direction of Konrad Plaickner. The listener will immediately be impressed by the quality of the production of this recording — with the voices from the high trumpet to the low tuba all well balanced and mixed with care. The band features four trumpets, two French horns, three trombones and tuba and each is given a prominent role in these short yet highly original seasonal arrangements.

The album is a virtual Christmas, stocking stuffed with 31 tracks of delightful holiday fare with a spirited reading of "Es hat sich halt eröffnet" ("It has opened the heavenly gate") leading off the festivities. The album contains well-known carols including "O Christmas Tree," "Angels We Have Heard on High," "Joy to the World," "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," "I Saw Three Ships," "Adeste Fideles" and "Silent Night." The arrangements are all well-crafted and offer new takes on these venerable chestnuts.

There are four that stand out and deserve special mention. "In dulci Jubilo" is played with a spirit where one can imagine the peal of bells and the sound of a carillon performing this favorite work, which was heard as far back as the 16th century. "The First Noël" is given a modern treatment that features the horns singing out the soaring and welcoming melody. "Jingle Bells" turns into a celebratory march with the tuba setting the pace and keeping time while the rest of band turns the melody into a potential free-for-all — a raucous and fun musical snowball fight if there ever was one! The German Christmas carol "Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann," using the same melody as "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," is more than apropos as homage to children everywhere who await Christmas morning.

The album also includes Tyrolean and Austrian folksongs that give the CD a genial Alpine flavor as well as solemn Lutheran hymns and a sprinkling of traditional songs from England, France and the Rhineland. All in all, here is a celebration in brass of all things Christmas and an album that you'll want to hear again and again.

—Terrence London

Contents

Es hat sich halt eröffnet; Ihr Hirten, erwacht; O Tannenbaum; Engel bringen frohe Kunde; Es wird schon glei dumpa; Freue dich, Welt; Bozner Hirtenlied; Alle Jahre wieder; Nun singet und seid froh (In dulci jubilo); Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier; Fröhliche Weihnacht überall; Lasst uns das Kindlein wiegen; Noel, Christ ist geboren, o Israel (The First Noel); Jingle Bells; Kommet, ihn Hirten; Lasst uns froh und munter sein; Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann; Maria durch ein Dornwald ging; Unser Heiland ist nun da; Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen; Still, still, still; Vom Himmel hoch, o Englein kommt; Macht hoch die Tür; Ich sah drei Schiffer; O du fröhliche; Heiligste Nacht; Herbei, o ihr Gläubigen (Adeste Fideles); Sterzinger Andachtslied; Still Nacht, heilige Nacht; Tochter Zion; Weignachts-Wiegenlied.

Meraner Blechbläserensemble; Konrad Plaickner, Conductor.