Christmas with Michala Petri

Artist: Michala Petri
Total time: 59:35
Label: Haenssler / Haenssler
SPAR: DDD
Availability: Available
Item #: 5192223

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Review

In the world of the recorder, Michala Petri is the superstar of the late twentieth and early twenty first centuries. She's equally at home in her instrument's mostly Baroque traditional repertoire, new music, and crossover material. In her Christmas album, she largely focuses on carols from her native Denmark, but also includes a generous selection of more familiar pieces. These include arrangements of Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen; Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring; Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme; the Pastorale from Messiah; the Schubert and Bach/Gounod versions of Ave Maria; a movement from The Four Seasons, and Silent Night. A number of arrangers, including Petri herself, contributed to the album, and while all the arrangements are fairly traditional, there's a nice variety of styles represented, from straightforward settings giving the melody to the recorder, to more elaborate and virtuosic sets of variations. The diversity of approaches, and Petri's use of a variety of recorders, makes for a nicely diverse collection. Her playing, from the simplest folk tunes to the most demanding variations, is impeccably tasteful and beautifully expressive. The DR Danish Radio Sinfonietta, led by Henrik Vagn Christensen, provides nuanced support. {Hänssler}'s sound is clean and bright. The collection should be attractive to anyone looking for traditional-sounding Christmas music from off the beaten track. ~ Stephen Eddins, All Music Guide

Read About This Recording

We've all heard it at one time or another, usually when we (or our children) play little tunes on inexpensive models. But in the hands of a trained musician, the recorder can become uniquely wonderful and leave audiences with a newfound sense of wonder at what can come out of these little tubes of wood.

Michala Petri, the first lady of the recorder, returns with a charming and full-bodied disc of music for the holiday season. Intelligent arrangements and demonstration-quality sonics elevate this disc beyond traditional seasonal fare. It is a refreshing change of pace from the regular Christmas release.

She is joined by the Danish Radio Sinfonietta in an album chock full of classic holiday hits including "Lo How a Rose E'er blooming," "Mary's Cradle Song," "Ave Maria" and, of course, "Silent Night" — as well as appropriate classical fare, including Vivaldi' s Largo from "Winter" ("Four Seasons"), Handel's "Pastoral" Symphony from Messiah, Bach's "Wachet Auf" ("Sleepers Awake") and more. There are also works for Christmas by three Danish composers including "Such a Busy Throng Around" by Egil Harder, "Ring Out Ye Bells" by Henrik Rung and "Christmas Has Brought a Blessed Message" by C.E.F. Weyse.

Danish-born Petri, who made her debut as an 11-year-old, began recording in the late 1970s and has continued to delight audiences with her deft technique and first-rate musicianship. She is noted for her virtuosity and versatility across a wide range of styles, from the Baroque repertoire from the height of the instrument's popularity to contemporary works written particularly for her. Musik & Theatre wrote, "When Michala Petri plays, the recorder seems to have no limits. Her charisma, her talent and her unbeatable technique melt into an artistic ideal." With Christmas With Michala Petri, she promises to deliver a festive listening experience filled with joy and delight. A great find for season of Yuletide.

—Terrence London

Quotes

"The nimble Petri makes the recorder sound so right. Delightful!" —Gramophone Magazine

Berggren: Welcome to the Lord's New Year; Welcome Again, God's Angels Small; J.S. Bach/Gounod: Ave Maria; Praetorius: Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming; Weyse: Christmas Has Brought a Blessed Message; Hornemann: Such a Busy Thronging All Around; Reger: Mary's Cradle Song; Vorreformatorische Weise: Let the Clouds Sweetly Resound; Bach: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring; Sleepers, Wake; Beside Thy Cradle Here I Stand; Harder: Ready Stands the Christmas Tree; Deutsche Melodie: Fairest Lord Jesus; Vivaldi: Largo (from The Four Seasons — Winter); Gruber: Silent Night; Schubert: Ave Maria; Nielsen: Strange it is to Speak Of; Händel: Pastorale (from The Messiah); Balle: The Bells Ring out for Christmas Tide; Rung: Ring Out, Ye Bells.

Michala Petri, Recorder; DR Danish Radio Sinfonietta.

Tracklisting

Christmas with Michala Petri
	1.	Vær velkommen, Herrens år (Welcome to the Lord's New Year), hymn by Berggreen, Andreas Peter Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 2:28
	2.	Meditation on Prelude No. 1 of Bach, for violin or cello & piano with organ or cello ad lib. (or other instrumental arrangement) by Gounod, Charles Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 2:56
	3.	Es ist ein Ros entsprungen (Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming), instrumental arrangements by Praetorius, Michael Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 2:25
	4.	Julen har bragt velsignet bud (Christmas Has Brought Blessed Tidings), song by Weyse, Christoph Ernst Friedrich Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 3:58
	5.	Sikken voldsom trængsel og alarm (Such a Busy Thronging All Around), song by Hornemann, Emil Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 2:44
	6.	Maria Wiegenlied (Mary's Lullaby: "Maria sitzt am Rosenhag"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra), Op. 76/52 by Reger, Max Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 3:14
	7.	Joseph dearest, Joseph mine (Joseph, lieber Joseph mein), carol by Traditional, Christmas Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 3:11
	8.	Cantata No. 147, "Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben," BWV 147 (BC A174) by Bach, Johann Sebastian Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 2:42
	9.	Juletræet med sin pynt (Ready Stands the Christmas Tree), song by Harder, Egil Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 2:03
	10.	Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, chorale prelude for organ (Schübler Chorale No. 1), BWV 645 (BC K22) by Bach, Johann Sebastian Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 3:55
	11.	Dejlig er jorden, carol (Danish) (from the German melody "Schönster Herr Jesu") by Traditional, Christmas Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 3:37
	12.	Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in F minor ("L'inverno," The Four Seasons; "Il cimento" No. 4), Op. 8/4, RV 297 by Vivaldi, Antonio Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 3:18
	13.	Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht (Silent Night) by Gruber, Franz Xaver Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 2:44
	14.	Ellens Gesang III ("Ave Maria"), song for voice & piano, D. 839 (Op. 52/6) by Schubert, Franz Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 4:23
	15.	Forunderligt at sige (Strange to Say), song for voice & piano (Hymns & Sacred Songs), FS 83/1 by Nielsen, Carl Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 2:58
	16.	Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56 by Handel, George Frederick Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 2:39
	17.	Det kimer nu til julefest (The Happy Christmas Comes Once More), song by Balle, Carl C. N. Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 3:07
	18.	Velkommen igen, Guds engle små (Welcome Again, God's Little Angels) by Berggreen, Andreas Peter Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 2:00
	19.	Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier, for voice & continuo (Schemelli Gesangbuch No. 195), BWV469 by Bach, Johann Sebastian Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 1:40
	20.	Kimer, I klokker (Ring Out, Ye Bells), song by Rung, Henrik Orchestra: Danish Radio Sinfonietta Conductor: Henrik Vagn Christensen Recorder: Michala Petri Concert Master: Erik Heide Organ: Allan Rasmussen Length: 3:33