Great Joy, Vol. 2-Christmas Music for Brass

Read About This Recording

The Schweriner Blechblaser-Collegium got its start in 1975 with just nine musicians from orchestras in Schwerin, Germany. Following the country's reunification, musicians from the city of Lubeck also joined the ensemble and the collegium was born. The group, which comprises brass instrumentalists, is well versed in brass music from nearly every musical era and century, as listeners will soon discover from this disc.

The music featured on Volume 2 dates from the 1600s through the early 20th century. This disc could easily make for fine listening at any time of the year. True, a bright and festive version of O Come All Ye Faithful kicks off the recording and a tender rendition of Good Christian Men Rejoice is tucked into the mix, but what follows is just as refreshing to hear in May as in December. Organist Jan Ernst. joins the ensemble on this disc in addition to Andreas Winkler on timpani for some fascinating arrangements and transcriptions.

This Great Joy CD certainly delivers the goods and promises a festive listening experience throughout the year.

-Elaine Sutcliffe

Contents

Wade: Adestes fideles (Herbei, o ihr Glaub'gen); Hammerschmidt: Freue dich, du Tochter Zion; Sonata super Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ; Buxtehude: Lobt Gott, ihr Christen alle gleich, BuxWV202; Vejvanovsky: Sonata vespertina in C Major; Bach: Ich steh' an einer Krippen hier, BWV469; Johann Michael Bach: In dulci jubilo; Ha