Cantique de Noël: French Music for Christmas from Berlioz to Debussy Choir of Gonville & Caius College Cambridge & Geoffrey Webber

• Adolphe Adam (1803 - 1856):
• 1Cantique de Noël (Arr. for Voices, Choir & Organ)05:53
• Hector Berlioz (1803 - 1869):
• 2L'enfance du Christ, Op. 25, H. 130, Pt. 2 "La fuite en Égypte" (Arr. for Choir & Organ): No. 2, L’adieu des bergers à la sainte famille04:34
• 3L'enfance du Christ, Op. 25, H. 130, Pt. 3 "L'arrivée à Saïs" (Arr. for Choir & Organ): No. 10, O mon âme06:10
• Traditional, arr. G. Fauré (1845 - 1924):
• 4Il est né le divin enfant (Arr. G. Fauré for Choir & Organ)01:36
• Charles Gounod (1818 - 1893):
• 5Noël, CG 18405:30
• Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921):
• 6Oratorio de Noël, Op. 12 (Arr. for Voices, Choir & Organ): No. 4, Domine, ego credidi02:56
• 7Oratorio de Noël, Op. 12 (Arr. for Voices, Choir & Organ): No. 8, Alleluja02:45
• Traditional. Arr. Léon Roques (1839 - 1923):
• 840 Noëls anciens (Arr. L. Roques for Voices, Choir & Organ): No. 6, Nous voici dans la ville03:39
• 940 Noëls anciens (Arr. L. Roques for Voices, Choir & Organ): No. 15, Quelle est cette odeur agréable?04:22
• 1040 Noëls anciens (Arr. L. Roques for Voices, Choir & Organ): No. 30, Quittez, pasteurs, vos brebis02:06
• 1140 Noëls anciens (Arr. L. Roques for Voices, Choir & Organ): No. 23, Noël nouvelet03:23
• César Franck (1822 - 1890), arr. Joseph Noyon (1888 - 1962):
• 126 Duos, FWV 89: No. 3, La vierge à la crèche (Arr. J. Noyon for Choir & Organ)03:16
• Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918):
• 13Noël des enfants qui n'ont plus de maisons, L. 139 (Arr. for Choir & Piano)02:39
• Alexandre Guilmant (1837 - 1911):
• 14Cœur de Jésus enfant05:24
• Jules Massenet (1842 - 1912):
• 15La neige01:46
• Fernand de La Tombelle (1854 - 1928):
• 16Noël au village: No. 4, C’est aujourd’hui03:22
• 17Noël au village: No. 7, Dans les cieux règne02:46
• Traditional, arr. G. Fauré:
• 18Noël d’enfants (Arr. G. Fauré for Voice, Choir & Organ)02:27
• Traditional, arr. Charles Gounod:
• 19Adeste fideles (Arr. C. Gounod for Choir & Organ)06:28
• Total Runtime01:11:02

Info for Cantique de Noël: French Music for Christmas from Berlioz to Debussy

Geoffrey Webber and his choir have developed a reputation for exploring the unusual, and this album is no exception. A number of traditional French melodies have been adapted over the years to become familiar Christmas fare in English-speaking lands; on this recording, though, they are heard in their original French arrangements, and accompanied by the French-style organ in the chapel of Exeter College, Oxford, with its pungent reeds and powerful string stops.

The resulting Romantic fervor is an aspect of Christmas that is sometimes lost amid the Anglo-Saxon tradition of Christmas trees and domestic bliss, and it gives fresh context and meaning to beloved music from Berlioz and his successors. The Choir of Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, is one of the UK’s leading collegiate choirs, with a world-wide reputation based on its extensive touring, its exciting programme of concerts and broadcasts, and highly acclaimed recordings. The choir consists of 24 singers, 2 organists and the Director, Dr Geoffrey Webber. Its history stems from the late nineteenth century when the choir was directed by the composer Charles Wood.

Clover Willis, soprano
Robert Humphries, tenor
Isabelle Tett, soprano
Alice Webster, alto
Emily Myles, soprano
Clover Willis, soprano
Krishnan Ram-Prasad, bass
Ursula Perks, piano
Michael How, organ
Luke Fitzgerald, organ
Choir of Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge
Geoffrey Webber, conductor

No biography found.

Booklet for Cantique de Noël: French Music for Christmas from Berlioz to Debussy