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List Price: $12.98 | | Label: Hyperion UK
Salesrank: 4162
Released: October 12, 2004 |
| Our Price: $9.71 |
| Used Price: $32.71 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Christmas Present From Polyphony Track Listing:
1. Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht (Silent Night)
2. Carol-Anthems (3) for chorus: No. 3. Sing Lullaby
3. Christmas Carols (4) for chorus: All this time
4. Ave Maris Stella, for double chorus
5. Die Könige
6. Magnificat Antiphones (7), for chorus: O Morgenstern
7. Magnificat, for chorus
8. Nativity Carol
9. The Sussex Mummers' Christmas Carol, folk song for chorus (arranged by Dana Perna)
10. A Hymn to the Virgin, for double chorus
11. Lully, Lulla, Thou Little Tiny Child, for soloist & chorus, Op 25b
12. Away in a manger (Tune: Cradle Song) (New English Hymnal 22)
13. O Magnum Mysterium, for chorus
14. Bethlehem Down, carol for chorus & organ
15. Carol-Anthems (3) for chorus: No. 2. A Spotless Rose
16. Chorale on an Old French Carol, for double chorus
17. What Cheer?, carol arrangement for chorus (Christmas Carols No. 2)
18. Lullaby my Jesus, for chorus (arr. by Andrew Carter from Capriol Suite)
19. Shepherd's Pipe Carol
Christmas Present From Polyphony Reviews:
Pleasurable listening long after other music bores 
2009-05-08 - If the Yuletide season seems to be a combination of tidal wave (shopping and rush) and excruciating boredom from musical tracks that should have, long-ago, worn out and died, this CD is probably the best candidate there is for relaxing from the rush and enlivening the season with renewed listening pleasure.
Choral perfectionists.
2007-02-19 - This is an essential Christmas choral CD. The program itself is fabulous and unique, lacking the tacky "favorites" found on most recordings of this type. Entirely a cappella except for two Rutter arrangements with orchestra. Not a single track is lacking in depth and sincerity.
Polyphony is one phenomenal choir. For its small size, it has truly unmatched sustaining power and control (demonstrated most astonishingly in Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium and the end of Howells' A Spotless Rose). The only disappointment on the entire disc is Grieg's gorgeous "Ave Maris Stella" in which, for whatever reason, the men sing with a rather unblended and even wobbly sound while the women are almost entirely straight-tone. "Sing Lullaby" by Howells is a priceless gem worth several times the cost of this CD....a powerfully haunting piece performed here to utter perfection and taste. You will also find what is most assuredly the most perfect and definitive recording of "O Magnum Mysterium" to be found anywhere. The balance and length of line this incredibly gifted ensemble achieves in this too-often-performed piece will leave you breathless.
Sublimely beautiful!
2005-02-01 - Heavenly music, beautifully captured in a location with fantastic acoustics. This is music that needs to be heard on headphones or outstanding surround sound to be really appreciated. Here I am in February still listening to this CD of Xmas music... it's very calming to the soul. I can't recommend this highly enough.
