Search - Alfred Deller :: Complete Vanguard Classics: Music For The Christmas Season

The ne plus ultra of Christmas collections

pclaudel | New York City | 01/14/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There are two kinds of Christmas recordings: the good ones (aimed at the few for whom Christmas is a holy day or at least a holiday of some significance) and the bad ones (aimed at everyone else). Of the good ones, there are those whose focus is musicological and antiquarian; such recordings are legion (relatively speaking). What remains are those whose true focus, however scholarly the approach of the performers, is the feast itself and its celebration. Of this select group this four-CD set may be the ne plus ultra.



Though all four CDs are precious, the first two are understandably the pick of the litter. Herein one will find presented virtually all the most justly loved Christmas carols and songs; some are a mere century old, others go back to the Middle Ages. Though some selections will inevitably be unfamiliar to listeners, all are truly inspired creations and will probably not long remain unfamiliar. One hears reflected in these carols the happiness and devotion that the commemoration of the birth of the Christ child has inspired for well-nigh two millennia.



The third and fourth CDs are somewhat more "adventurous"; that is, their relevance to Christmas present is somewhat tenuous. Because the instrumental accompaniment here has gone from a single lutenist (the great Desmond Dupré) to an ensemble of "period" instruments (viols, krummhorns, and all the rest of those now ubiquitous antiques, mostly under the direction of the once widely known specialist René Clemencic), it is most unlikely that these selections could or would be sung around the tree. This comment is not a complaint, however, merely a description.



Alfred Deller (1912-1979) and his consort (a group whose membership changed over the course of time, save for Deller himself and the great bass Maurice Bevan) sing these songs, carols, and motets with predictable beauty and sophistication. What is more, they sing with piety, joy, and reverence. These are the qualities that give this release enduring significance.



As has been true for Deller's other Vanguard recordings, this 4-CD set has come and gone, in one guise or another, about as often as the sun does on a windy and cloudy afternoon. When I purchased several copies of it, it wore this guise: A Celebration of Christmas: Carols through the Ages. Although it would be cheap at any price, it is, however, now substantially less expensive than it was previously. Get it while you can, just in case night falls for a while when this release, like its predecessors, also disappears."

Beautiful Music by Alfred Deller

Agnes | Indianapolis | 01/07/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have been waiting for 40 years for Vanguard to release this music in CD format. The two CD's of carols are outstanding. So joyful, yet solemn. Alfred Deller and his Consort have a unique and lovely sound. I especially like the Hark Ye Shepherds disc. The included motets are not as much to my taste. I would not have bought them separately and will probably use them for gifts."