Potential listeners might reasonably assume that an album titled simply Noël would consist of traditional Christmas fare, but violinist Angèle Dubeau and her string ensemble La Pietà take a different route. The only widely familiar piece is an arrangement of "Silent Night," and the remainder of the album is devoted to music written for the Christmas season by a wide range of composers from the Baroque to the contemporary. Vivaldi, Torelli, and Molter are represented by Christmas-themed violin concertos. There are string arrangements of several French carols not likely to be familiar to general audiences, and of songs by Sibelius, John Ireland, and Dave Brubeck. The album's most striking piece is Canadian composer Kelly-Marie Murphy's arrangement of Jesous Ahatonhia, a carol written in 1641 in the Huron language by a Jesuit missionary. The tune itself is merely the framework for a gorgeously evocative little tone poem. The composer wrote that she wanted to create a work with an "imagery of ice, snow, solitude, and prayer," and it would be hard to find a better description of her magical piece. Dubeau and La Pietà reliably turn out recordings of exceptional polish, nuance, and warmth, and this album is no exception. Any fan of string playing of the highest order is likely to be pleased with this disc. Analekta's sound is clean, detailed, and present. (by Stephen Eddins)
Personnel:
Angele Dubeau & La Pieta Solist conducted by Angèle Dubeau:
Lyne Allard (violin)
Luc Beauséjour (harpsichord)
Solange Bouchard (violin)
Elisa Boudreau (viola)
Josiane Breault (violin)
Arianne Bresse (violin)
Murielle Bruneau (bass)
Alexis Carter (viola)
Ana Drobac (violin)
Lizann Gervais (violin)
Elizabeth Giroux (cello)
Andra Giugariu (viola)
Sheila Hannigan (cello)
Madeleine Messier (viola)
Thérese Ryan (cello)
Ziya Tabassian (bells, glockenspiel)
Julie Triquet (violin)
Tracklist:
01. Joulun Kellot 'The Bells of Christmas' (Maasalo) 3.56
02. Silent Night (Gruber) 3.44
03. La vierge à la crèche (Périlhou) 3.09
Antonio Vivaldi - Concerto in E Major, RV 270, 'Per il santissimo natale':
04. I. Allegro (Vivaldi) 4.54
05. II. Adagio (Vivaldi) 1.18
06. III. Allegro (Vivaldi) 2.32
07. Noël Nouvelet (Traditional) 1.58
Guiseppe Torelli - Concerto a Quatro in Forma di Pastorale, Op. 8 No. 6, 'Per santissimo natale':
08. I. Grave - vivace (Torelli) 2.16
09. II. Largo (Torelli) 1.46
10. III. Vivace (Torelli) 1.40
11. Laissez paître vos bêtes (Traditional) 2.14
Johann Melchior Molter - :
12. I. Larghetto - Allegro e forte - Larghetto (Molter) 5.41
13. II. Aria 1: A tempo giusto 1.28
14. III. Aria 2: Lento e sempre piano (Molter) 1.41
15. IV. Aria 3: Tempo di minuetto-Larghetto (Molter) 2.33
16. Give Me No Splendour, Gold Or Pomp, Op.1 No. 4 - Julvisa (Sibelius) 3.01
17. La Fiesta de la Posada - Sleep Holy Infant (Lullaby) (Brubeck) 4.07
18. String Quartet 'Jour de Fete' - i. Les Chanteurs de Noël (Galzounov) 6.48
19. The Holy Boy (Ireland) 3.11
20. Huron Carol Interlude (Murphy) 4.28
ARMU 2277
ARMU 2277 (zippyshare)