Waverly Consort Presents the Christmas Story

Editorial Reviews
Los Angeles TImes, Nov. 2000
"This is the way to begin the Christmas season" – Los Angeles Times

American Record Guide, Nov. 2000
"Here is the perfect antidote to endless reruns of 'Frosty the Snowman' and 'Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer'…"

Album Description
The Waverly Consort’s premiered in the medieval Sculpture Court of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1980, and has been a holiday tradition ever since, garnering accolades year after year from communities across the country. Now, for the first time, the Waverly Consort has recorded this uplifting and moving celebration, . Eight singers and five instrumentalists, playing reproductions of medieval instruments, recount the events of Christmas – the message of the archangel Gabriel to the shepherds, the journey of the Magi to the manger at Bethlehem, the intrigue of Herod and his court, the flight into Egypt – with an exquisite blend of instrumental brilliance and exceptional vocal artistry. CLASSICS TODAY DISC OF THE YEAR - 2000!

Waverly Consort Presents the Christmas Story

Tracks:

JAN OF JENSTEIN (Archbishop of Prague, 1380-96): DECET EUIUS CUNCRlS HORIS (Sequence, Office of the Feast of the Visitation) 4:31
AVE, MARIA, GRATIA PLENA (Prosa for Matins, January 1, Beauvais, c1230) 4:12
ARCHANGELUS GABRIEL (Gregorian antiphon, Magnificat for Second Vespers, Feast of St. Gabriel, Archangel) 1:21
NOSTRE QUOD PROVIDERAT (Conductus, Sens, 13th century) 2:55
VETUS ABIT LITERA (Conductus, Paris, 13th century) 2:39
SCENE FROM "THE SHEPHERDS' PLAY" (Rouen, 13th century) 3:13
GUILLAUME DUFAY (c1400-1474): GLORIA ...ET IN TERRA PAX 2:02
ORIENTIS PARTIBUS (Conductus, Beauvais, 12th century) 3:41
LEONEL POWER (c1370-1445): BEATA PROGENIES (Antiphon) 1:33
VERBUM CARO FACTUM EST (Italian lauda, 14th century)
SANCTUS AND BENEDICTUS (Worcester Cathedral, c1310) 1:39
SCENE FROM "THE PLAY OF HEROD" (Fleury, 12th century) 5:21
AGNUS DEI (Worcester Cathedral, c1310) 2:01
GUILLAUME DUFAY: HOSTIS HERODES IMPIE (Hymn for Epiphany) 3:21
SONENT LAUDES PUERI (2-voice conductus, mid-13th century) 1:51
NATUS EST! NATUS EST! (Conductus, Sens, 13th century) 1:20
VERBUM PATRIS HODIE (Benedicamus trope, Burgos, Spain, c1300) 1:41
HYMN OF THANKSGIVING: TE DEUM LAUDAMUS 4:14

Album Description

The Waverly Consort's premiered in the medieval Sculpture Court of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1980, and has been a holiday tradition ever since, garnering accolades year after year from communities across the country. Now, for the first time, the Waverly Consort has recorded this uplifting and moving celebration, . Eight singers and five instrumentalists, playing reproductions of medieval instruments, recount the events of Christmas - the message of the archangel Gabriel to the shepherds, the journey of the Magi to the manger at Bethlehem, the intrigue of Herod and his court, the flight into Egypt - with an exquisite blend of instrumental brilliance and exceptional vocal artistry. CLASSICS TODAY DISC OF THE YEAR - 2000!

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful CD for the Christmas season.......2005-12-05

I bought this CD after watching the Waverly Consort perform this live. There is nothing like seeing them perform this, but listening to this CD is a wonderful thing, too. Such rich vocals, and such incredible musicianship. If you have any appreciation for medieval music, this CD is a must have.

Beautiful and memorable!.......2001-11-30

I found this xd last Christmas and it was very hard to find. I had the album many years ago. It is sooooooooooo wonderful. If you enjoy early music/sacred music, this is the cd for you. The voices are haunting and beautiful. I really cannot say enough great things about it. So, definitely place it in your collection before it disappears again.

A Christmas from long ago..........2001-11-28

I'm a big fan of ancient music, and picked up this CD expecting to be pleased. I came away from the first listen more than pleased, in fact blown away by the sheer beauty of the plainsong (12th-14th centuries) and the clear, pure, soaring voices. The singers range from soprano, through countertenor to bass...accompanied by period instruments.
The most beautiful piece is a hymn of thanksgiving: Te Deum Laudamus. It begins with bells, and a single voice...eventually bringing in all voices; the women singing counterpoint to the men..then all together..with the glorious, ethereal bells as the only accompaniment.This is the last piece on the CD, and the voices never really end...they fade out among the bells.
The entire CD is full of gems, including the "Fulget Dies Celebris" from "Carmina Burana."
The accompanying booklet translates the Latin into English, still managing to give us the beautiful poetry of the Incarnation and what came afterward.
Even if you're not a Christian, and don't understand all the poetic references, this CD will quickly speak to you through the centuries. It did to me, and now it's one of my favorites, during the Christmas season, and all year.

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