The 'Christmas Choirbook' is a collection of up-to-date, colorful arrangements of 22 Christmas songs from throughout the world. Among classics, dressed in new harmonic sounds, you will enjoy jazz and pop intonations, as well as gospel renditions of 'Go Tell It' and 'Joyful'. The skandinavien Christmas songs are particularly special: contemplative and musical, even droll as in the story about the Christmas troll in the finnish 'Tomtarnass Julnatt'.The 'Christmas Choirbook' offers many stylistic choices for the Christmas and Advent season choir music, so let the available CD (ED 9896-50) inspire you in the joyful singing of these pieces. Of course the recordings, meant only as a first and hopefully appealing impression, represent only a few of the many possible interpretations you will bring to the arrangements.Full verses were intentionally not recorded, although we did overlay simple instrumental accompaniments to the a cappella movements. In addition, the CD includes pure choire versions as well as some 'sing-a-longs', i.e. instrumental tracks for you to use as half-playback. / Choeur

Par PERGOLESI GIOVANNI BATTISTA. Shortly before his death, Giovanni Pergolesi moved to the Franciscan monastery in Pozzuoli, where he composed his last works. Among these is his Stabat mater - based on the medieval Latin poem. The piece reveals the infusion into church composition of the operatic style. Pergolesi's Stabat mater features a lively declamation of the text and great melodic appeal and expressiveness. Underlying everything is the contrapuntal background that was expected in music composed for the church at this time. This is is the full score of the original version, which was written for Soprano and Alto Solos and small String Ensemble. / Musique religieuse / Répertoire / Choeur