German Baroque Sacred Music: Christmas

Here is the second set of Les Pleiades, ‘the intelligent collection of Ricercar re-releases’. Again devoted to the German Baroque religious repertoire, this appropriate release focuses on the Nativity repertoire, extending from the early 17th century to the generation of Johann Sebastian Bach who is represented here by a few very beautiful Christmas cantatas.

Alongside Schütz’s Christmas Oratorio and lovely Yuletide cantatas by Bach’s contemporary Christoph Graupner, we will find in this set the evocation of Nativity scenes, from the Annunciation up to the Presentation in the Temple, as well as the reconstruction of a Lutheran Christmas service.

The compositions by Praetorius, Selle, Tunder, Lübeck, Buxtehude, Scheidt, Hammerschmidt, Schütz and Bruhns will tell you the Christmas story with tenderness and joy.

Contents:
CD 1
Composers: Michael Praetorius , Michael Altenburg, Heinrich Schütz, Matthias Weckmann, Johann Michael Bach, Franz Tunder, Dieterich Buxtehude, Johann Hermann Schein, Vincent Lübeck, Andreas Hammerschmidt
Choeur de Chambre de Namur / Denis Menier – Ricercar Consort – La Fenice - Greta De Reyghere (soprano), Agnès Mellon (soprano) – Henri Ledroit (countertenor), Dominique Visse (countertenor), Guy De Mey (tenor), Ian Honeyman (tenor), Max Van Egmond (bass)

CD 2
Composers: Hieronymus Praetorius (Missa super Angelus ad Pastores ait ), Dieterich Buxtehude, Andreas Hammerschmidt, Thomas Selle (Weihnachts Oratorium), Samuel Scheidt
Artists: Capella Sancti Michaelis / Eric van Nevel – Choeur de Chambre de Namur / Denis Menier – Ricercar Consort - Greta De Reyghere (soprano), Guy De Mey (tenor), Bernard Foccroulle (organ)

CD 3
Composers: Heinrich Schütz, Nicolaus Bruhns
Artists: Choeur de Chambre de Namur – La Fenice / Jean Tubéry - Claire Lefilliâtre (soprano), Hans-Jörg Mammel (tenor)

CD 4
Composers: Samuel Scheidt, Heinrich Scheidemann, Johann Hermann Schein, Johann Christoph Bach & Johann Michael Bach
Artists: Ricercar Consort – La Fenice – Collegium Vocale Gent / Philippe Herreweghe, Philippe Pierlot - Greta de Reyghere (soprano), Agnès Mellon (soprano), Guy De Mey (tenor), Bernard Foccroulle (organ)

CD 5
Composers: Johann Pachelbel, Johann Sebastian Bach
Artists: Choeur de Chambre de Namur – Les Agremens / Jean Tubery

CD 6 & 7
Composers: Christoph Graupner
Artists: Mannheimer Hofkapelle – Ex Tempore / Florian Heyerick - Amaryllis Dieltiens (soprano), Elisabeth Scholl (soprano), Lothar Blum (tenor), Reinoud Van Mechelen (tenor), Stefan Geyer (baritone)