Album

This album's title, Angels: Christmas with the Great Sopranos, wisely leaves some latitude of interpretation about exactly what type of repertoire is included; this isn't all necessarily Christmas music, but there's nothing that stands out as musically inappropriate for the season. It helps to try to forget the original contexts of some of the selections, particularly Desdemona's "Ave Maria," and the Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana arranged with the "Ave Maria" text. Other pieces, like Brahms' Lullaby and "I know that my Redeemer liveth" from Messiah, have nothing whatsoever to do with Christmas, but musically they fit fine with the mix of serene or joyful music for the holiday. Each of the selections is a delight in its own way, and the album should please any fans of operatic singing, except for those who are disgruntled because a particular favorite soprano isn't included. Highlights include Joan Sutherland's artlessly direct singing of "Good King Wenceslas," Barbara Bonney's gleaming account of Mozart's "Laudate Dominum," and Sylvia McNair's serenely radiant "I know that my Redeemer liveth." The recordings, made between 1961 and 2005, aren't consistent in sound quality, but none are less than acceptable. The accompaniments, likewise, vary in quality, from the sophistication of the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields to the Vienna Philharmonic's lackadaisical approach to intonation. The compilation provides adequate information for the listener to locate the albums from which each selection is taken.

© Stephen Eddins, All Music Guide

CD 1
Adolphe Adam Composer Cantique de Noel ('O Holy Night') Work Herbert von Karajan Conductor, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Leontyne Price Soprano
1	Cantique de Noel ('O Holy Night')	4:26			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Ellens Gesang III ('Ave Maria'), D.839, Op.52, No.6 Work Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Renée Fleming Soprano, Andreas Delfs Conductor
2	Ellens Gesang III ('Ave Maria'), D.839, Op.52, No.6 (arr. voice and orchestra)	4:17			$0.99
Gabriel Fauré Composer Requiem, Op.48 Work Montréal Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Charles Dutoit Conductor, Kiri Te Kanawa Soprano
3	4.Pie Jesu	3:44			$0.99
Christmas Traditional Composer Good King Wenceslas (Piae Cantiones, 1582) Work Ambrosian Singers Chorus/Choir, Valda Aveling Harpsichord, New Philharmonia Orchestra Orchestra, Richard Bonynge Conductor, Joan Sutherland Soprano, Patricia Clark Soprano
4	Good King Wenceslas (Piae Cantiones, 1582)	2:58			$0.99
Franz Xaver Grüber Composer Silent Night (Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht) Work George Thalben-Ball Organ, Renata Tebaldi Soprano
5	Silent Night (Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht)	4:42			$0.99
Johannes Brahms Composer 5 Lieder, Op.49 (contains 'Brahms' Lullaby')...5 Lieder, Op.49 (arr. voice and orchestra) Work Ion Marin Conductor, London Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Angela Gheorghiu Soprano
6	4.Wiegenlied ('Brahms' Lullaby')	1:32			$0.49
Giuseppe Verdi Composer Otello (opera)...Act 4 Work Giuseppe Sinopoli Conductor, Philharmonia Orchestra of London Orchestra, Mirella Freni Soprano
7	5.Ave Maria	5:58			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Vesperae solemnes de confessore (Vespers), for soloists, chorus, and orchestra, K.339 Work Choir of the English Concert Chorus/Choir, Trevor Pinnock Conductor, English Concert Chamber Ensemble, Barbara Bonney Soprano
8	5.Laudate Dominum omnes gentes	4:54			$0.99
George Frideric Handel Composer Messiah, HWV56 (standard version)...Part 3 Work Sylvia McNair Soprano, Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra
9	48.Aria (Soprano): I know that my Redeemer liveth	5:24			$0.99
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Composer Hark! the Herald Angels Sing (adapted by W. H. Cummings) Work Herbert von Karajan Conductor, Singverein der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde Chorus/Choir, Wiener Großstadtkinderchor Chorus/Choir, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Leontyne Price Soprano
10	Hark! the Herald Angels Sing (adapted by W. H. Cummings)	2:33			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Cantata No.147: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (Visitation), BWV147 (includes 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring')...10.Chorale: Jesus bleibt meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring) Work London Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Renée Fleming Soprano, Andreas Delfs Conductor
11	10.Chorale: Jesus bleibt meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring; various arrangements)	2:45			$0.99
George Frideric Handel Composer Samson, HWV57...Act 3 Work English Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Barry Rose Conductor, Crispian Steele-Perkins Trumpet, Kiri Te Kanawa Soprano, Choir of St. Paul's Cathedral, London Chorus/Choir
12	25.Sc.3, Air: Let the bright Seraphim	5:54			$0.99
Richard Storrs Willis Composer It Came Upon a Midnight Clear Work New Philharmonia Orchestra Orchestra, Richard Bonynge Conductor, Joan Sutherland Soprano
13	It Came Upon a Midnight Clear	2:47			$0.99
Pietro Mascagni Composer Ave Maria, for voice and orchestra (adapted from Cavalleria Rusticana) Work Casa Musicale Sonzogno di Piero Ostali, Milano Chorus/Choir, Ion Marin Conductor, London Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Angela Gheorghiu Soprano
14	Ave Maria, for voice and orchestra (adapted from Cavalleria Rusticana)	3:18			$0.99
John Francis Wade Composer O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste fidelis) Work Ambrosian Singers Chorus/Choir, New Philharmonia Orchestra Orchestra, Anton Guadagno Conductor, Renata Tebaldi Soprano
15	O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste fidelis; arr. voice, chorus and orchestra)	3:10			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Exsultate, jubilate, for soprano and orchestra, K.165 (motet) Work Sylvia McNair Soprano, English Baroque Soloists Chamber Orchestra, John Eliot Gardiner Conductor
16	4.Alleluia	2:32			$0.99