Album

Here's a reissue of one of the most successful and accessible items in the early music catalog of the British label Chandos. Originally issued in 1998, this disc of Christmas-associated music was helmed by veteran Baroque violinist Simon Standage, by then the leader of his own group, Collegium Musicum 90. The group's playing is clean and straightforward, with the understated lyricism that has always made Standage's musicianship attractive. The idea of the program is to take a familiar piece, the so-called "Christmas Concerto" of Arcangelo Corelli—the Concerto Grosso in G minor, Op. 6/8 ("Fatto per la notte di Natalie")—and explore related compositions. Some of, such as the Concerto Grosso in C major, Op. 3/12, of Francesco Manfredini and the Cantata pastorale per la nascità di Nostro Signore of Alessandro Scarlatti, employ the 6/8 pastoral rhythm of the Corelli work, which is placed last. Others embody the hush of Christmas Eve in different ways. The most interesting item on the entire program is the Concerto for strings in E major ("Il riposo—per il Santissimo Natale"), RV 270, of Vivaldi, with its muted strings and unheard-of direction "senza cembali siempre" (always without harpsichord). The continuo is provided by a large lute, and the Collegium Musicum 90 delivers a nicely hypotic (or, in the apt but contextually somewhat inappropriate term of annotator Nicholas Anderson, "Morphetic") version of this remarkable work. In all, an above-average budget item for seasonal listening or for bringing to a holiday gathering, with Chandos' usual high engineering standards.

© James Manheim, All Music Guide

CD 1
Francesco Onofrio Manfredini Composer Concerto in C, Op.3, No.12 ('Christmas Concerto') Work 8:44 Collegium Musicum 90 Ensemble, Simon Standage Violin
1	1.Largo (Pastorale per il Santissimo Natale)	4:05			$0.99
2	2.Largo	2:35			$0.99
3	3.Allegro	2:04			$0.99
Alessandro Scarlatti Composer Oh di Betlemme altera povertà, chamber cantata for soprano and strings ('Cantata pastorale per la natività di Nostre Signore') Work 17:41 Susan Gritton Soprano, Collegium Musicum 90 Ensemble, Simon Standage Violin
4	1.Sinfonia	1:36			$0.99
5	2.Recitativo: O di Betlemme; 3.Aria: Dal bel seno d'una stella	2:58			$0.99
6	4.Recitativo: Presa d'uomo la forma; 5.Aria: L'Autor d'ogni mio bene	5:07			$0.99
7	6.Recitativo: Fortunati pastori; 7.Aria: Toccò la prima sorte a voi	8:00			$1.49
Antonio Vivaldi Composer Concerto Il riposo, concerto per il Santissimo Natale, for violin in E, RV270 Work 7:03 Collegium Musicum 90 Ensemble, Simon Standage Violin
8	1.Allegro	3:49			$0.99
9	2.Adagio	0:50			$0.99
10	3.Allegro	2:24			$0.99
Georg Philipp Telemann Composer In dulci jubilo, for chorus, 2 oboes, horn, strings and continuo, TWV1:939 Work 13:31 Collegium Musicum 90 Ensemble, Simon Standage Violin
11	1.Chor: In dulci jubilo	1:00			$0.99
12	2.Recitativ: Auf, mein Geist	1:29			$0.99
13	3.Choral: Das ewige Licht geht da herein	0:44			$0.99
14	4.Arie: O heilige Nacht	4:18			$0.99
15	5.Recitativ: Ich gehe nun nicht mehr im Leide	1:36			$0.99
16	6.Aria: Jesu, hier bei Deiner Krippen	2:10			$0.99
17	7.Chor: Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe	2:14			$0.99
Arcangelo Corelli Composer Concerto Grosso in G-, Op.6, No.8 ('Christmas Concerto') Work 14:28 Collegium Musicum 90 Ensemble, Simon Standage Violin
18	1.Vivace. Grave	1:26			$0.99
19	2.Allegro	2:21			$0.99
20	3.Adagio. Allegro. Adagio	3:32			$0.99
21	4.Vivace	1:06			$0.99
22	5.Allegro	2:26			$0.99
23	6.Pastorale	3:37			$0.99