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On Yoolis Night - Medieval carols & motets
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| Price: | $8.99 |
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Ships from and sold by Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #2929 in Digital Music Album
- Released on: 2005-11-03
- Running time: 4070 seconds
Customer Reviews
True magic
The purity and perfection of tone in this collection makes the haunting selections a treat for anyone with a liking for mediaeval music. The Anonymous 4 reproduce chant exactly as it was intended to be done - not in an operatic style (and I am an opera buff!), but with the style of a mediaeval monastery.
The beauty of this recording is such that I often use it during meditation and prayer - and what, after all, is Christmas about?
Absolutely wonderful listening
I realize that there are muscians (including friends) who are not fond of the Anonymous 4 because of their "head sound" and lack of vibrato. I have also attended lectures that said that is what makes them "authentic". Fortunately, I am not a musician and can simply say I don't care, I enjoy their sound.
Even more than their voices, I appreciate their digging into old manuscripts and resurrecting excellent but forgotten pieces. The plainchant on this cd is taken from a 13th century antiphoner from Worcester. The remainder of the music is also English but polyphonic.
The acrostic hymn A solis ortus cardine is included with only its Christmas portion; the carols all have refrains (part of the distinction made here between carols and songs) and are from the 14th-15th century. There are five motets in traditional style. In short, despite the restrictions of time and place, the cd is varied.
This is a top notch album of traditional Christmas music - the chant and polyphony encouraged by the liturgical documents for use in the Latin Rite Catholic Church. This album shows why it is worth keeping as an active tradition.
My Favorite Christmas Music
I am relatively odd about Christmas music. I don't break out the Bing Crosby or Nat King Cole like everyone else. Instead I find that I like medieval stuff for Christmas. And this is about as perfect a Medieval Christmas album as you can ask for. The Anonymous 4 is a group of lovely female voices who, on this disc, sing the English medieval carols that made them famous initially. Put it on the CD with a roaring log fire and some Eggnog! Wonderful!
