Search - Edita Gruberova, ouml, Sjökvist Kammerkör :: Joy to the World

Not Your Typical Crossover Christmas

James S. Eisenberg | 03/21/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"What separates this wonderful disc from most classical Christmas CDs is the fact that it is a real Christmas concert. Gruberova's lovely renditions of Purcell's "Sound The Trumpet" and Reger's "Maria Wiegenlied" sit side by side with a Praetorius choral work and a Reger orchestral piece. The long medley (twenty seven minutes) that ends the disc contains many Eastern European carols that are unfamiliar, and only a very few of the hackneyed Christmas standards. The orchestrations are discreet and tasteful in a way that most recordings of this type are not. Gruberova, who has been known to make some harsh sounds for dramatic effect on stage, realizes that that would not be appropriate here, and really sings beautifully.

The recorded sound is better than that of most albums made in churches. (Maria Magdalena in Stockholm.) There are no annoying echoes bouncing off the walls or other usual annoyances associated with this type of venue.

As many of the songs are rare, it is a pity that no texts are included."