There are always plenty of Christmas-music roundups this time of year. This one's different. The others usually focus on the newest offerings. Nothing I've gotten this year has really struck a chord, but there is no shortage of favorites from years past that have proven their merits and held up over time. It is those in the classical realm, where trends matter least; and choral, because it's sacred choir music that's at the heart of the celebration of Christmas, that are listed below.
Ancient
If you want some Christmas music you don't already know by heart, just look further back in history.The early music movement of the past half-century has unearthed many long-forgotten masterpieces from the Medieval and Renaissance eras.
Sequentia: Aquitania: Christmas Music from Aquitanian Monasteries (12th century) (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi)
This was Sequentia's second album of Aquitanian Christmas season music, following on the heels of the much-praised Shining Light.
Ancient
If you want some Christmas music you don't already know by heart, just look further back in history.The early music movement of the past half-century has unearthed many long-forgotten masterpieces from the Medieval and Renaissance eras.
Sequentia: Aquitania: Christmas Music from Aquitanian Monasteries (12th century) (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi)
This was Sequentia's second album of Aquitanian Christmas season music, following on the heels of the much-praised Shining Light.
- 12/24/2015
- by SteveHoltje
- www.culturecatch.com
It's been eight years since I wrote about my favorite classical Christmas music. So here's a look at some of the finer Christmas releases since then. As before, I try to spotlight some less familiar Christmas music while still including old favorites.
Monica Piccinini/Christina Kuhne/Ursula Eittinger/Alberto ter Doest/Thilo Dahlmann/Cologne Academy/Michael Alexander Willens Francesco Durante: Neapolitan Music for Christmas II (cpo)
I've got to get my hands on vol. I, because this is wonderful. Durante (1784-1755, an almost exact contemporary of J.S. Bach, was considered one of the greatest church composers in Naples at that time, and also taught such future famous opera composers as Pergolesi and Paisiello (Durante was himself a student, in Rome, of Pasquini).
Even Bach, always interested in the Italian masters, found Durante's work worthy of study. One of the tropes of Italian Christmas music was a pastoral mood celebrating the shepherds,...
Monica Piccinini/Christina Kuhne/Ursula Eittinger/Alberto ter Doest/Thilo Dahlmann/Cologne Academy/Michael Alexander Willens Francesco Durante: Neapolitan Music for Christmas II (cpo)
I've got to get my hands on vol. I, because this is wonderful. Durante (1784-1755, an almost exact contemporary of J.S. Bach, was considered one of the greatest church composers in Naples at that time, and also taught such future famous opera composers as Pergolesi and Paisiello (Durante was himself a student, in Rome, of Pasquini).
Even Bach, always interested in the Italian masters, found Durante's work worthy of study. One of the tropes of Italian Christmas music was a pastoral mood celebrating the shepherds,...
- 12/22/2013
- by SteveHoltje
- www.culturecatch.com
It's been eight years since I wrote about my favorite classical Christmas music. So here's a look at some of the finer Christmas releases since then. As before, I try to spotlight some less familiar Christmas music while still including old favorites.
Monica Piccinini/Christina Kuhne/Ursula Eittinger/Alberto ter Doest/Thilo Dahlmann/Cologne Academy/Michael Alexander Willens Francesco Durante: Neapolitan Music for Christmas II (cpo)
I've got to get my hands on vol. I, because this is wonderful. Durante (1784-1755, an almost exact contemporary of J.S. Bach, was considered one of the greatest church composers in Naples at that time, and also taught such future famous opera composers as Pergolesi and Paisiello (Durante was himself a student, in Rome, of Pasquini).
Even Bach, always interested in the Italian masters, found Durante's work worthy of study. One of the tropes of Italian Christmas music was a pastoral mood celebrating the shepherds,...
Monica Piccinini/Christina Kuhne/Ursula Eittinger/Alberto ter Doest/Thilo Dahlmann/Cologne Academy/Michael Alexander Willens Francesco Durante: Neapolitan Music for Christmas II (cpo)
I've got to get my hands on vol. I, because this is wonderful. Durante (1784-1755, an almost exact contemporary of J.S. Bach, was considered one of the greatest church composers in Naples at that time, and also taught such future famous opera composers as Pergolesi and Paisiello (Durante was himself a student, in Rome, of Pasquini).
Even Bach, always interested in the Italian masters, found Durante's work worthy of study. One of the tropes of Italian Christmas music was a pastoral mood celebrating the shepherds,...
- 12/22/2013
- by SteveHoltje
- www.culturecatch.com
![Prince William of Wales](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjExODUzMDQyM15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNDY4NjI5NTM@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
![Prince William of Wales](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjExODUzMDQyM15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNDY4NjI5NTM@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
A big day for little Prince George. Lightly jiggled in his father's arms, the 3-month-old looked slightly perplexed at the attention as his parents, Prince William and Kate, greeted clergy at the doors of the baby's special christening service. Led by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the 35-minute, private ceremony started at 3 p.m. London time (10 a.m. Et) at the Chapel Royal in St. James's Palace. Shortly after her arrival with Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth spoke with William and Kate, with smiles all around. Kate - in an Alexander McQueen outfit and nude-and-ivory Jane Taylor hat - greeted...
- 10/23/2013
- by Simon Perry
- PEOPLE.com
Shortly after 9/11, and very definitely as a personal response to that event, I wrote an article about Requiems for Cdnow, where I worked at the time (just a few blocks away from Ground Zero; fortunately our workday started at 10 Am, so I wasn't there yet that day, but in the weeks that followed there were days where, if the wind came from the wrong direction, we would go home early, it made us so sick). In the years since, I have written about music composed in response to that tragedy, such as John Adams's On the Transmigration of Souls. But now I find myself being drawn back to the Requiem idea. Here's a much-expanded take on it.
This roughly chronological list confines itself to works with a sacred basis, though the 20th century yielded secular Requiems, most notably Paul Hindemith's When Lilacs Last in the Door-yard Bloom...
This roughly chronological list confines itself to works with a sacred basis, though the 20th century yielded secular Requiems, most notably Paul Hindemith's When Lilacs Last in the Door-yard Bloom...
- 9/11/2012
- by SteveHoltje
- www.culturecatch.com
HollywoodNews.com: Our selected celebrity to be included in our “Hollywood Hottie of the Week” is Cameron Diaz. She is the star of the movie “Bad Teacher.”
Cameron Diaz ◄ Back Next ►Picture 1 of 11
Cameron Diaz - CinemaCon 2011
◄ Back Next ►Picture 1 of 11
Cameron Diaz - CinemaCon 2011
Cameron Michelle Diaz (born August 30, 1972) is an American actress and former model. She became famous during the 1990s with roles in the movies The Mask, My Best Friend’s Wedding, and There’s Something About Mary. Other high-profile movie credits include the two Charlie’s Angels movies and voicing the character Princess Fiona for the Shrek series. Diaz received Golden Globe award nominations for her performances in the movies There’s Something About Mary, Being John Malkovich, Vanilla Sky, and Gangs of New York.
Early life
Diaz was born in San Diego, California, the younger daughter of Emilio Diaz (1949–2008), who worked for the California oil...
Cameron Diaz ◄ Back Next ►Picture 1 of 11
Cameron Diaz - CinemaCon 2011
◄ Back Next ►Picture 1 of 11
Cameron Diaz - CinemaCon 2011
Cameron Michelle Diaz (born August 30, 1972) is an American actress and former model. She became famous during the 1990s with roles in the movies The Mask, My Best Friend’s Wedding, and There’s Something About Mary. Other high-profile movie credits include the two Charlie’s Angels movies and voicing the character Princess Fiona for the Shrek series. Diaz received Golden Globe award nominations for her performances in the movies There’s Something About Mary, Being John Malkovich, Vanilla Sky, and Gangs of New York.
Early life
Diaz was born in San Diego, California, the younger daughter of Emilio Diaz (1949–2008), who worked for the California oil...
- 6/22/2011
- by Josh Abraham
- Hollywoodnews.com
![Prince William of Wales](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjExODUzMDQyM15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNDY4NjI5NTM@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
![Prince William of Wales](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjExODUzMDQyM15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNDY4NjI5NTM@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
Credit: Dominic/Lipinski/Getty Images Prince William spoke to his bride, Catherine, as she held the hand of her father as the ceremony began.
Speakeasy live-blogged the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
The Wall Street Journal had reporters covering the event across London, and monitored reactions in the U.S., India, Australia, and elsewhere.
Among the members of the team: Cassell Bryan-Low and David Enrich outside Westminster Abbey; Paul Sonne and Sara Munoz on the parade route...
Speakeasy live-blogged the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
The Wall Street Journal had reporters covering the event across London, and monitored reactions in the U.S., India, Australia, and elsewhere.
Among the members of the team: Cassell Bryan-Low and David Enrich outside Westminster Abbey; Paul Sonne and Sara Munoz on the parade route...
- 4/29/2011
- by WSJ Staff
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
11.31 Kate's brother James has just read the lesson and the young choir is now singing The Anthem by John Rutter, specially composed for this service. 11.24 William and Kate are pronounced man and wife. The congregation are now singing the hymn 'Love Divine All Loves Excelling'. 11.19 William has just given Kate her ring. There's definite sobbing coming from those in the Abbey. 11.17 William has said his vows to Kate. She's saying them now. 11.16 The service has begun. They've just said their "I Will"s. 11.11 Glamour editor Jo Elvin has tweeted that Sarah Burton's design of Kate's dress is an "amazing achievement". 11.08Michael Middleton is now walking his daughter Kate down the Westminster Abbey aisle to meet her future husband Prince William. 11.02 It's confirmed - Kate's wearing a Sarah Burton for Alexander (more)...
- 4/29/2011
- by By Daniel Sperling
- Digital Spy
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