The Vienna Boys Choir is the most famous and best known boys’ choir in the world and can look back on a history spanning more than 500 years. On this double CD the choir presents a varied programme of music with a Christmas slant, including works from the Italian Renaissance, German Romantic, and English classical modern music. Many eminent composers (e.g. Gluck, Mozart and Bruckner) made music with the Vienna Boys Choir, and Franz Schubert was himself a member of the choir. Today there are about 100 boys in the choir, making up four concert choirs. These choirs give about 300 concerts each year worldwide. Their repertoire extends from the Middle Ages up to the present day, from classical choral music to popular and film music.
Personnel: Vienna Boys Choir, Elisabeth Bayer (harp), Anton Neyder, Hans Gillesberger (conductors)
Benjamin Britten: A Ceremony of Carols, op. 28, I. Procession (Senza misura)
II. Wolcum Yole! (Allegro con brio)
III. There is No Rose (Allegretto)
IV. That Yonge Child (Andante quasi recitativo)
V. Balulalow (Andante piacevole)
VI. As Dew in Aprille (Allegro)
VII. This Little Babe (Presto con fuoco)
VIII. Interlude (Andante pastorale)
IX. In Freezing Winter Night (Andante comodo)
X. Spring Carol (Allegretto)
XI. Deo Gracias (Presto)
XII. Recession (Senza misura)
Anton Bruckner: Motets, Locus iste (Graduale)
Virga Jesse fl oruit (Graduale)
Os justi (Graduale)
Christus factus est (Graduale)
Ave Maria
Jacobus Gallus: Missa ad imitationem Pater noster (8 voices, double), Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison
Gloria
Credo
Sanctus
Benedictus
Agnus Dei
Puer concinite (4-voices)
Repleti sunt (8-voices, double)
Tomás Luis de Victoria: Una hora (4 voices, a capella)
O regem coeli (2 voices)
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina: Hodie Christus natus est (4 voices, a capella)
Giovanni Nascus: Incipit lamentatio (4 voices, a capella)
Jacobus de Kerle: Missa Regina coeli, Sanctus. Hosanna. Benedictus (4 voices a capella and 3 voices solo)