A Christmas Concert

by Pittsburgh Symphony Brass

Overview

The sound of beloved Christmas carols performed by brass instruments conjures up images of snow-covered streets and Christmas as it used to be. On this recording, the acclaimed Pittsburgh Symphony Brass performs all the familiar favorites, as well as traditional Ukrainian, French and German carols. The Pittsburgh Symphony Brass is comprised of seven of the orchestra's best brass players. What make this program special are the variety of selections presented, the originality of the arrangements and the extraordinary tonal beauty that the Pittsburgh Symphony Brass brings to each carol. For example, the low brass play the bass line of the familiar "Ding Dong! Merrily on High," in a clever arrangement by John Rutter, with solid organ-like sonorities. The beautiful German hymn, "How Brightly Shines the Morning Star," by Michael Praetorius, charms with tenderness and unaffected piety. Of course there is also lots of playful exuberance, especially in the renditions of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and the joyous "We Wish You A Merry Christmas." This is an excellent holiday recording that will also delight lovers of brass music.

Product Details

Release Date:	10/10/2000
Label:	Four Winds
UPC:	0754612301726
Rank:	145374

Tracks

1. Joy to the World (theme by Handel)
2. Carol of the Bells
3. Ding Dong! Merrily on High (French)
4. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
5. Das Gl¿¿ut zu Speyer (The Merry Bells of Speyer), for winds
6. I Saw Three Ships
7. Piae Cantiones, song book~Christmas Song
8. In the Bleak Midwinter, for chorus & organ, H. 73
9. Masters in This Hall
10. In dulci jubilo (Pi¿¿ Cantiones)
11. Enatus est Emanuel (He Is Born Emanuel)
12. Wie sch¿¿n leuchtet der Morgenstern (How Brightly Shines the Morning Star) (from the Polyhymnia caduceatrix)
13. Es ist ein Ros entsprungen (Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming), instrumental arrangements
14. Volte, for 5 part instrumental ensemble (Terpsichore, 201)
15. God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen (English)
16. The Wexford Carol ("Good People All, This Christmastime") (Enniscorthy Carol) (Irish)
17. Murztaler Engelruf, carol (Austrian)
18. The Twelve Days of Christmas
19. We Three Kings of Orient Are
20. Kommt, Christen, seht die Kindlein an, carol (Austrian)
21. Schlafe mit Ruhe, carol (Austrian)
22. Good King Wenceslas (Piae Cantiones, 1582)~Good King Wenceslas
23. Patapan
24. Capriccio for 2 cornets
25. Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht (Silent Night)
26. Nativity Carol
27. Infant Holy, Infant Lowly (W zlobie lezy)
28. Deck the Halls (Welsh)
29. We Wish You a Merry Christmas (English)

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Pittsburgh Symphony Brass   Primary Artist,Ensemble
Neal Bernstein   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Sumner Erickson   Tuba
George Vosburgh   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Peter Sullivan   Euphonium,Trombone (Tenor)
Murray Crewe   Trombone (Bass)
William Caballero   French Horn
Neal Berntsen   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Robert Hamrick   Trombone (Tenor)

Technical Credits

Gustav Holst   Composer
Isaac Watts   Composer
Konrad Strauss   Engineer,Mastering
Joe Sullivan   Arranger
Franz Gruber   Composer
Joseph Mohr   Composer
Mel Torme   Composer
Neal Bernstein   Arranger
Arnie Roth   Arranger,Producer
John Rutter   Arranger
John Henry Hopkins, Jr.   Composer
Michael Praetorius   Composer
George Vosburgh   Arranger,Art Coordinator
Robert Wells   Composer
William Sandys   Composer
John Mason Neale   Composer
Johann Vierdanck   Composer
Ken Lambert   Graphic Design
Thoinot Arbeau   Composer
Lee Smith   Executive Producer
Lee Smith, Jr.   Executive Producer
Ludwig Senfl   Composer
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow   Composer
Jean Baptiste Calkin   Composer
Alicia Dal Lago   Photography
Traditional   Composer
Andrew Kazdin   Arranger
Lowell Mason   Composer
Pittsburgh Symphony Brass   Arranger