Baroque Christmas Concertos - Trevor Pinnock (1991)

MARC-ANTOINE CHARPENTIER (1643-1704)
Nońls sur instruments, H 531, 534
1. Vous qui desirez sans fin
2. A la venue de Nońl
3. Or nous dites, Marie
4. Ou s'en vont ces gais bergers?

JOHANN MELCHIOR MOLTER (1695-1765)
Concerto pastorale in G major
5. Larghetto. Allegro e forte (Larghetto)
6. Aria 2: Lento e sempre piano

ANTONIO VIVALDI (1678-1741)
Concerto for 2 Trumpets in C major, RV 537
7. Allegro
8. Largo
9. [Allegro]

GIUSEPPE SAMMARTINI (1695-1750)
10. Pastorale in G major from Concerto grosso op. 6
Andante sostenuto

GEORG PHILIPP TELEMANN (1681-1767)
Concerto polonois in G major
11. Dolce
12. Allegro
13. Largo
14. Allegro

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685-1759)
Concerto a due cori in B flat major, HWV 332
15. Ouverture
16. Allegro ma non troppo
17. Allegro
18. Largo
19. A tempo ordinario
20. Alla breve moderato
21. Minuet

ARCANGELO CORELLI (1653-1713)
Concerto grosso in G major, op. 6 no. 8 ("Christmas Concerto")
22. Vivace Grave. Arcate, sostenuto e come sta
23. Allegro
24. Adagio - Allegro - Adagio
25. Vivace
26. Allegro
27. Largo. Pastorale ad libitum

The English Concert
Trevor Pinnock - conductor

For people who just can't bear to listen to another Christmas carol, this is the album. Completely instrumental, this is early music written with Christmas in mind, but it is in no way recognizable as Christmas music. These little heard pieces are brilliantly conducted and performed (as always) by Trevor Pinnock and the English Concert. I heard tracks 5 & 6 on the radio a few weeks before Christmas, when my spirits were suffering an uncharacteristic low, and found myself so completely moved by the beauty them, I had to have the CD. I didn't know what the other pieces would be like, but they all turned out to be perfection. Each selection is just the right amount of colour and flourish, moving from lovely largos to vivd vivaces without ever leaving the listener reaching to turn the volume down or off. I found the entire "1 hour plus" album thoroughly uplifting and easy to get lost in. And best of all, I finally have an album that expresses musically how I feel about Christmas, that doesn't irritate anyone (including me). All that and a great Amazon price. What more can you ask?! ---The Daily Prophet, amazon.com

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