Music By Francis Routh

On this CD:

1. Bretagne, for piano (Scenes for Piano 4), Op. 68 I. Theme
Composed by Francis Routh

2. Bretagne, for piano (Scenes for Piano 4), Op. 68 II. L'anse de Paimpol à l'aube
Composed by Francis Routh

3. Bretagne, for piano (Scenes for Piano 4), Op. 68 III. Côte d'Emeraude
Composed by Francis Routh

4. Bretagne, for piano (Scenes for Piano 4), Op. 68 IV. Jour de marché
Composed by Francis Routh

5. Bretagne, for piano (Scenes for Piano 4), Op. 68 V. Sillon de Talbert, à la tombée du jour
Composed by Francis Routh

6. Bretagne, for piano (Scenes for Piano 4), Op. 68 VI. Cortège folklorique à Carnac
Composed by Francis Routh

7. Bretagne, for piano (Scenes for Piano 4), Op. 68 VII. Les Pierres Sonnantes, Château du Guildo, le soir
Composed by Francis Routh

8. Bretagne, for piano (Scenes for Piano 4), Op. 68 VIII. Jour de Fête celte à Lorient
Composed by Francis Routh

9. Angels of Albion, for piano (Scenes for Piano 3), Op. 64 Prelude
Composed by Francis Routh

10. Angels of Albion, for piano (Scenes for Piano 3), Op. 64 Aubade
Composed by Francis Routh

11. Angels of Albion, for piano (Scenes for Piano 3), Op. 64 To the Evening Star
Composed by Francis Routh

12. Angels of Albion, for piano (Scenes for Piano 3), Op. 64 Night Music
Composed by Francis Routh

13. Angels of Albion, for piano (Scenes for Piano 3), Op. 64 Berceuse
Composed by Francis Routh

14. Elegy for piano
Composed by Francis Routh

15. Celebration, for piano, Op. 45
Composed by Francis Routh

Tracks:

The Huron Carol
Ring-a The News
O Come All Ye Faithful
Harold Drake: In the Bleak Mild Winter
Healey Willan: The Three Kings
King Jesus Hath A Garden
Franz Grueber: Silent Night
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day
Arthur Honneger: Laudate Dominum
O Magnum Mysterium
Poulenc: Quatre motets pour le temps de Noel - Wuem Vidistis pastoredictie
Poulenc: Quatre motets pour le temps de Noel - Videntes stellam
Hodie Christus Natus Est
Ding Dong Merrily On High
Elizabeth Poston: Jesus Christ the Appple Tree
John Rutter: What Sweeter Music
The Linden Tree Carol
A Hymn To The Virgin
Star In The South
Hark The Herald Angels Sing
God Is With Us - A Christmas Proclamation

Customer Reviews:

Best Christmas album ever.......2006-12-27

I found this album quite by accident in a college bookstore in a small town outside of Toronto. We played it (June!) on our way to Northern Ontario, gasped at its beauty, read the liner notes, and discovered that we were actually passing by Elora! On our return trip, we stopped in at Elora and learned more about the singers and the festival. This album is so remarkable in its clarity, sensitivity, and variety, that it ranks as my all-time favorite Christmas album. The family members and friends to whom I have since given this CD share my enthusiasm for this magical Christmas tour.

LOVELY!!!!.......2006-02-25

Maybe I'm a LITTLE bit prejudiced in favor of this fine album because it contains some of my favorite Christmas songs, or because it also has some of the beautiful songs my choral group sang last Christmas -- whatever -- The Elora Festival Singers, with Noel Edison and Michael Bloss and everyone else involved in creating this CD, do a wonderful job of transmitting the holy, joyful, festive AND secular air of that special season.

I especially loved "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day" and will probably wear out that track long before I wear out the rest of this fine CD.

It is almost March, and I'm still playing this CD. I may end up getting a second copy.

A very lovely Christmas disc.......2000-08-29

According to the notes, the Elora Festival Singers is a professional chamber choir founded in 1980 by their director, Noel Edison. The name comes from a musical festival given every summer in Elora, Ontario. They have performed on the Canadian Broadcasting System, and given concerts in Eastern Canada and the United States. They are now the professional core group of the famous Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.

They are a very competent choir, singing everything on this disc with ease and beauty. Most of the carols are pretty well known, and include some from Canada, England, France, Holland and Poland. There are the 'Huron Carol,' 'O Come All Ye Faithful,' 'Harold Darke's 'In the Bleak Mid Winter," "Ding Dong Merrily on High,' 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing,' and some less common ones. The less usual items include Honegger's 'Laudate Dominum' and Poulenc's 'Quatre motets pour le temps de Noël,' which are performed very simply and effectively.

The Elora Festival Singers is not apparently a very large group, but the reverberant recording makes them sound larger. Their excellent diction is not obscured, and the sound is very smooth.

The organ accompaniment by Michael Bloss are very effective, and include some room filling bass, although it is not super low.