Title : Wolcum Yule: Celtic and British Songs and Carols
Author : Traditional, Christmas
Release Date : 20031014
Binding : Audio CD
Regular Price : $17.98
Amazon.com Price : $13.49
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Editorial Reviews : This offbeat disc of seasonal songs and carols by the Anonymous 4 will delight their fans and please everyone else. The 19 selections include traditional folk melodies and texts, some of which date back to the Middle Ages, interspersed with fitting selections by contemporary composers including John Taverner, Benjamin Britten, and Peter Maxwell Davies, whose ethereal a cappella A Calender of Kings gets its first recording. Andrew Lawrence-King, playing Irish harp, Baroque harp, and psaltery with his accustomed finesse, is a major reason for the disc's success, accompanying most of the vocals and contributing three lovely solos. The disc is crammed with highlight tracks, like the lilting Cornish Wassail song and the Irish Good people all, and haunting numbers like 'Flight into Egypt,' sung in Gaelic, and 'Behold, here is the best morning,' sung in Welsh. Excellent sonics and Harmonia Mundi's typically fine production values also help make this a Christmas disc that will give joy in July. --Dan Davis
Buyer Reviews : Anonymous 4's latest release WOLCUM YULE is a collection of Celtic and British songs and carol they have produced with Andrew Lawrence-King, who plays the Irish harp, baroque harp and the psaltery. The album is 19 tracks long, with works dating back to the 17th century, as wells as contemporary songs from John Tavener, Peter Maxwell Davies and Geoffrey Burgon. Interspersed with the carols and songs are a few instrumental tracks that complete the festive feel of the collection.
Johanna Maria Rose of Anonymous 4 has written an informative essay on the history of celtic midwinter celebrations known as Yule, as well as the history behind the song selections. WOLCUM YULE is slipcased in a cardboard case, along with the standard jewel-case/CD, plus a handsome four-color booklet with both the essay and lyrics translated into English, French and German. I do wish that Harmonia Mundi had packaged this album in the same manner as the last Anonymous 4 release (Darkness Into Light): a single ecopak-styled case with the booklet and CD case in one unit. It's much easier to shelve, and not have to carry the three pieces together in the car. This is a very small gripe for such a wonderful holiday music release--it certainly should not discourage you from buying a copy immediately for yourself!
Here is a listing of the tracks in detail with running times:
1) Awake, and join the cheerful choir--Traditional English 4:09 2) Good people all (vocal solo)--Trad. Irish 6:05 3) The seven Rejoices of Mary--Trad. Irish 3:43 4) The Lamb (a cappella)--John Tavener 3:01 5) A Scots Lilt (instrumental)--Anonymous 17th c. 3:33 6) Balulalow (vocal solo)--trad. Scottish 3:37 7) Balulalow (a cappella--Richard Rodney Bennett 1:39 8) The holly and the ivy (a cappella)--Trad. English 3:14 9) The Reel of Tullochgorum (instrumental)--Trad. Scottish 3:45 10) I saw three ships--Trad. English 2:54 11) A Calendar of Kings--Peter Maxwell Davies 6:02 12) Air: On a cold winter's day (instrumental)--Trad. Irish 4:13 13) Flight into Egypt (vocal solo)--Trad. Irish 3:21 14) A god, and yet a man? (a cappella)--Geoffrey Burgon 1:25 15) Grene growith the holy (a cappella)--Henry VIII 3:51 16) Behold, here is the best morning--Trad. Welsh 3:15 17) The Cherry Tree Carol (vocal solo)--Trad. English 2:38 18) Can wassel (Wassail Song)--Trad. Cornish 2:48 19) A New Year Carol--Benjamin Britten 2:14
The songs featured vary in mood from lively (We Saw Three Ships) to solemn (John Tavener's The Lamb). All in all it adds up to more than 66 minutes of beautiful singing for any season, not just the Christmas/New Year holidays. The recording quality is as always with any Anonymous 4 production, both flawless and breathtaking. I have been playing it daily in my car going to and from work. WOLCUM YULE is a collection you'll be listening to again and again; it is both peaceful and joyous!
