Christmas is perhaps the time when most singing can be heard, both in the town and country. The musicologist Marius Schneider affirmed this when he wrote: ‘God hungers for songs.’ So it is that the time which celebrates the symbolic birth of the Lord is a great occasion for music, even for people who may have no direct religious beliefs. With this 5-CD set, Capriccio presents a total of 100 Classical Christmas titles, sung by some of the world’s most famous choirs and soloists, ranging from J.S. Bach’s lofty Christmas Oratorio to simple songs of the countryside, including the most famous of all, Silent Night, Holy Night.

Contents include:

CD 1
Mendelssohn - Vom Himmel hoch
Handel - Messiah (chorus)
Adam - O Holy Night
JS Bach - In dulci jubilo
Herbeck - Pueri concinite
Praetorius - Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen
Saint-Saëns - Oratorio de Noël

CD 2
JS Bach - Christmas Oratorio
Manfredini - Concerto grosso per il Santissimo Natale
Traditional - O Jesulein zart
Bruch - Jubilate Amen
Praetorius - Quem pastores laudavere

CD 3
Wade - Adeste fideles
JS Bach - O Jesulein süss
Mendelssohn - Laudate pueri
Traditional - Kommet, ihr Hirten
Bruch - Gesang der heiligen drei Könige
Haydn - Heiligste Nacht

CD 4
Handel - Tochter Zion
Traditional - Macht hoch die Tür
Werner - Weihnachts-Pastorale
Rheinberger - Rorate coeli
Bruch - Gruss an die heilige Nacht

CD 5
Reger - Maria Wiegenlied
Traditional - The First Nowell
Traditional - God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
Davis - Little Drummer Boy
Gruber - Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht