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December 14, 2008
Lane Series Favorite Holiday Music
Here are a few of our favorite music we like to listen to this time of year:
Lane Series Director Jane Ambrose responded with:
• The Rose Ensemble!
• BIS recording of Bach: Christmas Oratorio with Suzuki conducting.
• Eva adds Il Giardino Armonico playing Christmas Concertos on Teldec.
and "Happy holidays from snowy Switzerland!"
Natalie Neuert, Lane Series Manager, is recommending:
• Sufjan Stevens' Songs for Christmas (beautiful, folky, original).
• The Roches: We Three Kings (well-known and not so well-known carols and songs with the Roche sister's wonderful 3 part harmonies).
• Brian Setzer Orchestra: Dig that Crazy Christmas (that funky 50's Stray Cats sound - great for tree trimming).
• Klezmatics: Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Chanukah (fun).
She says, "I'm also thinking about buying this year: Bela Fleck & the Flecktones' Jingle all the Way, and the remastered version of Ella Fitzgerald's Ella Wishes you a Swinging Christmas which has gotten great reviews.
and yes, I admit it, nothing quite says the holidays like A Charlie Brown Christmas..."
Roxanne Vought (Lane Series Logistics and Special Events Coordinator) likes
• The Best of Nowell Sing We Clear, 1975-1986
You can read about them here. I grew up listening to their albums (on record!) and their joy and sorrow inspired many sing-a-longs as we prepared for the Solstice and the New Year. Many of the carols come from the Oxford book of Carols.
• The Hilliard Ensemble's recording of Bach/Webern: Ricercar on ECM
Here is a link to Christoph von Dohnányi conducting the The Arnold and Ruth Black Pick-Up Philharmonia as part of the 2007 BBC Proms:
http://www.google.com/cse?cx=013269018370076798483:gg7jrrhpsy4&cof=FORID:1&q=Bach-Webern:+Ricercar&sa=Search
And of course, Bing Crosby's White Christmas.
Here are some of the choices from Lane Series Board members:
From Lisa Hughes, board president:
I love Met Stars at Christmas and the big band version (maybe Glenn Miller Orchestra?) of the Nutcracker!
Jean Pilcher's absolute favorite is EMI's "Christmas Carols from King's College" featuring The Choir from King's College, Cambridge conducted by Sir David Willcocks and Philip Ledger with organists Ian Hare, Francis Grier and John Wells, and the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. Produced in 1985.
Frederick Noonan likes December by George Winston, piano on the Windham Hill label. "Easy listening and even includes brief snatches of Christmas carols without being too earnestly Christian about it."
Renee Reiner confesses, "It's sappy, I know, but Peter, Paul & Mary's Holiday Celebration comes to mind. This from the Jewish member of the group!
Best wishes for good health and abundance this holiday season."
Robbie Stanley is listening to:
• Christmastide by Jessye Norman
• Kiri Te Kanawa, Ave Maria Both of these artists bring the best in seasonal vocal music.
• A Windham Hill Christmas and the Winter's Solace CDs by Windham Hill artists - Instrumentals, peaceful, serene.
• The Chieftains, The Bells of Dublin - A rolicky mix of seasonal favorites. The Chieftains are joined by an odd assortment of vocalists - everyone from Jackson Browne to Burgess Meredith - but it works.
Posted by lane at 12:55 PM | Comments (0)
December 6, 2008
Rose Ensemble Brings the Cheer
Lane Series favorite vocal group The Rose Ensemble wowed a sold-out audience December 6 with a program of Mexican Baroque and Early American vocal music. It felt like greeting old friends who had arrived for the holidays - old friends who then, like last year, went on to give us an evening of pure enchantment.
Here's what Artistic Director Jordan Sramek had to say about their visit:
There are certain times for The Rose Ensemble when we're on the road and things simply go well. One can imagine, traveling with 15 musicians, a zillion instruments and three minivans can add some 'dys' to an otherwise functional family. But thankfully, even considering most of us got to bed around 2:30am on Friday, we knew things in Burlington were going to go well. (I should mention here that the accommodations at the Green Mountain Suites were exceptional.)
We were taken by pleasant surprise when we arrived at VPR in the morning. Our understanding was that we were going to do a short radio spot with a small live studio audience: a little something to promote the concert we would give later in the evening at UVM. Well, it ended up being a live concert in front of almost 200 people! And what a wonderful event it was. Such a warm reception we were given by the folks at VPR and the very friendly audience...
Our evening concert was one of those that will remain in The Rose Ensemble's collective memory for a long time. There was an undeniable connection with the audience - one of those performances that makes you smile when you recall it. Jane Ambrose has already asked us to return in 2010 and we can't wait.
Dinner after the concert was enjoyed by several of us at a great place called American Flatbread. We had gone there last year, and while it is so loud that you have to shout to be heard, the fantastic food, service and brew list is worth it. Beth, one of the servers, actually recognized us from last year (is that a good or bad thing?) and we enjoyed running into some concert-goers with whom we chatted for quite some time.
On the way out of town (heading for the Berkshires) we stopped by what we now refer to as "food paradise" (known to denizens of Burlington as Healthy Living Natural Foods Market). Two words: bulk kombucha.
Some of the members of our merry band have decided that we're all moving to Vermont. Personally speaking, it was when the gal at the checkout referred to herself as a "Vermonster" that I decided I was moving to Burlington. I just have to figure out how long the broccoli-growing season is…
Jordan Sramek, The Rose Ensemble
Mark Dietrich (bass) and Lane Series Director Jane Ambrose catch up before Friday evening's performance:
Until their next appearance, visit their website to get one of their CDs or to see lots more information and photos: roseensemble.org.
Posted by lane at 9:39 AM | Comments (32)