Comfort and Joy: the making of Cantus' Christmas CDs Musicians & Music

Sidebar 1 Comfort and Joy: Musicians & Music

Cantus is: Brian Arreola, Bradley Cramer-Erbes, Michael Hanawalt, Albert Jordan, Peter Zvanovec (tenors); Kelvin Chan, Alan Dunbar, Adam Reinwald (baritones); Tom McNichols, Tim Takach (basses); joined on Comfort and Joy: Volume Two by David Hagedorn (tambourine, bongos, djembe, drum kit), Alan Dunbar (frame drum, acoustic guitar, assorted percussion), Tim Takach (percussion, egg), Erick Lichte and Michael Hanawalt (percussion), Brian Arreola (double bass), and John Atkinson (bass guitar).

Volume One (CTS-1204): Track Listing
"Puer natus est" (Introit for the Third Mass of Christmas), plainchant 3:06
"Gabriel's Message," Basque carol, arr. John Rutter (b. 1945) 2:42
"Ave Maria," Franz Biebl (1906–2001) 6:44
"O Little Town of Bethlehem," Kenneth Jennings (b. 1925) 3:29
"Hodie Christus natus est," plainchant 1:02
"O magnum mysterium," Jacob Handl (Gallus) (1550–1591 2:10
"O magnum mysterium," Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943) 5:25
"Mary Had a Baby," spiritual, arr. William L. Dawson (1899–1990) 3:08
"Suo Gân," Welsh lullaby, arr. Lawrence Wiliford (b. 1977) 2:31
"A la Nanita Nana," Spanish carol, arr. Norman Luboff (1917–1987) 2:12
"I Wonder as I Wander," Appalachian tune, John Jacob Niles (1892–1980) 2:42
"The Three Kings," Healy Willan (1880–1968), arr. Joseph Running 2:49
"What Child Is This?," English ballad, arr. Tim Takach (b. 1978) 2:54
"Die Könige," Peter Cornelius (1783–1867), arr. Erick Lichte (b. 1975) 2:31
"Coventry Carol," 15th-century tune, arr. Robert J. Powell (b. 1932) 2:57
"Silent Night," Franz Gruber (1787–1863), arr. Brian Arreola (b. 1975) 3:34
Total Time: 49:55

Volume Two (CTS-1205): Track Listing
"Puer natus est in Bethlehem," Piae Cantionis, arr. Erick Lichte (b. 1975) 2:48
"Omnis mundus jucundetur," Piae Cantionis, arr. Herman Rechberger (b. 1947) 1:43
"Four Carols," Halsey Stevens (1908–1989)
"All This Night Shrill Chanticleer" 1:55
"What Sweeter Music" 2:22
"As I Rode Out This Enderes Night" 1:15
"A Virgin Most Pure" 3:52
"Hail Mary," William L. Dawson (1899–1990) 3:51
"Go Tell It on the Mountain," spiritual, arr. Carolyn Jennings (b. 1936) 2:30
"Hodie Christus natus est," plainchant, arr. Jaako Mäntyjärvi (b. 1963) 3:05
"Masters in this Hall," French carol, arr. Robert J. Powell (b. 1932) 1:28
"God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen," English carol, arr. David Willcocks (b. 1913) 3:00
"Alilo," Christmas wassailing song from Racha, Georgia 2:00
"Ríu Ríu Chíu," Spanish carol, arr. Michael McGlynn (b. 1964) 1:58
"Los Reyes Magos," Ariel Ramirez (b. 1921) 2:32
"Betelehemu," Babatunde Olatunji (1927–2003), arr. Wendell Whalum 5:07
"Deck the Halls," Welsh Yuletide carol, arr. Erick Lichte (b. 1975) 4:06
Total Time: 43:34

Comfort and Joy: Volume One and Volume Two are available individually from the secure e-commerce page at Stereophile's website for $16.95 each CD plus S&H, or for a combined price of $29.95 plus S&H. Other Cantus CDs recorded by John Atkinson are also available: Let Your Voice Be Heard (2001), Against the Dying of the Light . . . (2002), and Deep River (2003).

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