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Track(s) taken from CDA67245

Wild Wood Carol

First line:
Sing O the wild wood, the green holly
composer
author of text

Robert Rice (baritone), Polyphony, City of London Sinfonia, Stephen Layton (conductor)
Recording details: January 2001
All Saints, Tooting, United Kingdom
Produced by Mark Brown
Engineered by Julian Millard
Release date: October 2001
Total duration: 3 minutes 27 seconds
 

Other recordings available for download

Gerald Finley (baritone), The Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia, John Rutter (conductor)

Reviews

‘It’s hard to imagine them better performed than by the award-winning British choir Polyphony’ (The Mail on Sunday)

‘The performances by both choir and orchestra are ideal in tone, style and accomplishment … a Christmas treat’ (Gramophone)

‘A treat for all Rutter fans! … the program is bound to satisfy anyone seeking a balanced program of Christmas choral music done with sensitivity and taste’ (American Record Guide)

‘Superb performances which are beautifully recorded’ (International Record Review)

‘Those of you for whom Rutter is a new name are in for a very special treat. From the jaunty Shepherd's Pipe Carol, with its vivid portrayal of the starry sky above Bethlehem, to the sublime and deeply moving What Sweeter Music, Rutter's music is impeccably crafted, melodically rich and entirely infectious. More than a stocking-filler, this disc is surely one of the highlights of the year’ (Classic FM)

‘The carols of John Rutter are becoming as traditional at Christmas as mince pies, so rich is his output … [An] extraordinary disc. Rutter’s music is impeccably crafted, melodically rich and entirely infectious … this disc is surely one of the highlights of the year’ (Classic FM Magazine)

‘When the chirpy Shepherd’s Pipe Carol, the instantly singable Star Carol, or the literal sound effects of the charming Donkey Carol are wrapped up in such glittering, top-quality packaging as Stephen Layton’s Polyphony and The City of London Sinfonia, its seasonal allure is sealed. Finely Polished performances, served up with a warm and festive mulled-wine sensation’ (The Scotsman)

‘Lovingly rendered by Polyphony under Stephen Layton, this should be a disc of choice not only for this year but as well as for the years to come’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘Polyphony beautifully continue the English tradition with joyful refinement’ (HMV Choice)

‘[Rutter] could not have asked for better performers’ (The Evening Standard)

‘The performances are uniformly excellent; Stephen Layton and his Polyphony vocal ensemble have shown a previous affinity for Rutter’s work and this effort simply reaffirms their commitment to and love for this very special music. Outstanding’ (Classics Today)

«Les arrangements sont ingénieux» (Diapason, France)
Wild Wood Carol is an extract from Rutter’s musical version of Kenneth Grahame’s timeless children’s classic The Wind in the Willows, written in 1981 for The King’s Singers. The carol forms an interlude covering the winter journey of Mole and Rat to Badger’s house. Although the text of the ‘musical fable’ as a whole was the work of the late David Grant, a friend of the composer from Clare College days, the words for this one number are by Rutter himself.

from notes by Andrew Green © 2001

Wild Wood Carol est un extrait de la version musicale que Rutter réalisa en 1981 pour The King’s Singers à partir de The Wind in the Willows, le célèbre et immortel ouvrage que Kenneth Grahame destinait pour un public enfantin. Wild Wood Carol forme un interlude couvrant le voyage entrepris en hiver par Mole (Taupe) et Rat pour se rendre à la maison du Badger (Blaireau). Si le texte de cette «fable musicale» est l’œuvre du regretté David Grant, un ami du compositeur depuis leurs jours à Clare College, les mots de ce carol sont en fait de Rutter en personne.

extrait des notes rédigées par Andrew Green © 2001

Wild Wood Carol ist ein Auszug aus Rutters musikalischer Fassung von The Wind in the Willows, dem zeitlosen Klassiker der Kinderliteratur von Kenneth Grahame, und wurde 1981 für die King’s Singers komponiert. Wild Wood Carol ist ein Zwischenspiel, das die winterliche Reise des Maulwurfs und der Ratte zum Haus des Dachses abdeckt. Der Text der „musikalischen Fabel“ stammt zwar von dem inzwischen verstorbenen David Grant, einem Freund des Komponisten aus der Zeit am Clare College, doch hat Rutter den Text für diese eine Nummer selbst verfaßt.

aus dem Begleittext von Andrew Green © 2001

Other albums featuring this work

Rutter: The John Rutter Christmas Album
CSCD510Download only
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