Bella Voce is pleased to present, in a compilation of live recordings, our typical mix of atypical holiday fare: fresh arrangements of Christmas classics; beloved Baroque, Renaissance, and twentieth-century compositions; and a smattering of traditional carols from around the world. Our tradition of Handel’s Messiah is represented here by two selections. We are the only Chicago ensemble to present this most-performed choral work annually in period-accurate style: in its entirety, in a small chamber choir accompanied by Baroque instruments. We are particularly fond of the two carols we offer here from Denmark, a country in which 90% of citizens are registered Lutherans but few attend church. Arranger Bo Holten has written of Christmas in Denmark that it is “now ‘nice’ and ‘comfortable’ and somewhat food-obsessed.” Indeed, Christmas throughout Scandinavia remains very much a festival of lights, harking back to the region’s not-so-distant pagan celebrations of the winter solstice. Benjamin Britten’s simple and poignant “Hymn to the Virgin”—composed when Britten was just sixteen years old!—lends us our album title. The antiphonal exchange between the choir and the solo quartet truly illuminates she who is “brighter than the day is light.” Please enjoy our festive collection; we hope that it lights up your holidays, whatever the season brings you. Complete track information: 1. Bogoróditse dyévo (Ave Maria) [c] — Arvo Pärt (b. 1935) 2. Wassail Song of Gloucestershire [c] — arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958) Two Selections from Messiah — George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) 3. For unto Us a Child Is Born [b] 4. Hallelujah [b] 5. Jõulud tulevad (Christmas Is Coming) [a] — Veljo Tormis (b. 1930) 6. There Is a Flower [c] — arr. John Rutter (b. 1945) Cynthia Spiegel, soprano; William Bouvel, tenor 7. Christmas Spiritual Medley [c] — arr. Joseph Jennings (b. 1954) Ken Whitney, baritone; Daniel Fulwiler, tenor; Lindsey Adams, alto; Christine Kelner, soprano; Micah Dingler, tenor 8. Deck the Hall [c] — arr. David Wilcocks (b. 1919) 9. Long, Long Ago [c] — Herbert Howells (1892–1983) 10. O magnum mysterium [c] — Tomás Luis de Victoria (c. 1548–1611) 11. Übers Gebirg Maria geht (Mary Went over the Mountains) [a] — Johannes Eccard (1553–1611) & Mikołlaj Zielenski Two Danish Carols — arr. Bo Holten (b. 1948) 12. Lad det klinge sodt i sky (Let the Clouds Sweetly Resound) [a] 13. Det kimer nu til julefest (Bells Ring for the Christmas Feast) [a] 14. I Wonder as I Wander [c] — arr. John Rutter (b. 1945) Henriët Fourie, soprano 15. A Hymn to the Virgin [c] — Benjamin Britten (1913–76) Cynthia Spiegel, soprano; Sheetal Bhagat, alto; William Bouvel, tenor; Matthew Hayden, bass 16. Ríu, ríu, chíu [c] — Mateo Flecha el Viejo (1481–1553) Eric Miranda, baritone; Daniel Fulwiler, tenor Sessions: [a] St. Procopius Abbey, Lisle, Ill., Dec. 2007; [b] Grace Lutheran Church, River Forest, Ill., Nov. 2011; [c] St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Evanston, Ill., Dec. 2012 Soprano: Amanda Crumley (c), Henriët Fourie (c), Kirsten Hedegaard (a,b), Christine Kelner (a,b,c), Adriana Kopecka (a,b), Laura Lynch (a,b), Katherine McClure (a), Meaghan Reider (c), Rebecca Richey (a), Cynthia Spiegel (a,b,c) Alto: Lindsey Adams (b,c), Emilie Amrein (b), Ed Bee (c), Sheetal Bhagat (c),Virginia Brown (a), Elizabeth Davenport (c), Sylvie Desouches (a,b), Lon Ellenberger (b), Kristina Pappademos (a), Jeremy Parkin (c), Sarah Ponder (a), Angela Young Smucker (b), Bridget Tenner (a), Ruth Thuston (a), Natalie Warden (a) Tenor: Ed Bee (a), Brian Bloye (a), William Bouvel (c), Oliver Camacho (a,b), Matthew Dean (b), Micah Dingler (b,c), Daniel Fulwiler (a,c), Samuel Hilaire-Duplessis (b), Garrett Johannsen (a,b), Douglas Kelner (a,b,c), John Osterhagen (a,c) Bass: Michael Brown (b), Denell Covington (a), Edward Davis (c), Matthew Hayden (a,b,c), Gregory Lewis (a), Eric Miranda (b,c), Ryan O’Mealey (a), Eric Reese (a,b), David Stech (a), John Tanis (a,b,c), Ken Whitney (b,c) Instrumentalists on 3, 4: The Callipygian Players—Violin: Martin Davids, Wendy Benner, Brandi Berry, Jeri-Lou Zike, Lori Ashikawa; Viola: Elizabeth Hagen, Susan Rozendaal; Cello: Craig Trompeter, Anna Steinhoff; Violone: Jerry Fuller; Harpsichord: David Schrader; Oboe: Sarah Huebsch, Anne Bach; Trumpet: Sharon Stine, Chris Hasselbring; Tympani: Brandon Podjasek