Peter Breiner, Bournemouth Symphony Chorus And Orchestra - A Christmas Choral Spectacular

Published Wednesday 19th January 2005
Peter Breiner, Bournemouth Symphony Chorus And Orchestra - A Christmas Choral Spectacular
Peter Breiner, Bournemouth Symphony Chorus And Orchestra - A Christmas Choral Spectacular

STYLE: Choral
RATING 6 6 6 6 6 6
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 12410-
LABEL: Naxos 8557585
FORMAT: CD Album
ITEMS: 1
RRP: £4.99

Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

This is an interesting mix of old and new Christmas songs. Other than Wade's "O Come, All Ye Faithful" and Gruber's "Silent Night" it is our old friends Anon and Trad that supply most of the material from the "Coventry Carol" and "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" to "The Virgin Mary Had A Baby Boy" although there are two new and forgettable pieces by Peter Breiner: "Puer Nobis Nascitur" and "Quem Pastores Laudavere". Almost certainly one of your favourites is here. What is less certain is whether you will like what Breiner has done to it. The arrangements are lavish and one can see that the aim is to produce something spectacular. The Bournemouth Symphony Chorus And Orchestra certainly give their all but are let down by the four solo singers who, to my ears, are decidedly ordinary. They stay in tune but do not give anything extra and tend to get swamped by Breiner's cluttered and overlong arrangements. I did enjoy this CD and can admire the musicianship behind it but it is not going to be one to which I return every year.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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