COMPOSERS: Various
LABELS: Erato
WORKS: Carols, Hymns & Spirituals 1770-1870
PERFORMER: Boston Camerata, Schola Cantorum of Boston, Brown University Chorus/Joel Cohen
CATALOGUE NO: 4509-92874-2 DDD
Some ‘lost’ habits proved more tenacious in the United States. The Boston Camerata’s An American Christmas is a scholarly, beautifully recorded disc, with first-class soloists, instruments (the flute solos outstanding), and useful references to key source-collections, such as that of Jeremiah Ingalls. There are ballads, traditional songs and Southern material verging on Gospel. The techniques used (doubling at the octave, etc) are based on good authority. A delight, in every possible way.