Presto Recording of the Week
3rd December 2021

Christiane Karg (soprano), Gerold Huber (piano)

Humperdinck: Weihnachten
Humperdinck: Das Licht der Welt, EHWV 132
Cornelius: Es strahlt am Himmelsrande
Cornelius: Christbaum, Op. 8 No. 1
Cornelius: Weihnachtslieder (6), Op. 8: Drei Kön'ge wandern aus Morgenland
Sibelius: En etsi valtaa, loistoa (text: Zacharias Topelius), Op. 1 No. 4
Mendelssohn: Weihnachtslied
Schumann: Weihnachtslied Op. 79 / 17
Fauré: Noël Op. 43 No. 1
Toldrà: Cantareillo
Nin: Villancico murciano
Nin: Villancico Vasco (from Villancicos Españolas)
Grieg: Julens Vuggesang, EG 155 (text: Adolf Langsted)
Rossini: La Nuit de Noël (from Péchés de vieillesse)
Saint-Saëns: La Madonna col Bambino
Ravel: Noël des jouets
Massenet: Noël païen
Massenet: Noël de fleurs
Massenet: Le noël des humbles
Gounod: Chantez Noël
Chaminade: Le Noël des Oiseaux, W297
Marx: Christbaum
Strauss, R: Weihnachtsgefühl, WoO. 94
Strauss, R: Die heiligen drei Könige aus Morgenland Op. 56 No. 6

"No chestnuts of any variety on the menu here, just a beautifully-plotted programme of Lieder and mélodies…Karg’s silvery soprano soars magically above the full-throated Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, and both she and Huber are as responsive as ever to texts and harmonic light and shade. This has to be my favourite classical Christmas album in some years." - Katherine Cooper, Presto Classical, 3rd December 2021.