Glad Tidings from 17th Century Europe

In 1968 Roger Norrington was embarking on a recording career that lasted more than 50 years. His first LP was this collection of Christmas music from the baroque era.

For the Argo record, Sir Roger (as he is now) brought along the Heinrich Schütz Choir he had founded in 1962, the London String Players (which were actually the illustrious Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, then a string ensemble), the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, and the Camden Wind Ensemble, presumably led by oboist Anthony Camden.

Roger Norrington at a 1968 recording session

Norrington later became famed for historically informed performance practices, but this does not reflect that interest. It is instead used the halfway measures that were common back then: reduced forces and a de-emphasis on the Romantic style that was the norm in concert programs. 

Derek McCullough's sleeve explains the aims of the program: "The selection of music on the present disc limits itself in time to a period of about 100 years and sets out to show how great, minor and anonymous composers from all over Western Europe sought to translate the mystery and joy of the Incarnation into music. The result is a startling diversity of styles, ranging from the gentle sentimentality of an anonymous Spanish song to the sophisticated unpredictability of a madrigale spirituale by Heinrich Schütz."

The works were composed from c1585 (Giovanni Gabrieli's "O magnum mysterium") to 1687 (Henry Purcell's Christmas Anthem "Behold I bring you glad tidings," the most substantial work on the program).

The result: The Gramophone's Denis Arnold found the disc was, "Altogether a very creditable and enjoyable affair, and a most suitable Christmas present for a favourite graduate uncle." I do hope you and your graduate uncles all like it.

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