Christmas at America's First Cathedral Review!

The Baltimore Sun's music blog "Clef Notes & Drama Queens" recently reviewed the Baltimore Choral Arts Society's new Gothic Records release "Christmas at America's First Cathedral".

From "Tim Smith's Clef Notes & Drama Queens":

"...'Christmas at America's First Cathedral' by our very own Baltimore Choral Arts Society (Gothic Records). This is a souvenir of the 2009 concert at the Baltimore Basilica and comes complete with a DVD of the event. The recording, which captures the warm, reverberant acoustics of that historic space beautifully, offers a program that is generous in providing fresh material.

The imaginative and instantly appealing new works by Rosephayne Powell and James Lee III provide welcome additions to Christmas repertoire. And it's refreshing to have some less obvious, season-appropriate selections by Handel (his other great "Hallelujah" Chorus, from "Judas Maccabeus") and Mendelssohn ("Rise Up" from "St. Paul" makes a cool curtain-raiser).
The chorus and orchestra, led by Tom Hall, sound admirably vibrant. So does soprano soloist Janice Chandler-Eteme."

Read the full article here.

Purchase from the Gothic Catalog! List Price: $18.98  Gothic Catalog Price: $15.98  You save $3.00!

USPS:

Dec. 16 Express Mail International to Asia/Pacific Rim, Australia, New Zealand and Europe
Dec. 19 Express Mail International to Canada
Dec. 19 Global Express Guaranteed to Asia/Pacific Rim, Australia, New Zealand and Europe
Dec. 19 Global Express Guaranteed to Canada
Dec. 20 Priority Mail to USA

United Parcel Service (UPS) will deliver on December 24, 2010:
Dec. 12 UPS Ground (3-10 days, depending on distance)
Dec. 20 UPS 3-day Select
Dec. 21 UPS 2-day
Dec. 22 UPS Next Day

Christmas at America's First Cathedral

Christmas at America's First Cathedral
Baltimore Choral Arts Chorus & Orchestra
Janice Chandler Eteme, soprano
Tom Hall, conductor

Free bonus DVD included!

In addition to familiar seasonal music by Mendelssohn, Handel, Rutter, and others, Christmas at America’s First Cathedral features music from South Africa, Canada, and the United States, including the premiere recordings of seven new works by two of America’s most important African American composers, Dr. Rosephanye Powell and Dr. James Lee III. Dr. Lee’s motet, "A Clean Heart" is from a collection of four motets composed in 2009. The six selections by Dr. Powell comprise a suite called, Christmas Give, commissioned by Baltimore Choral Arts and given its world premiere December 1, 2009 at the Baltimore Basilica.

The bonus DVD includes selections from that concert, including Dr. Powell reading two poems and interviews with Tom Hall about the program and its historic venue.

Recorded in the resonant acoustics of America's first Cathedral, the Baltimore Basilica.

1. Rise Up! Arise! — Felix Mendelssohn (3:33)
2. Gabriel’s Message — Eleanor Daley (1:51)
3. Come Colours Rise — Grant McLachlan (4:46)
4. I Saw Three Ships — arr. Robert Shaw & Alice Parker (1:45)
5. Christmas Memories* — Rosephanye Powell (3:49)
6. Precious Gift His Wondrous Birth — Dave Brubeck (1:56)
7. Ring the Bells* — Powell (2:40)
8. A Clean Heart* — James Lee III (5:06)
9. Christus Natus Est*— Powell (5:10)
10. Hallelujah, Amen — G. F. Handel (2:49)
11. Have You Seen the Baby Jesus?* — Powell (2:46)
12. The Flight into Egypt — Hector Berlioz (5:46)
13. Jesus Child — John Rutter (3:30)
14. Holy Night* — Powell (2:38)
15. Ogo ni fun Oluwa*— Powell (2:47)
16. Mary’s Lullaby — Rutter (3:13)
17. Hallelujah Chorus — Handel (4:05)

*World Premiere Recording

List Price: $18.98  Our Price:$15.98  You save $3.00!

Want this album before Christmas?

Either download on http://classicsonline.com or check out our shipping schedule:

USPS:
Dec. 13 Standard shipping to USA (First-Class Mail)
Dec. 16 Express Mail International to Asia/Pacific Rim, Australia, New Zealand and Europe
Dec. 19 Express Mail International to Canada
Dec. 19 Global Express Guaranteed to Asia/Pacific Rim, Australia, New Zealand and Europe
Dec. 19 Global Express Guaranteed to Canada
Dec. 20 Priority Mail to USA

United Parcel Service (UPS) will deliver on December 24, 2010:
Dec. 12 UPS Ground (3-10 days, depending on distance)
Dec. 20 UPS 3-day Select
Dec. 21 UPS 2-day
Dec. 22 UPS Next Day