MusicWeb International One of the most grown-up review sites around 2024
60,000 reviews
... and still writing ...

Search MusicWeb Here Acte Prealable Polish CDs
 

Presto Music CD retailer
 
Founder: Len Mullenger                                    Editor in Chief:John Quinn             

Some items
to consider

new MWI
Current reviews

old MWI
pre-2023 reviews

paid for
advertisements

Acte Prealable Polish recordings

Forgotten Recordings
Forgotten Recordings
All Forgotten Records Reviews

TROUBADISC
Troubadisc Weinberg- TROCD01450

All Troubadisc reviews


FOGHORN Classics

Alexandra-Quartet
Brahms String Quartets

All Foghorn Reviews


All HDTT reviews


Songs to Harp from
the Old and New World


all Nimbus reviews



all tudor reviews


Follow us on Twitter


Editorial Board
MusicWeb International
Founding Editor
   
Rob Barnett
Editor in Chief
John Quinn
Contributing Editor
Ralph Moore
Webmaster
   David Barker
Postmaster
Jonathan Woolf
MusicWeb Founder
   Len Mullenger


Support us financially by purchasing this from

Adventslieder
Schwesterhochfunf
rec St Mary, Eggolscheim, 2016
RONDEAU PRODUCTIONS ROP6128 [49:30]

Here we have a truly beautiful disc of advent music – this time German advent songs, sung, unusually, by a group of five sisters – Monika, Agnes, Franziska, Maria and Cordula Tscheschke, accompanied in a couple of works by Hans Tschuschke – presumably a brother or father. They have been singing together since childhood, and are convinced that related voices form a special type of ensemble. Listening to this disc, one would not disagree – the voices do indeed blend most beautifully. The booklet notes are just slightly too brief – there’s not enough about the actual individual works, sources, or composers, and they are slightly self-indulgent – the reader is treated as a friend to whom the author (Franziska) is speaking or confiding; yet they are nevertheless good at scene- setting, and explain that the spur to the disc was a shared love of Advent, and a shared childhood memory of a large and simple Advent wreath hung in their living room, before which the entire family gathered each evening and sang Advent works before heading off to bed.

The works themselves are in special arrangements for the five (sometimes six) voices – these the group commissioned from composer friends of theirs. Many of the works featured are mediaeval and anonymous; a few are well-known Advent carols, such as O komm, o komm, Immanuel (this is particularly beautiful in the very pure five-voice version); and some are more modern – the Gottfried Wolters Ich brach drei Reiselein and Johann Petzold Die Nacht ist vorgedrungen. To be honest, it is well-nigh impossible to pick out highlights, because all of these are immensely lovely works – some lighter and more festive; some serene and peaceful; others darker and haunting, yet all shine with beauty and spirit. The sisters’ performances work perfectly well with the repertoire they have chosen. There is a sense of vulnerability in their singing, particularly at the top of the register, and perhaps as if they are trying to be very careful about intonation (which is generally pretty good, actually), but this in fact adds to the appeal of the singing, rather than detracting from it, adding a fragility that is in keeping with the precious works. I must confess to having hugely enjoyed listening to this disc; I will most certainly be returning to it again.

Em Marshall-Luck

Contents
ANON
Macht hoch die Tur [1:39]
ANON
Maria durch ein Dornwald ging [3:10]
ANON
O Heiland res die Himmel auf [4:29]
Michael PRAETORIUS (1571-1621)
Glaubige Seel [3:39]
ANON
Mit Erst, o Menschenkinder [4:43]
ANON
Und unser lieben Frauen [1:30]
ANON
O komm, o komm, Immanuel [2:25]
ANON
Maria durch ein Dornwald ging [4:12]
ANON
Es kommt ein Schiff, geladen [2:01]
Johann CRUGER (1598-1662)
Wie soll ich dich empfangen [3:38]
Gottfried WOLTERS (1910-1989)
Ich brach drei Reiselein [1:59]
Michael PRAETORIUS (1571-1621)
Der Morgensetern ist aufgedrungen [1:56]
Martin LUTHER (1482-1546)
Nun komm der Heiden Helland [4:08]
ANON
Marien wart ein Bot gesant [3:17]
Johann PETZOLD (1912-1985)
Die Nacht ist vorgedrungen [4:04]
Johann CRUGER (1598-1662)
Wie soll ich dich empfangen [2:40]

 

 



Advertising on
Musicweb


Donate and keep us afloat

 

New Releases

Naxos Classical
All Naxos reviews

Chandos recordings
All Chandos reviews

Hyperion recordings
All Hyperion reviews

Foghorn recordings
All Foghorn reviews

Troubadisc recordings
All Troubadisc reviews



all Bridge reviews


all cpo reviews

Divine Art recordings
Click to see New Releases
Get 10% off using code musicweb10
All Divine Art reviews


All Eloquence reviews

Lyrita recordings
All Lyrita Reviews

 

Wyastone New Releases
Obtain 10% discount

Subscribe to our free weekly review listing