The Boston Camerata & Anne Azema – Hodie Christus natus est (2021) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Drawing on a wide variety of sources, mingling liturgical Latin with French, English, Italian and Iberian vernaculars, these magnificent songs, hymns and processionals show the multitude of ways in which the birth of Christ was celebrated in medieval times. The trio of female singers is accompanied by harp, fiddle, bells and wind instruments: together they touchingly evoke all the tenderness, hope and joy of medieval Christmas songs.

The famous ensemble specialising in the recreation of medieval music, the Boston Camerata, had already recorded an album devoted to the medieval Christmas in 1974, under the direction of its founder Joel Cohen, now their Music Director Emeritus. Conducted by his Franco-American wife Anne Azéma since 2008, the Boston Camerata now returns to this theme in a style so blindingly different from that of their pioneering days, almost fifty years ago.

Whilst the spirit remains, the result takes into account all the expertise and the knowledge acquired since the first records by this New England, Massachusetts ensemble. Three singers and two instrumentalists bring to it their knowledge resulting from a great many years spent exploring the medieval repertoires. The present recording, made in July 2021 at St. Ignatius Church in Loyola in the Boston area, is from the last in a series of concerts performed on the East and West coasts of the United States and Canada.

The programme for this new album is drawn from a wide variety of geographical and stylistic sources. Latin, Provençal, vernacular, the languages are set free on the anniversary of the Christmas Miracle in an eclectic repertoire. – François Hudry

Tracklist:
1-01. The Boston Camerata – Hodie Christus natus est (01:03)
1-02. The Boston Camerata – Uterus hodie Virginis floruit (03:19)
1-03. The Boston Camerata – Adest Sponsus (02:35)
1-04. The Boston Camerata – Oiet virgines (03:27)
1-05. The Boston Camerata – The Foolish Virgins: Nos virgines (03:07)
1-06. The Boston Camerata – Christ’s reply to the Foolish Virgins: Amen dico (01:14)
1-07. The Boston Camerata – Verbum Patris humanatur, O! (02:19)
1-08. The Boston Camerata – Judea et Jerusalem (00:39)
1-09. The Boston Camerata – Dominus veniet (01:01)
1-10. The Boston Camerata – Lux refulget (03:07)
1-11. The Boston Camerata – Clara sonent organa (04:13)
1-12. The Boston Camerata – Gedeonis area (01:43)
1-13. The Boston Camerata – Flur de virginité, sur le chant d’Aélis (03:23)
1-14. The Boston Camerata – Veine pleine de duçur (02:36)
1-15. The Boston Camerata – Edi be thu hevene quene (02:26)
1-16. The Boston Camerata – Angelus ad Virginem (01:31)
1-17. The Boston Camerata – Dal ciel venne messo novello (05:58)
1-18. The Boston Camerata – Nolite timere (01:29)
1-19. The Boston Camerata – English Dance (02:14)
1-20. The Boston Camerata – Quem vidistis Pastores? (00:45)
1-21. The Boston Camerata – Sancta Mater graciæ – Dou way, Robin (01:48)
1-22. The Boston Camerata – Campanis cum cymbalis/Honoremus Dominam (01:02)
1-23. The Boston Camerata – Por nos virgen madre (02:46)
1-24. The Boston Camerata – Gregis pastor (04:16)