Boston Camerata – A Renaissance Christmas
I do not usually upload full albums, but I will make an exception to mark the first of Advent and this blog’s first Christmas with something very special: A Renaissance Christmas, recorded in 1986 by the Boston Camerata.
As the title suggests, the Camerata recreate the sound of Christmas from the 15th, 16th and 17th century, spreading the international flavour liberally. I’m no expert in such things, but those who are say it’s flawlessly performed.
Especially fascinating are the brief readings from the New Testament that intersperse the album, delivered in what is supposed to be the English accent of the 16th century.
I tend to put the album on when we have our Christmas dinner. Christmas Eve (when in our family we have our celebrations) I tend to play first CDs that mix the traditional carols with yer red-nosed reindeers. Then some Nat ‘King’ Cole for the mother-in-law (actually, I like it too). For dinner the Boston Camerata. Then the kids used to be chased out of the lounge to await their presents — alas, not an option any longer as they are a bit too old for such fun & games — while the adults would kick back with some Christmas jazz (Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas, for example). Then, when the presents come out and when the kids were allowed into the darkened lounge, some traditional carols would play. Once the lights went on for the violent tearing up of lovingly folded and sellotaped wrappings, the pop & rock Christmas CD would come out (Slade!). Once mother-in-law gets stressed, we revert to the old crooners singing about roasting chestnuts on open fires and letting it snow in sunny South Africa.
Read more about A Renaissance Christmas
Buy A Renaissance Christmas
Download
Download linkhttp://www.divshare.com/download/2952687-929No password, but if you’d like to steal this link for your blog, please acknowledge where you got it from (even if the file provides the source).
Thank you….this will be a lovely addition to Christmas Day!
Hi dude, I can’t believe you’ve linked me! This has to be a first. I am looking forward to listening nto this album, as I’m a sucker for anything with ‘Christmas’ on it. Thanks very much, and nice to meet you.
Thanks so much for this post – my copy of this is currently in storage, and i can’t locate the exact box… (has all my classical Christmas albums).Best!Spinninghttp://spinninginair.blogspot.com
Thank you for this, I love it!
Will you post this again this year? The copy I downloaded last year got wiped out when my computer crashed. Please?
I’ll do so within the next couple of days, billie. Just because last year you took the trouble to comment!!! Actually, you have commented on other occasions as well, so you I’m glad to post it again for you and others who missed it. That was a very popular upload. A thousand or two downloads, if I remember correctly.
WHOW!
What a stuff!
It is possible to re-up? :D