FRIENDS OF LITURGICAL MUSIC

"A concise telling of the Christmas story. Ms. Basbas chose some stunning Renaissance and early Baroque works, and works written since 1990 including two commissioned for the occasion. Ms. Basbas's highly polished choir gave the new works vibrant, persuasive readings and gripping performances of the earlier works."

--Allan Kozinn, The New York Times

Click here for our new CD, Exsulta! Music for the Feasts of the Church Year.

Click here for our first CD, Pange Lingua: Music for the Feast of Corpus Christi.

Full contents of A Festival of Lessons and Carols:

1. First Lesson (Genesis 3:1-15) [2:42]

2. Hymn: Christe Redemptor omnium, Luca Marenzio (1553-1599) [4:55]

3. Second Lesson (Genesis 22:15-18) [0:45]

4. Carol: O Come, O Come Emmanuel, Harvey Burgett (b. 1944) [4:07] *

5. Third Lesson (Isaiah 9:2, 6-8) [0:55]

6. Motet: Aspiciens a longe, Jacob Handl (Gallus) (1550-1591) [2:09]

7. Fourth Lesson (Isaiah 11:1-9) [1:43]

8. Motet: Veni Domine, Cristóbal de Morales (ca.1500-1553) [3:54]

9. Fifth Lesson (Luke 1:26-33, 58) [1:42]

10. Anthem: The Girl, Catherine Aks (b. 1946) [5:52] *
Margery Daley, soprano; Michael Brown, tenor

11. Sixth Lesson (Matthew 1:18-23) [1:08]

12. Motet: O Jesu mi dulcissime, Giovanni Gabrieli (ca.1554-1612) [3:45]

13. Motet: Hodie Christus natus est, Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) [5:51]

14. Seventh Lesson (Luke 2:8-16) [1:15]

15. Motet: Noé, Noé! Pastores, cantate Domino, Guillaume Bouzignac (ca.1592-ca.1611) [3:46]
Marion Beckenstein, soprano

16. Eighth Lesson (Matthew 2:1-11) [1:46]

17. Motet: Videntes stellam, Orlandus Lassus (ca.1532-1594) [2:48]

Sonata for Organ: Puer natus est, Harvey Burgett
18.      I. Prelude: Puer natus est nobis [4:12]
19.       II. Andante: Viderunt omnes [2:30]
20.       III. Finale: Puer natus in Bethlehem [1:44]
              Harvey Burgett, organ

21. Ninth Lesson (John 1:1-18) [1:44]

22. Motet: Verbum caro, Johann Hermann Schein (1586-1630) [3:22]

Total Time 62:44 ddd

* indicates works commissioned by Music Before 1800

          The Choir of Corpus Christi Church:
          Marion Beckenstein, Margery Daley, sopranos; Phyllis Jo Kubey,
          Scott Fraser, altos; Michael Brown, Paul Solem, tenors; Thomas Baker,
          James Bingham, Phillip Gleason, Robert Kuehn, basses

          Harvey Burgett, organ
          Richard Clarke, narrator
          Louise Basbas, Director of Music and organ continuo

Holtkamp Organ (1956), Cleveland, Ohio
Positif Organ by Taylor & Boody (1987), Staunton, Virginia

          Randolph Gilberti, organ technician
          Donsok Shin, recording producer/digital editor
          Michael P. Hesse, msk Recordings, recording engineer
          Fred Holtz, design
          Katherine Allen, graphics
          cover art: Sandro Botticelli, Madonna of the Book, Milan, Museo Poldi Pezzoli

This CD was made possible by a very generous gift from an anonymous donor.

A Festival of Lessons and Carols was first presented for the Music Before 1800
concert series at Corpus Christi Church on January 4, 1998.

To help support the Friends of Liturgical Music at Corpus Christi,

make your check payable to "Friends of Liturgical Music" and mail it to

Friends of Liturgical Music

Corpus Christi Church

529 West 121^st Street

New York, New York 10027