Audio CD review:
John Tavener, Richard Rodney Bennett, Peter Maxwell Davies, Geoffrey Burgon, Henry VIII, Benjamin Britten, Anonymous 4, Andrew Lawrence-King - Wolcum Yule: Celtic and British Songs and Carols - Anonymous 4 with Andrew Lawrence-King

John Tavener, Richard Rodney Bennett, Peter Maxwell Davies, Geoffrey Burgon, Henry VIII, Benjamin Britten, Anonymous 4, Andrew Lawrence-King - Wolcum Yule: Celtic and British Songs and Carols - Anonymous 4 with Andrew Lawrence-King

Band: John Tavener, Richard Rodney Bennett, Peter Maxwell Davies, Geoffrey Burgon, Henry VIII, Benjamin Britten, Anonymous 4, Andrew Lawrence-King Title: Wolcum Yule: Celtic and British Songs and Carols - Anonymous 4 with Andrew Lawrence-King Rating: Release Date: 14 October, 2003 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Awake, And Join The Cheerful Choir 2: Good People All 3: The Seven Rejoices Of Mary 4: The Lamb 5: A Scots Lilt 6: Balulalow 7: Balulalow 8: The Holly And The Ivy 9: The Reel Of Tullochgorum 10: I Saw Three Ships 11: A Calendar Of Kings 12: Air: La Fuar Geimhreadh 13: An Teicheadh Go Heigipt 14: A God, And Yet A Man? 15: Grene Growith The Holy 16: Wel, Dyma'r Borau Gorau 17: The Cherry Tree Carol 18: Can Wassel 19: A New Year Carol

Editoral Review The 19 selections include traditional folk melodies and texts, some of which date back to the Middle Ages, interspersed with fitting selections by contemporary composers including John Taverner, Benjamin Britten, and Peter Maxwell Davies, whose ethereal a cappella A Calender of Kings gets its first recording. This offbeat disc of seasonal songs and carols by the Anonymous 4 will delight their fans and please everyone else. Andrew Lawrence-King, playing Irish harp, Baroque harp, and psaltery with his accustomed finesse, is a major reason for the disc's success, accompanying most of the vocals and contributing three lovely solos. The disc is crammed with highlight tracks, like the lilting Cornish Wassail song and the Irish Good people all, and haunting numbers like "Flight into Egypt," sung in Gaelic, and "Behold, here is the best morning," sung in Welsh. Excellent sonics and Harmonia Mundi's typically fine production values also help make this a Christmas disc that will give joy in July. --Dan Davis .. You can see a complete list of all John Tavener, Richard Rodney Bennett, Peter Maxwell Davies, Geoffrey Burgon, Henry VIII, Benjamin Britten, Anonymous 4, Andrew Lawrence-King discography, or go back to the John Tavener, Richard Rodney Bennett, Peter Maxwell Davies, Geoffrey Burgon, Henry VIII, Benjamin Britten, Anonymous 4, Andrew Lawrence-King tabs