Editorial Reviews

A straight reissue with a new cover of Deutsche Grammophon's 1980 recording of Georg Ratzinger and the Regensburger Domspatzen's Weihnachtskonzert, this disc will please fans of German Christmas music as well as fans of a cappella boy choirs -- augmented, when necessary, by men. All the big hits of the German seasonal repertoire are here, from the anonymous "O du fröhlichte, O du selige" to Michael Praetorius' "Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen" to Franz Xaver Gruber's ever-popular "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht" along with less well known but no less lovely works like Hans Leo Hassler's "Verbum caro factum est" and Carl Loewe's "Quem pastores laudavere." And the performances are consistently first-rate. Ratzinger -- the musical brother of Pope Benedict XVI -- leads wonderfully musical and wholly devotional performances, and the members of the Regensburger Domspatzen -- the Regensburger Cathedral Choir, for those whose German isn't all it could be -- sing like their souls depend on it. And with purity of tone and flawlessness of pronunciation along with Ratzinger's skillful guidance, the choir wins the immortality of being reissued. Captured with amazing clarity and incredible warmth in Deutsche Grammophon's best late stereo sound, this disc belongs under the Tanenbaum of every Hansel and Gretel. James Leonard, All Music Guide

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