Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

There is much to appreciate in this generous collection of more than two hours 20 minutes of Christmas music spread over two CDs. I will open with a backhanded compliment and thank Diana Damrau for sticking with what she is good at. She is an operatic soprano and rather than attempting to sing seasonal favourites from the middle of the road or attempting to cross over into popular music she plays to her strengths and stays within the broad expanse of classical and baroque vocal music. CD One is made up of carols, medleys and German Christmas songs in interesting new orchestrations by Richard Whilds, with the NDR Radiophilharmonie and the Knabenchor Hannover all in sparkling form. The one downside - and this is an observation, not a criticism - is that the music is sung in German and although the texts are supplied in the CD booklet, we have to hunt down translations through the Warner Classics website, although if listeners do not know the English words to "Stille Nachte" ("Silent Night") perhaps they need to get out more. It is on the second CD that Frau Damrau shines brightest. She is not known as a Baroque specialist but on this showing this must surely change. Her "Rejoice Greatly" from Handel's 'Messiah' was spine-tingling and she is equally strong on arias from Bach's 'Christmas Oratorio' and Mozart's 'Mass in C minor'. A new discovery for this reviewer was Jan Dismas Zelenka's "Laudate pueri Dominum in D" with some exciting trumpet-playing by Matthias Höfs. Other welcome excursions off the well-worn Christmas track are Max Reger's numinous lullaby "Schlaf wohl, du Himmelsknabe du", Humperdinck's lovely "Weihnachten", and René Kollo's "Weihnachtsfriede" - and I told you it was a predominantly German programme. Musically, this collection is a triumph and it almost makes me wish I had studied German at school.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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