A Medieval Christmas: Hodie Christus Natus Est (Today Christ Is Born)

‎As diverse as it is rich, the musical inspiration between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries in Western Europe highlights the high interpretative quality of this reduced formation of the ‎‎Boston Camerata‎‎ led by ‎‎Anne Azéma.‎

It is in a reduced form of three female voices and a few instruments (harp, hurdy-gurdy, bells and wind instruments), that the Boston Camerata offers a sensitive and enthusiastic interpretation, moving as well as endearing, far from any academicism that could distort the works offered, and slow down listening to the listener. It enjoys excellent recording in Saint Ignatius de Loyola Church in Boston, where voices and instruments blend together in an ideal balance.

Sensitive and enthusiastic...free from any trace of academicism...spiritual serenity. The [Camerata] ensemble is full of grace, extraordinarily eloquent.

The [Camerata] ensemble takes you to a place of hope, redemption, and everlasting peace...Simply beautiful, and not just for Christmas.

A most delightful album whose program is a wide variety of styles and texts. It is one of the reasons why this recording is interesting and captivating. At the end I was thinking: "Please, ma'am, can I have some more?"

That is also due to the performances. The singing and playing is excellent. The excerpts from the miracle play Sponsus are among the highlights and make curious for the entire piece.

Obviously, the vocal part of this recording is the most important, but I would like to express my admiration for the instrumental contributions as well. How flamboyant the English dance under the hands of Shira Kammen comes off!

This album makes for great company during the last weeks of the year.

The Best of 2021 Holiday Music 

A trio of female singers accompanied by hurdy gurdy, harp, rebec, and bells present a diverse program of medieval Christmas music in English, Latin, Italian, Iberian, and French.

Plainsong hymns, responses, carols, and dances, all by anonymous sources, are performed with impeccable sound, blend, and tuning and an impressive variety of approaches. Some of the music is intoned as chant while other pieces are metricized.

This repertoire would not have appeared together in a single performance, especially given the blend of sacred and secular pieces, but A Medieval Christmas: Hodie Christus natus est (Today Christ Is Born) is a rich program that displays historically informed performance at its very finest.