John Rutter – Music for Christmas
Including: Nativity Carol, Star Carol, Carol of the Children, Angel Tidings, Candlelight Carol, Mary’s Lullaby, Jesus Child, Christmas Lullaby, Donkey Carol, Angels’ Carol, Sans Day Carol

Polyphony
City of London Sinfonia
Stephen Layton

Classic FM Disc of the Month

Gramophone
A Christmas treat

Classic FM Magazine
Disc of the Month
Dec 2001

Those of you who have ever sung in a choir, particularly around Christmas time, will be familiar with John Rutter's huge role in shaping the musical content of carol services up and down the country.  He has arranged just about every carol known to man and his original Christmas compositions, as heard here on this extraordinary disc, epitomise both the joy and intense emotion that the Nine Lessons and Carols service brings with it.  Those of you for whom Rutter is a new name are in for a very special treat.  From the jaunty Shepherd's Pipe Carol, with its vivid portrayal of the starry night sky above Bethlehem, to the sublime and deeply moving What Sweeter Music, Rutter's music is impeccably crafted, melodically rich and entirely infectious.  The attraction of John Rutter also lies in his ability to communicate equally intimately with both adults and children – play this CD to the kids and I promise you, they'll be hooked.  Yet, there's so much else going on in Rutter's pieces, both in the voices and the orchestral accompaniments, that makes this disc extremely satisfying listening.  Listen to the imaginative, rhythmic word-painting in the Donkey Carol and you'll hear just why Rutter is sung all around the world every December.

Polyphony’s approach to this music is perfect in its vocal purity and innocence, and yet it is mature enough for the clean energy that John Rutter's more sprightly music demands.  The orchestral arrangements are superb - the City of London Sinfonia's tight ensemble playing envelops the choir in a warm blanket of sound, complementing it perfectly.  More than a stocking-filler, this disc is surely one of the highlights of the year.

Amazon.co.uk
In an introduction to this disc of Christmas music, John Rutter tellingly commends the Christmas carol as one of the few forms that permits "serious" composers to write tunes, regardless of whatever political correctness rules the avant-garde of the day. And he's been exploiting that licence with a vengeance ever since, as a Cambridge student, he composed the jaunty little number that remains his greatest hit--"The Shepherd's Pipe Carol". Needless to say it's on this disc, along with the good, bad and indifferent of his Christmas output through the past 40 years, immaculately sung by one of the most accomplished professional choirs in the business under its superlatively accomplished founder-director Stephen Layton.

And I defy anyone inclined to marginalise Rutter as middlebrow not to be touched by the eloquence, charm and craft of his work when it's done like this, in ideal conditions. At its worst the music is derivative but fun. At best it's irresistibly endearing. Not for nothing does he rival Howard Blake as English music's Mr Christmas, and this seasonally timed release delivers the evidence encyclopaedically - it's a perfect stocking-filler.

Michael White

Classicstoday.com
Artistic quality – 10     Sound quality – 10

"The performances are uniformly excellent; Stephen Layton and his Polyphony vocal ensemble have shown a previous affinity for Rutter's work and this effort simply reaffirms their commitment to and love for this very special music. The recording captures choir and the various orchestral forces at their best in the favourable acoustics of London's All Saints Church, Tooting…as one commentator said, it's become part of the "soundtrack" to the Christmas season. Enjoy!"
Hometheaterhifi.com
Performance –5 stars     Sonics – 4 stars

For lighter fare, the English equivalent of those Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops renditions of "Sleigh Ride" and other Christmas favorites from the '60's and '70's, it's hard to beat the music of John Rutter. Whether listening to his original "Shepherd's Pipe Carol" or his arrangement of "Silent Night," there's an irresistibly friendly charm to Rutter's music. Its warm, cozy, friends around the fire feel is perfect background for a holiday get-together, or to cheer you up as you contemplate what all your Xmas lights are going to do to your electric bill.

Rutter's name is known to many audiophiles from the superb Reference Recordings disc of his attractive Requiem. This disc will further endear his name to lovers of good music. The amassed English forces sound wonderful in this well-recorded music: relaxed, comfy, and filled with good cheer.

No more words are needed. Enjoy!

Gramophone
A Christmas treat

Classic FM
Those of you for whom Rutter is a new name are in for a very special treat. From the jaunty Shepherd's Pipe Carol, with its vivid portrayal of the starry sky above Bethlehem, to the sublime and deeply moving What Sweeter Music, Rutter's music is impeccably crafted, melodically rich and entirely infectious. More than a stocking-filler, this disc is surely one of the highlights of the year

www.classicstoday.com
The performances are uniformly excellent; Stephen Layton and his Polyphony vocal ensemble have shown a previous affinity for Rutter’s work and this effort simply reaffirms their commitment to and love for this very special music. Outstanding

Classic FM Magazine
The carols of John Rutter are becoming as traditional at Christmas as mince pies, so rich is his output … [An] extraordinary disc. Rutter’s music is impeccably crafted, melodically rich and entirely infections … this disc is surely one of the highlights of the year

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