CD - The Cradle in Bethlehem
ベツレヘムの揺りかご

Some are well known: "Adam lay ybounden", for instance, which rises to a lovely, almost ecstatic "Deo gratias". Some, much less so: Thomas Dunhill (1877-1946: think contemporaneous with the likes of Tovey and Hurlstone) provides "To the Queen of Heaven", another short song that rises to a glorious close. Obviously, the prevailing tone of the recital is reflective and contained, yet within this the programme finds myriad variation, from the folk-song tinged "The Final Mercy" (Warlock) through "I Wonder as I Wander". The placing of "I Wonder as I Wander" exemplifies the care put into the programme order here: this is one of the most exposed tracks on the disc; the Britten that follows ("Corpus Christi Carol") emerges as an extension of it; its more advanced, very characteristically Britten harmonic language seemingly the logical next step.

Charlotte de Rothschild has the most pristine of voices, and so is eminently suited to this repertoire. Danielle Perrett is a superb player, and not just a superb accompanist, as her rapt reading of the Old French carol "Let all flesh keep mortal silence" shows. The recording is simply exemplary throughout. An essay by Charlotte de Rothschild ("Christmas at Exbury") sets the scene deliciously.

Soprano Charlotte de Rothschild with harpist Danielle Perrett present this charming collection of Christmas Lullabies from Nimbus Records. The 17 songs (plus 4 harp solos) follow the time-line of the Christmas story, an unusual and interesting approach. The great flowering of English Song in the early 20th century is well represented here with composers such as Roger Quilter, Peter Warlock, Michael Head and Edmund Rubbra. I confess I didn't know there were so many English songs relating to Christmas.

I especially enjoyed the first five songs, where the composers have set ancient words. Rubbra's 'A Hymn to the Virgin' and 'Jesukin' are exquisitely sung. de Rothschild's high notes are crystal clear and the interpretation is sympathetic. 'An Old Carol' by Roger Quilter has an intimate, restful feeling and in 'To The Queen Of Heaven', Perrett displays a robust fullness of sound.

'Maria Wiegenlied', 'The Cradle in Bethlehem' and the 'Little Road to Bethlehem' all have the gentle rocking motion of the lullaby. Sweet floated quiet notes add to the ethereal mood. I imagine a nursery lit only by a flickering nightlight in 'The Cradle in Bethlehem' and 'Little Road to Bethlehem' places the Holy Family in a scene of gentle English countryside - lovely words and lilting music.

'Die Konige' (The Kings) is a classic Christmas song from Peter Cornelius but it's not an easy one. Charlotte de Rothschild's diction is, as ever, very good indeed and she makes the most of the storytelling in the song. And by the by, there's a heartstoppingly lovely final note. I'm not convinced that this song works with harp - it contains some thumping great piano chords which to my ears sound odd played on the harp. 'Cantique de Noel' (O Holy Night) is Adolphe Adam's blockbuster Christmas number. It's slushy but it's glorious. I'd say I prefer a large voice singing this, but de Rothschild makes up for size of voice with expressive vocal colour and, as ever with this singer, intelligent word painting. She is punctilious in marking the difference between the two very similar words in 'I Wonder as I Wander' (not as easy as you'd think). This is a smashing arrangement from Stuart Calvert - sweet sparkling harp ripples that sound magical but don't disturb the vocal line. The storytelling and the last verse, mostly unaccompanied, are especially good.

'Corpus Christi Carol' from Britten's 'A Boy Was Born', came as a real surprise. For me, this is easily the best on this CD. High, haunting floated notes at the opening and closing of the song set the mood and the interpretation of the words is beautiful.

The last two songs are what I'd call Christmas Chestnuts and although they are well performed - 'Walking in the Air' was nicely evocative and 'Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire' had a cosy warmth.

So there it is - a highly enjoyable hour of gentle Christmas music. I'd recommend that you listen after all the presents are opened and the children have been packed off to make a snowman. And for those of you who never read sleeve notes (shame on you!) make an exception with this CD, for there's an added treat. Charlotte de Rothschild writes about Christmas at her family's home in Exbury. It's an affectionate description of an idyllic country Christmas and reading it made me come over all Christmassy - and it's only October.

If your nerves are frayed by shopping the malls where "A Holly Jolly Christmas" or "The Little Drummer Boy" are being blasted out with 16-percent harmonic distortion by inadequately powered sound systems, Christmas Lullabies might be just the album for you.

Charlotte de Rothschild is a member of the famous Rothschild banking family of England. She studied singing in Salzburg and London. She has specialized in recital and oratorio repertory, which has led her to a vast knowledge of concert hall songs. This has allowed her to put together recitals that have a theme as their basis. Fairy Songs is one such, A Japanese Journey is another, as is Christmas Lullabies. She has also recorded a two-disc set of songs by her neglected ancestor, Mathilde de Rothschild, who studied with Chopin.

...De Rothschild’s voice is a pure and lovely soprano belying her age but it is guided by a sensibility and understanding that come only with time. Her singing is, then, the best of two worlds, and it was a masterstroke to have her accompanied by the solo harp of Danielle Perrett.

Together the two women present music mostly written by, or arranged by, 20th-century songwriters. Edmund Rubbra and Peter Warlock are each represented by two songs each and John Ireland’s well-known “The Holy Boy” is there as well. One of my favorites, "The Little Road to Bethlehem," by Michael Head, is exquisitely and simply performed to great effect; and "I Wonder as I Wander" by America’s own John Jacob Niles is given longing and wondrous expression.

To break up the program and keep it from being too much the same, there are four pieces for harp alone, the best of which is a sumptuous arrangement of "What Child is This," which is, in turn, an arrangement of "Greensleeves." The other harp interludes are "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence," "Lo, How a Rose e’er Blooming," and "O Come, O Come Emmanuel."

At the end of the disc, Charlotte de Rothschild essays two more pop-oriented tunes with great success. Howard Blake's "Walking in the Air" from the animated short The Snowman sounds tailor made for voice and harp even if it can’t quite eclipse the memory of Peter Auty's original. The Rothschild-Perrett version of "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" is straightforward, unfussy, and very beautiful.

The recorded sound is excellent, the voice and harp well balanced with each sounding crisp and clear. All in all, this is a welcome album of holiday music in a quieter and reflective vein.

I was the fortunate one. I found myself listening to this disc in the weeks leading up to Christmas. It popped through the letter box just as Advent was starting.

This voice and harp combination has worked together many times both in concert all over the world and in the recording studio. I reviewed their Fairy Songs in 2012 (NI 6193) and they recorded some pieces of mine in 2011 (Regent REGCD381). They have been superb advocates of British music for some time especially of the earlier twentieth century as demonstrated here, but this also quite an eclectic choice including some popular songs of the pre-war era.

Many of the songs will be quite familiar. In truth I didn't realise that some of them worked so well on the harp. Examples include Warlock's The First Mercy and Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, here arranged beguilingly by one Robert Wells.

The slim CD booklet notes have been written by Charlotte de Rothschild herself and centre on her home, Christmas at Exbury. This anthology is therefore her own, rather personal reflection on childhood Christmases. It's a reminder of times past and of the way in which these English composers represented would themselves have probably experienced the great day.

I often write in some frustration about lack of texts and this disc has none. Is it a question of cost? De Rothschild's diction is mostly very reliable but the texts represented here are surely not much in copyright. It would have been good to have had them to hand. There is also no information about any of the music or the composers. Instead there are the usual artist’s biographies.

I will pick out a few of my favourite tracks.

Michael Head is such an underrated song composer. His Little Road to Bethlehem always comes back fresh. Then again, what about the equally lovely Star Candles,both using texts by Margaret Rose. Roger Quilter, represented by his exquisite An Old Carol and Edmund Rubbra, when a young man, were just two of those British composers who were to rediscover old English poetry and set it. Jesukin was composed when Rubbra was about 22. The even better known A Hymn to the Virgin was written just a short time later. They deliberately capture a medieval mood with parallel harmonies, open fifths and simple modal melodies. Perrett recorded them both back in 1998 (ASV CD DCA 1036) with the lovely and much lamented Tracey Chadwell.

There are four much appreciated harp solos. What a pity that an unaccompanied vocal one could not have been placed somewhere. Especially charming is Perrett's own arrangement of What Child is this? to the tune, as it always has been, of Greensleeves. There are three arrangements by Mary Hogan Cambern, herself a harpist. Especially unusual and interesting is the hymn Let all mortal flesh keep silence.

The most idiomatic accompaniments are the ones especially designed for harp, especially pleasing is Canadian composer Stuart Calvert's arrangement of the American carol I wonder as I wander. In this he does not allow himself to fall into the some of the usual 'soupy' harmonies.

Charlotte de Rothschild has an effortless and unforced vocal timbre. Sometimes it may appear a little strained in the very highest register when singing piano. That said, it can easily turn to the dramatic as it does convincingly in Adam’s ubiquitous Cantique de Noël. How refreshing to hear a woman sing this as opposed to some imposing operatic tenor. Danielle Perrett plays with totally assured calm, dexterity and elegance. For my taste, in some tracks, I would have wanted the harp a little more prominent in the overall stereo image.

The whole disc, which as can be seen below, traces a journey from Christ’s conception to birth, is a complete delight and worthy of any Christmas stocking.