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Wow. This is a rare and wonderful treat. Cantus is a fabulous a cappella male ensemble; I reviewed their superb holiday albums in 2005: Comfort and Joy: Volume One and Comfort and Joy: Volume Two. This release, however, is something entirely different. You may well be familiar with the true story of how the Germans and the English stepped from their WWI trenches at Christmastime 1914 to celebrate camaraderie, music, and peace before returning to the cruel realities of war. All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 is the original cast recording of a radio musical drama based on this fascinating historical moment. A collaboration between Cantus and Theater Latte Da, the presentation combines music common to England and Germany, and textual narratives taken from many sources, including war documents, letters, journals, and even a grave stone inscription. The music naturally incorporates Christmas pieces, but also reflects trench songs, patriotic numbers, and sentimental tunes of the era.

This, then, is a dramatic presentation, and you can enjoy the full force of the radio broadcast through the All Is Calm CD. It is not your average holiday release, that's for certain. From the perspectives of dramatic execution and musical performance, this is moving and unique Christmas entertainment unlike anything else you might encounter. Cantus, of course, provides magnificent a cappella choral support, and the actors deliver memorable readings that will transport you to the WWI trenches, making you witness to the remarkable peace that broke out among enemies. The overall package is a rarity in holiday offerings--and one that delivers a powerful message wrapped in a history lesson.

Of course, given the unusual nature of All Is Calm, the CD has limited replay value, and you cannot really use it effectively as background music for your holiday events. On the other hand, you probably already have tons of "regular" Christmas CDs for such affairs; I can guarantee that you do NOT already have anything like All Is Calm in your holiday collection!

Finally, the three "Bonus Tracks" are stupendous additions to the recording. The six-minute version of Silent Night is among the most moving that I have ever heard, and Auld Lang Syne, a throwaway number on most albums, is fully developed and breathtaking here. Get out your hankies!

Simply amazing. Looking for something special to surprise and entertain your family this holiday season? Look no further. The collaboration between Cantus and Theater Latte Da has created the perfect holiday gift: All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914. Enough said!

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2008)

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From the liner notes:

The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence comes a silence, then a song. A young German soldier steps into No Man's Land singing Stille Nacht (Silent Night). Thus begins an extraordinary night of camaraderie, music, peace. Re-live this remarkable true story from WWI through the words and songs of the men who lived it.

The Company:
Dashon Burton (Baritone)
John Catron (Actor)
Eric Hopkins (Tenor)
Aaron Humble (Tenor)
Michael Jones (Tenor)
Tom McNichols (Bass)
Adam Reinwald (Baritone)
David Roberts (Actor)
Gary Ruschman (Tenor)
Shahzore Shah (Tenor)
Alan Sorenson (Actor)
Timothy C. Takach (Bass)

Bonus Tracks:
Silent Night
Minuit chretiens (O Holy Night)
Auld Lang Syne

Theater Latte Da seeks to create new connections between story, music, artist and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musical theater. Under the artistic directorship of Peter Rothstein and Denise Prosek, Theater Latte Da has earned a unique place in the Twin Cities arts scene, creating a new voice for musical theater that respects, challenges, and unites its audience. Theater Latte Da boasts an impressive history, including numerous area and world premieres as well as radical rethinkings of existing work, to significant critical and popular acclaim. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of artistry while remaining committed to taking risks and pushing the boundaries of musical storytelling.

Peter Rothstein, Artistic Director
Denise Prosek, Resident Music Director
Michelle Pett, Managing Director
Aaron Gabriel, Production Manager
Patrick Bailey, Dialect Coach
Michael Hefty, Graphic Designer

Cantus, a nine-voice professional male vocal ensemble, is committed to the excellent performance of significant music, both old and newly commissioned. Rehearsing and performing without a conductor or music director, for the past thirteen years Cantus' stylistic versatility and eclectic programming have delighted critics and audiences alike.

Artistic Staff
Erick Lichte, Artistic Director
Aaron Humble, Artistic Co-Director
Adam Reinwalk, Artistic Co-Director
Shahzore Shah, Artistic Co-Director

Administrative Staff
Joann M. Usher, Executive Director
Peter Zvanovec, Operations Manager
Timothy C. Takach, Graphic Designer

Produced, edited and mixed: Erick Lichte
Engineers: Kyle Wesloh, Josh Kubasta
Package design and layout: Timothy C. Takach
Cover Photo: Imperial War Museum, London
Recorded at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Maple Grove, MN, March 6-7, 2008


From the Website:

Cantus and Theater Latté Da present All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 by Peter Rothstein, with musical arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach. Through new arrangements of European carols and war-songs for a capella voices, All Is Calm recalls the remarkable World War I truce between Allied Forces and German soldiers in no man's land on Christmas, 1914.

Cantus and Theater Latte Da

All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914

Artist link

Track List