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The number "21" is magic here. Twenty-one ensemble members, twenty-one tracks, everything comes together beautifully on the Phoenix Chamber Choir's The Huron Carol. This polished a cappella chorale is the perfect blend of women and men, all lifting their voices in praise of the season. Their numbers are relatively small, but the sound is indisputably big. Director Ramona Luengen does a fine job of marshalling perfection from this Vancouver group.

The song selection here should please just about everyone on your Christmas list--although the emphasis leans heavily towards classical, the music includes such lively numbers as "Here We Come A Caroling" and "Jingle Bells." For me, the opening presents the "Triple Crown" with some of my favorite pieces: "The Huron Carol," "In the Bleak Mid-winter," and "Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen." The Phoenix Chamber Choir's rendition of "Es is ein Ros' entsprungen" is like a slow-motion masterpiece, moving with a tempo that gently stretches every musical moment. With some notable exceptions, the tone here is reverent and reflective. Several numbers (like "Home for the Holiday") are by Canadian composers/arrangers, but the album also includes diverse works from around the world.

What a treat! For even more fun, check out the Phoenix Chamber Choir's earlier CD (Christmas Is. . ., also reviewed here). Anyone who gets a kick out of top quality a cappella choral groups should embrace The Huron Carol this holiday season.

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2005)

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From the liner notes:

Ramona Luengen, Director

Phoenix Chamber Choir:
Soprano: Margaret Barry, Rosemary Bell, Leanne Dalton, Patti Fletcher, Corlynn Hanney, Sharon Schermbrucker

Alto: Janis Clark, Charlene Gallaher, Dale Owen, Barb Paul, Kim Tompkins

Tenor: Mike Angell, Jeff Cabralda, James Carter, Jon Goheen, Ian McCuaig

Bass: Rob Hollins, Bill Paul, Miles Ramsay, Joel Schmidt, Bill Vermeulen

Producer: Ramona Luengen

What a joy to delve into the bountiful treasure of Christmas choral music!

For this, our second seasonal recording, we have chosen music almost exclusively of the 20th century, music which weaves a richly layered story of Christmas from around the world. This varied collection of compositions and arrangements from Canada (Griffiths, Hanney, Patriquin, Ramsay), Britain (Britten, Head Holst, Langford, Llewellyn), Denmark (la Cour), Germany (Praetorius, Zimmerman), the United States (Ives, Lauridsen, Mattson, Shaw), Spain (Busto) and Sweden (Sandström) reflects the myriad of images, sentiments and emotions awakened by the events in Bethlehem almost 2000 years ago.

But how does one define the spirit of Christmas? What is the essence of this special time of year? Is it innocence and childlike wonder? We marvel at the incomprehensible mystery of Christ's birth? An appreciation of family and home made inexplicably stronger? A sense of joy and festivity? A thankfulness often made visible in the exchange of gifts?

It is our sincerest hope that the music we have chosen will allow each and every listener to re-capture, at least in part, the truest, the most selfless, the most magical spirit of the season--hope, faith and love inspired by a tiny babe in a manger.
--Ramona Luengen

From the Web site:

Founded in 1983, the Phoenix Chamber Choir has established itself as one of Canada's finest vocal ensembles. Over the past 19 years, the choir has amassed an exemplary list of awards and honours, including first place wins in seven consecutive CBC National Choral Competitions. In 2002, Phoenix won first prize in the fiercely contested Chamber Choir Category and placed second in the Contemporary Music Category. The choir was again a double winner in both the 2000 and 1998 competitions, as well as the recipient of the prestigious 1998 Canada Council Healey Willan Grand Prize for best choir overall. Dr. Ramona Luengen, Artistic Director:

Born in Vancouver in 1960, Ramona Luengen received both her B.Mus and M.Mus from the University of British Columbia where she studied composition with Cortland Hultberg and piano with Jane Coop. In 1996 she completed her Doctor of Music in Composition from the University of Toronto with Derek Holman and Harry Freedman.

Luengen has composed extensively in the choral genre and has been commissioned and recorded by Canada's finest choirs as well as the CBC. Her works have been performed in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan by artists and ensembles such as Judith Forst, Jane Coop, CBC Radio Orchestra, Chanticleer, Phoenix Chamber Choir, musica intima, Vancouver Cantata Singers, the 1992,1994 and 2000 National Youth Choirs of Canada, Elektra Women's Choir, Chor Leoni, Ariose Women's Choir (Edmonton), Winnipeg Singers, Elora Festival Singers, Amabile Youth Choir (Ontario), University of Toronto Women's Chorus, Toronto Children's Choir, Aeolian Singers (Nova Scotia), San Francisco Girls' Chorus, Peninsula Women's Chorus (California), Voci Women's Choral Ensemble (California), Washington State University Concert Choir, Mount Holyoke Glee Club (Massachusetts) and the Bitterfelder Kantorei (Germany).

Phoenix Chamber Choir

The Huron Carol

Artist link

Track List