Our Review
Contrary to the exclamation point, I found Rejoice! to be a soothing meditation on the season and a welcome respite from the incessant hucksterism of Christmas in America. Arturo Delmoni and friends bring cool reflection to the harried soul's search for the season's meaning.
On volume I Delmoni is joined by Alexander Romanul on violin, Katherine Murdock on viola, and Nathaniel Rosen on cello. The selections on this volume are mostly well-known, popular Christmas carols. The quartet performs formal, white tie arrangements of these classics. Primarily religious pieces, these works yield their time-tested greatness to classical string interpretation. My favorite was the incomparable Veni, veni, Emmanuel, a song whose emotion is best captured on violin. Delmoni and Romanul do not disappoint, instilling the piece with plaintive joy.
Likewise, Schubert's Ave Maria is given appropriate unction by Delmoni on volume II. This time joined by Nina Bodnar on violin, Natasha Lipkina on viola, volume II finds Delmoni and Rosen's elegant interpretations of a more classical set of Christmas works. The highlight for me was the infrequently-chosen Sheep May Safely Graze which characterized the earnest style of the entire set.
Volume III continues the classical, religious mood. On this record Delmoni plays both violins and viola and is joined by Danielle Maddon on violin, Ellen DePasquale on viola and Rafael Figueroa on cello. I enjoyed the inclusion of Emily Mitchell's harp arrangement of Tournier's Six Noëls pour la Harpe and Timothy Smith's organ accompaniment on Adagio Marcello. These arrangements effectively "rounded out" three substantial volumes of work which can be enjoyed either separately or in their entirety.
--Richard Banks
(Reviewed in 2000)
No More
Arturo Delmoni and friends
Rejoice! A String Quartet Christmas,
Volume 1
Artist link
Label: John Marks
Length: 165 minutes
Genre: Classical
Release: 1995
Track List
| Song Title |
|---|
| Joy to the world |
| The First Nöel |
| Adeste Fideles |
| It Came Upon a MIdnight Clear |
| O Little Town of Bethelem |
| Silent Night |
| Angels from Realms of Glory |
| Away in a Manger |
| Gaudeamus |
| Deck the Halls |
| Es is ein Ros' entsprungen |
| Angels We Have Heard on HIgh |
| Good King Wenceslas |
| The Goldne Carol |
| Here We Go A-Wassailing |
| Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella |
| The Holly and the Ivy |
| What Child Is This? |
| God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen |
| Coventry Carol |
| Veni, veni, Emmanuel |
| In dulci jubilio |
| O Sanctissima |
| We Wish You A Merry Christmas |