Australian Brandenburg Orchestra & Choir, Paul Dyer - A Celtic Christmas (2014)

The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, the period instrument band from down-under, shot to international attention with the acclaimed release in early 2010 of their recording of Handel Concerti Grossi Op.6 (4763436), a release widely praised for its musicality, energy and imagination, traits clearly evident in their new release – A Celtic Christmas.

The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra Christmas concerts are almost as traditional as mince pies at Christmas having entertained audiences across Australia for over 15 years. Each year Paul Dyer programmes the concerts with imagination in abundance, seamlessly blending ancient with the modern. A Celtic Christmas draws on stunningly beautiful hymns of the 16th century, a Welsh lullaby, traditional Irish and Scottish melodies, a sprinkling of favourites – Silent Night and O Come, All ye Faithful – a homegrown arrangement of Over The Rainbow concluding with an epic offering by Eurovision winners, Secret Garden, Raise your Voices.

In Artistic Director Paul Dyer’s own words; ‘Planning our Christmas concerts is like pouring my soul into making a mixed tape for someone special and then staging it. I source the most beautiful, joyous and uplifting music I can find from the Renaissance right through to recent times - and then put the Brandenburg stamp on it.”

The Brandenburg Orchestra are in good voice on this recording, their versatility heard in the playing of some Shetland fiddle tunes and a Ciaccona by the 18th century Neapolitan violinist Nicola Matteis.