Die Sopranistin singt mit zarter, heller Stimme
zur eigenen Harfenbegleitung elf Weihnachtslieder vom 12. Jahrhundert
bis zur Gegenwart. Wer Besinnlichkeit ohne Kitsch möchte, ist
hier bestens bedient.
the projectIn Dulci Jubilo, the Christmas recording by
internationally renowned harpist and vocalist Therese Schroeder-Sheker
features refined and expressive versions of favorites like The
Holly and the Ivy, Ave Maria, and Lo! How a Rose,
alongside thoughtful renderings of lesserknown songs from the
twelfth to the eighteenth centuries.
Schroeder-Sheker also includes her own musical reflections on the Christmas season. Down in Yon Forest, for instance, encompasses a masterful marriage of traditions. The newly composed melody is set to an old Appalachian ballad that contrasts Grail-epic imagery with the ancient nature religion's May Queen, all the while remembering the Nativity. The harpist weaves these elements together with a sense of sweet naiveté and elegance, creating a gently profound emotional experience. In Awe of the Nativity is equally effective in its use of eclectic sources. In her sensitive blend of fragments from Renaissance crumhorn music, fifteenth century English carols and French motets, Schroeder-Sheker seems to hear both heaven and earth, singing praises in the winter sky. Critics praised the Denver-based artist's sublime, seraphic voice on her 1990 Celestial Harmonies release, Rosa Mystica (13034). As Pulse! magazine noted, "her gentle soprano vocals have an angelic purity to them, especially when matched with the warmth and clarity of her harp accompaniments". On In Dulci Jubilo, Schroeder-Sheker seems to possess the voice of an angel as she explores the deeper meaning of the Nativity through a graceful and reverent collection of holiday songs. the artistTherese Schroeder-Sheker is an expert in the music
of the late Middle Ages and director of Ars Antiqua, a center devoted
to the research and performance of medieval musicology. She is a former
Associate Professor of Music at Regis College in Denver, Colorado.
Schroeder-Sheker's gift lies in her ability to render ancient forms of musical expression relevant to twentieth century audiences through her international performances and recordings. The talented multi-instrumentalist and vocalist plays medieval, renaissance harps, psalteries, recorders, bells and portative organ. tracklist
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