Minneapolis/St. Paul's ten-strong, all-male Cantus has impressed us with their excellent earlier recordings and continue to do so with "Comfort and Joy: Volume Two," their second Christmas recording. Song selection and arrangements (and, for that matter, the elegant liner notes) are particularly fine here. Little-known pieces like "Puer natus in Bethlehem," Omnis mundus jucundetur," "Four Carols" by Halsey Stevens," Wm. Dawson's "Hail Mary," the Plainchant "Hodie Christus natus est," the Georgian wassailing song "Alilo," Ariel Ramirez' "Los Reyes Magos" and Babatunde Olatunji's "Betelehemu" with the more traditional carols like "Go Tell it On the Mountain," the French carol "Masters In This Hall," "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen," "Riiu Riu Chiu," and an almost unrecognizable arrangement of "Deck the Halls." Some percussion and accompaniment. Consistent throughout are the powerful harmonies of Cantus, one of our favorite male ensembles. |
