Bright Day Star
Bright Day Star
Mary Anne Ballard - treble and bass viols, rebec
Mark Cudek - cittern, Baroque guitar, tenor viol, tenor recorder
Custer LaRue - soprano
Larry Lipkis - viol, soprano recorder
Ronn McFarlane - lute
Chris Norman - wooden flutes, bagpipe
Bright Day Star: Music for the Yuletide Season
One cannot step into an elevator, fast-food restaurant, or airport between Thanksgiving and New Year's without hearing most of the tunes recorded here. This traditional music, with roots going back many centuries, revives our spirits and evokes a festive mood. They have been part of our cultural subconscious for centuries. They have not been lost and then unearthed in recent times, like so much early music. They have been with us all along.
—Mary Anne Ballard
Track List
1. Ding Dong Merrily (Branle l'officiel) - Orchésographie (1589)
2. The Old Year Now Away is Fled (Greensleeves) - New Christmas Carols (1642)
3. Christmas Day in da Mornin' - traditional, Shetland Islands
4. The Cherry Tree Carol - Cornwall (1913) and Kentucky (1917)
5. Wir singen dir, Immanuel - Nikolaus Hermann (1560)
6. The Wren Song - traditional, Ireland
7. A Wassail Tune (Chestnut) - English Dancing Master (1651)
8. Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day - William Sandys (1833)
9. Carol "Een Kindeken is ons geboren" - John Bull (c. 1562-1628)
10. The Bellman's Carol - Bramley & Stainer (1871)
11. A Christmas Jig (Jesus born in Berthn'y) - traditional, Virginia (1932)
12. Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen - Michael Praetorius (1609)
13. In dulci jubilo - Johann Michael Bach (1648-1694)
14. Rorate coeli desuper - tune, Scottish; text, William Dunbar (16th c.)
15. Drive the Cold Winter Away - tunes, Starter (1621) and Playford (1651)
16. Remember, O Thou Man - Thomas Ravenscroft (1611)
17. Quem pastores laudavere - Michael Praetorius (1607)
18. Christmas Is My Name - Shanne Commonplace Book (c. 1615)
19. In dir ist Freude - tune, Giovanni Gastoldi (1591)
20. Hey for Christmas! (Dargason) - broadside ballad (late 17th c.)
Total time: 67:24
Release date: October 4, 1994
UPC: 053479019820
“One of the finest Christmas recordings ever made...”
