Christmas in the Holy Land

Weihnachten im Heiligen Land - Christmas in the Holy Land
A special Archive Production issue
Various choirs.
Archiv Produktion 198 421 [LP]
Archiv Produktion 477 6653 [CD]

Contents:

    Bells
  1. Bells of the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

    2. Roman Catholic
  2. Introitus to the Midnight Mass (latin)
  3. Alleluia of the Midnight Mass (latin)
  4. Communio of the Midnight Mass (latin)

    5. Greek Orthodox
  5. "The Saviour has come to us", 3rd Mode (Ancient Greek)
  6. St. Matthew Gospel, 1, 4-10 (Ancient Greek)
  7. "Wonderful Mystery", 1st mode (Ancient Greek)

    8. Abyssinian
  8. "Today He is born to us", Hymn of St. Yared, the legendary founder of the Abyssinian Liturgy (Ghez)
  9. St. Luke's Gospel, 2, 2-10 (Ghez)
  10. "This is the day of joy" (Ghez)

    11. Greek Catholic
  11. Negalynarion of the Nativity, 1st Mode, "Praise my soul" (Arabic)
  12. Epistle to the Galatians, 4, 4-8 (Arabic)

    13. ----
    Armenian
  13. "Today is the Feast of our Savior's Birth and Theophany" (Ancient Armenian)
  14. Hymn to the Blessed Virgin (Ancient Armenian)
  15. "A wondrously beautiful mystery has been revealed" (Ancient Armenian)

    16. Coptic
  16. Hymn to the Holy Trinity (Arabic)
  17. St. John's Gospel, 1, 11-17, reading by the Patriarch and Deacon (Arabic)

    18. Ancient Syrian
  18. "Alleluia, Alleluia" (Ancient Syrian/Aramaic)
  19. St. Luke's Gospel, 2, 3-12 (Ancient Assyrian/Aramaic)

    20. Maronite
  20. "Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus" (Arabic)
  21. Psalm 42 (sung at the end of Midnight Mass) (Arabic)

    22. Bells
  22. Bells of the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

Playing time: 24' 45" + 26' 00" = 50' 45"

Performers:
[1], [22] Bells, Church of the Nativity
[2]-[4] Choir of the Sisters of Zion
Sister Marussia, dir.
[5]-[7] Seminary Choir (chorus with vocal bourdon)
Archimandrite Cesarius, dir.
[8] Solo: Cantor Margeta Amda Michael, with a choir of monks (accompanied by drum and sistra)
[9] His Holiness Patriarch Anba Joseph (solo, choir, readind)
[10] Choir of monks (two soloists and choir)
[11] Choir with Archimandrite Nathanael Schahade (men's and boys' voices)
[12] Cantor Nikolas
[13]-[15] Seminary Choir of the Armenian Patriarchate, Jerusalem
Sahad Kalaydjian, dir,
[16] Choir of children and monks (with cymbal and triangle accompaniment)
[17] His Holiness Patriarch Basilius (soloists and choir)
[18] Choir of the Syrian Church
[19] The Priest Abuna Ya'aqub (2 soloist)
[20] Monsignore Jacques Ra'd and Cantor Étienne Khuri (solo and choir)
[21] Cantor Étienne Khuri (Lebanon)

Recording site and date:
Various sites related to the specific rite [09/1967];
Rel.: 1968 (LP), 2007 (CD)

Reviewed in:

Comments:
Information from LP.

To purchasing information for this disc.

To FAQ references to this recording.

To FAQ CD index page.

Pierre-F. Roberge