Schütz: The Christmas Oratorio (1664); Renaissance Choral Christmas Music

CMAS-003DL (STEREO) - Schütz: The Christmas Oratorio (1664) - Edith Mathis, Angel; Georg Jelden, Evangelist; Claus Ocker, Herod; Windsbach Boys' Choir/Hans Thamm - Renaissance Choral Christmas Music: Selections by Desprez, Gallus (Handl), Andrea & Giovanni Gabrieli, Schütz, Walter, Gesius, Praetorius, Vulpius, and Scheidt - The Christmas Oratorio of Heinrich Schütz was composed in 1664, when he was nearing 80 years old, and gradual deafness was driving him towards reclusion and spiritual introspection. It constitutes a perfect example of  his mature genius, with its quasi-plainsong recitatives and its Baroque concerted numbers. It is performed with original instruments, and sung with perfection by the Windsbach Boys' Choir, and a trio of wonderful soloists, derived from an red leatherette-spine album, blue-label domestic Angel LP. The balance of the disc features three European choral groups performing familiar and not so familiar  Renaissance choral works, taken from an early pressing Nonesuch LP from 1966.