Joseph Haas‘ Christmas Liederspiel called “Christnacht” (“Christmas Eve”) combines Bavarian and Tyrol folk tunes into an oratorio. His “Marian hymns” based primarily on texts from the 13th to the 18th centuries. The composers of the other Christmas carols on this CD album are either pupils or contemporaries. The Münchner Frauenchor (Munich Women’s Choir) and the Münchner Mädchenchor (Munich Girl’s Choir) under the direction of Katrin Wende-Ehmer and accompanied on the organ by Norbert Düchtel have recorded a CD that contrasts pleasantly with the customary potpourris and aequately realizes the always high-class and in part moderately modern arrangements of the Christmas theme by the various composers.

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Christmas Carols by Joseph Haas and his contemporaries