EMF’s Ex cathedra Records continues its highly popular series of holiday recordings with "A Baroque Christmas." This new CD, produced in association with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, features 17th- century French noels in full flower, Lutheran Advent hymns masterfully crafted into chorale variations by J.S. Bach’s precursors, Spanish villancicos composed in the New World, arias fashioned in the new Italian opera style, as well as Scots airs and English ballad tunes -- over an hour of uniquely engaging baroque holiday repertoire.
 
A kaleidoscopic panorama of the Old and New World features composers Praetorius, Schein, Scheidt, Charpentier, Delalande, Frescobaldi, Gagliano, Piccinini and Mexican composers Salazar, Vidales, Ximeno and Mucia. Researched and directed by Frederick Renz, this program is specially chosen for performances at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and features the ENSEMBLE for EARLY MUSIC’s six male voices in consort with theorbo, lute, guitars, cittern, Spanish cross-strung, Italian triple and Celtic harp, bass viola da gamba and chamber organ.
 
Anonymous composers of unique Scots airs and poets of English ballads with seasonal texts, including "The old year now away is fled," set to the popular country dances tune "Greensleeves," enliven this vivid 17th- century Christmas celebration.