Main performer: St. George's Chapel Choir, Windsor Castle
Booklet languages: English
Time: 70:17
Release Date: 2006
Review
This collection of carols featuring the men and boys' St. George's Chapel Choir, Windsor Castle, conducted by Jonathan Rees-Williams and accompanied by organist Roger Judd is not remarkable for its repertoire, performances, or sound quality, but as background Christmas music it's entirely adequate. The reverberant acoustic is atmospherically evocative, but it tends toward murkiness in its densest passages, when both choir and choir are at full force. The generous selection of 20 tracks includes primarily well-known English carols, although some of the traditional texts are set to Anglican tunes rather than those most familiar to American listeners. The choir sings with gusto and generally at a high volume without the finesse that's characteristic of the best English men and boys' choirs. The CD isn't conducive to close listening, but as something to pop into the CD player while wrapping or unwrapping gifts, or to conjure up a background Christmas mood, the album works fine. ~ Stephen Eddins, All Music Guide
