SACD

Praeludien für die heilige Weihnachtszeit

Schiedermayr, Johann Baptist | Kobrich, Johann Anton | Eberlin, Johann Ernst | Schnizer, Franz Xaver | Grünberger, Theodor | Pitsch, Carl Franz | Aiblinger, Johann Caspar | Führer, Robert

Strobl, Johannes (organ)

The organ at the Abbey Church of Muri makes another welcome appearance on this superb recording of Preludes for Holy Christmastide. Not a disc for playing only during a couple of weeks in December, it collects together music by eight 18th and 19th century central European composers as well as three pieces by anonymous writers.

Unsurprisingly many are “pastorales” or “pastoral-preludes” in response to the Nativity in the cattle-shed and in the presence of shepherds. The drone is an imitation of the bagpipes often played by shepherds, the most well-known example I guess being “The Shepherds' Farewell” in Berlioz's “L'Enfance du Christ” written around the same time as the latest pieces on this disc.

Johannes Strobl has concocted a programme which satisfies in its variety, changing the mood from restful to the celebratory. And he makes full use of the colours available to him on the splendid organ – listen out for the Vogelgesang in Scheidermayer's Praeludium, and the lovely flutes in the Hauptwerk. The booklet gives the full specification and also the registrations used for each piece.

Audite's recorded sound via the multichannel programme gives an excellent feeling for the Abbey Church's space, and the stereo versions in high and normal resolution both sound very fine, too. Here is music to restore body and soul irrespective of religious beliefs.