New Classical Tracks: A New Addition to Christmas Tradition

Christmastime is often about celebrating traditions. For many of us decorating the tree, baking delicious confections, and gathering with loved ones is accompanied by Christmas music. Award-winning composer Stephen Chatman has been adding to the rich tradition of Christmas choral music for more than twenty years. This new recording titled "A Chatman Christmas," with Bruce Pullan and the University of British Columbia Singers, is a compilation of the Christmas songs Chatman composed over the past two decades.

Stephen Chatman was born in Faribault, Minnesota, and studied at the Oberlin Conservatory and at the University of Michigan. He's been teaching at the University of British Columbia's School of Music, Vancouver, Canada since 1976, and is currently Professor and Head of Composition there. This new recording is full of quiet carols, bold anthems, and several familiar melodies with creative arrangements.

While many of the songs are a cappella, others are accented with simple accompaniment, such as "Little Child in a Manager." This gorgeous song is musically identical to an earlier Chatman song; Chatman adapted the text by using fragments from Margaret Fleming's "A Wreath of Carols." Harpist Heidi Krutzen sets a gentle mood, as the University of British Columbia Singers turn this lullaby into a rich choral work.

The words of "The Falcon Carol" come from 15th century England. Stephen Chatman's arrangement begins with a peaceful chant, adding soprano soloists to the dense choral textures, parallel harmonies, and echoing counterpoint, all of which builds into a dynamic climax. Conductor Bruce Pullan sounds right at home conducting this music. Pullan is from England originally, and received his early training as a choral scholar at King's College, Cambridge, under Sir David Willcocks.

Two extended works are featured on this new release in addition to the 12 separate Christmas songs. Of the seven songs featured in Chatman's "Carols of the Nativity," the one that really stands out for me is his arrangement of "The First Noel."Soprano Michelle Baynton sings an angelic descant that lingers gently over the chorus in the first verse. Chatman unearths more surprises as each verse unfolds including key changes, and gorgeous lyrical phrasing.

"Christmas Joy," was commissioned by the music director of the United Methodist Church in Worthington, Ohio, in 2005. It features one carol after another with the University of British Columbia Singers led by director Bruce Pullan, and they invite the audience and congregation to join in. You can't help but feel Christmas joy when the brass quintet launches into "Here We Come A-wassailing."

One of my favorites on this new recording is "Lo in a manager." This lilting carol once again features harpist Heidi Krutzen who plays in triple meter as the chorus declares, "Christ the Lord is born today."

All of the works on this new holiday recording were commissioned by different choirs in British Columbia, Ontario, Maine, Maryland, and Ohio. With the release of "A Chatman Christmas," the gorgeous melodies, deep textures, and the delightful harmonies composed by Stephen Chatman are now available for everyone to include as part of their holiday Christmas tradition.

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