A pagan

Nonesuch CD #9 71315-2: The
Boston Camerata. foe! Cohen
director.

HIS |S probably the

least Christmas-y

Christmas record to
come around in a long time.

Steeped in the world of shawms,
lutes, organettos and violi da
ambi, unless you're really up on
your Latin, there’s nothing here to
get you out decking the halls -~
tearing your clothes off to dance
naked around a burning tree,
perhaps, but not decking the hails.

The rationale behind this is ex-
plained in the finer notes which
assure us that: “The midwinter
date of the festival of Christ's na-
tivity coincides with many pagan
celebrations to the winter solstice,
and most particularly with the
Roman Dies sol invictus (the day
of the unconquered sun}, Dec.
25."

Fortunately for the more secular
among us, many of those pagan
rituals managed to elbow their
way among our Christmas cele-
brations so that we needn't feel
entirely heathen at a sixth rum and
egenog.

However, despite the infidel
origins of much of this music, it
makes a delightful departure from
the Burl ives/Mormon Tabernacle
Choir ad nauseum that dominates
our current musical image of the
Yuletide season.

A particular bonus to this type of
Christmas offering is that it’s so
alienated from our traditional

Ross MacDonald
CLASSICAL MUSIC

conceptions that it can be enjoyed
atany time, all year ‘round,
without the stignia of sentimental
senility.

"ve always had an aftinity for
the archaic sounds of medieval
and renaissance music and have
several recordings by the Baston
Camerata as well as other propo-
nents,

This is another of those many
fine recordings and, if you're of
like mind, its Christmas theme on-
ly makes it that much more ap-
propriate as a gift for yourself or
others,

The Boston Camerata has been
in business for almost 40 years and
started out as an instrumental
“performance extension” of the
Collection of Musical instruments
at the Museum of Fine Arts in
Boston.

Since Cohen took over in 1968,
they've grown a well-studied
chamber chorus and soloists, all of
which perform excellently here.

The petformance of medieval
music has always been prablemat-
ic because the surviving ‘‘sheet
music’ of the time lacks any real

A cure for Diabetes
cod be hiding in

ristmas

guidance if any guidance is offered
at all.

Smothered within the rigid arms
of Mather Church, written music
of those bygone days was only
sparsely notaied because it served
merely asa “memo” forthe
monks to remind them of how the
already memorized ditties go.

Indications of rhythm, for ex-
ample — a most basic ingredient
— are Virtually nonexistent, as are
dynamics,

Coupled with the huge gaps that
exist in music history spanning the
12th te 15th centuries, there has
been Jitle to go on ard lots of
speculation,

Honicaily, such speculation ac-
commodates the injection af in-
struments into what might other-
wise drone along in the familiar
fashion of the purely vocal Grego-
tian Chant.

Centuries of Samsonrian efforts
by the Church were unable to
succeed in banning the
blasphemous contraptions from
musical performance. Those pesky
instruments just kept stubbornly
popping up with every new gen-
eration.

The result here is a very pleasing
recording that combines some of
those ancient instruments with
contemporary vocals.

The subsequent effect is a
wonderfu] ambience of less famil-
iar sounds which, though not as
popular as the Baroque-and-
beyond among music aficionados,
should be represented by at least
one or twa recordings in every
cellection,

if you have any household
items for pick up call the
CDA Community Collection
Crew at 732-1125.
CAMADIAN ASSOCIATION

OuwuseTes CAMADIENNE
ASSOCIATION | DU DIABETE

Some Husbands and Some Wives have

already completed theie Christmas

Shopping at “The Lion's Mark’.

You may be receiving a heautiful piece

of jewellery this year, something you can

treasure and wear with pride.

Thank you for a very successful year,

Merry Christmas from Rosemary, Julia

& Mark at The Lion's Mark.

“Uf it’s from The Lion's Mark it will be
a Merry Christmas."

Mon-Sat 10-6pin or by appointment
1730 Marine Dr, ese Vancouver 926-7710

Join in the Christmas festivities at
Waterfront Centre, December 10 - 23
Animated Christmas Decor, Strolling Singers, School Choirs,

Young Pianists & Dance Ferformances are some of the festivities
we have planned this holiday season.

Browse for that special gift. From stocking stuffers to
gorgecus handmade fashions - we've got it all.

Treat yourself and your family to a casual lunch at the Food Court
or dine at our authentic Japanese Restaurant.

And best of all - you can leave your car at home and take the Seabus.
(We're linked by sticlosed walkway from the Seabus to Canada Place).

CHRISTMAS JUST WOULDN'T BE COMPLETE WITHOUT A VIST TO
WATERFRONT CENTRE

y nightly

-EXTENDED WEEKDAY HOURS .Saturday’s, ‘tl G pm. .Sunday’s & Dec. 24, til 5 p.m. a

* ay * oz ~ -
a 4 : ae 2 pacts S keereet werd