Surrounded by Angels (A Christmas Celebration) Ensemble Galilei

• 1Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence - Konvulsionslaten - The Celt05:01
• 2Divinum Mysterium - Taladh ar Slanaigheir (Christ Child Lullabye)03:37
• 3Away in the Manger (Flow Gently, Sweet Afton) - Polonessa Spoof05:05
• 4Es ist ein Ros entsprungen (I Know a Rose Tree) (arr. K. Montoya for chamber ensemble)02:41
• 5I Wonder as I Wander03:35
• 6Fantasia on Greensleeves (arr. for chamber ensemble)03:21
• 7Quelle est cette odeur agreable (Whence is that Goodly Fragrence) - Jesu Kreuz, Leiden und Pein03:49
• 8The Surround - Snowy Path - Half C03:28
• 9Une Vierge Pucelle - Joseph est bien Marie03:05
• 10God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Good King Wenceslas03:41
• 11At Midnight Hour - Joy Be With You03:22
• 12Carol of the Birds03:26
• 13Winter's Falling Light03:06
• 14The Wexford Carol - Shetland Reel02:35
• 15Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning - Farewell to Goirtin04:04
• 16Silent Night (Stille Nacht) (arr. for chamber ensemble)03:46
• Total Runtime57:42

Info for Surrounded by Angels (A Christmas Celebration)

Captivating. Powerful. Monumentally expressive. All brilliantly displayed in the newest Christmas release from Sono Luminus, Surrounded by Angels.

From the opening unison strings of “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” to the last note of “Silent Night”, this album courses with the extraordinary arrangements of Ensemble Galilei, created by musicians whose musical sensibilities have been shaped by their personal histories. Each renowned in their fields – two winners of the All-Ireland Senior Championship, two winners of the U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Championship, a four-time winner of the U.S. National Scottish Harp Championship, one Fulbright Scholar – they bring phenomenal talents to bear. What comes from this wealth of experience and expertise is an astonishing recording.

A set of whimsical Irish slip jigs follows “Greensleeves”. The uillean pipes, soulful and wild, solo on the familiar “Wexford Carol”. The violin, viola and viola da gamba transform “I Wonder as I Wander”. Each track a revelation, Ensemble Galilei has made Surrounded By Angels so rich and so deep that it transcends the genres of Irish or Scottish or Early Music. So much more than the sum of its parts, this is the recording that will stand year after year as the most beloved recording for the Christmas season.

'Virtuoso technique, an instinctive feeling for the idiom, the courage to improvise…they play with energy, splendid ensemble, good humor and imagination.' (The Washington Post)

Ensemble Galilei:
Hanneke Cassel, fiddle
Ryan McKasson, fiddle and viola
Kathryn Montoya, recorders, whistle, oboe
Jackie Moran, percussion
Sue Richards, Celtic harp
Carolyn Anderson Surrick, viola da gamba
Ginger Hildebrand, violin
Brian Doser, technical director

Ensemble Galilei
The spirit of the ancient music of the Celtic Isles is resurrected by Ensemble Galilei. Combining classical and folk instrumentation and incorporating a high level of improvisation, the all-woman, Washington, D.C.-based, band creates a sound that seamlessly blends the old world and modern influences. The Ensemble Galilei's unique approach to eighteenth century Irish airs, jigs and reels, Welsh songs and Breton dance tunes earned them a WAMMIE award from the Washington Area Music Association as "Best Chamber Ensemble", in 1994. "The Washington Post' praised the group for its "Virtuoso technique, an instinctive feeling for the idiom and the courage to improvise". Reviewing a peformance by the band, "The San Francisco Bay Guardian" wrote, "medieval and renaissance tunes, beautifully rendered". The Ensemble Galilei, which takes its name from 16th century composer Vincenzo Galilei, was formed by Maggie Sansone (hammered dulcimer), Carolyn Anderson Surrick (viola de gamba), Sue Richards (Celtic harp), Marcia Diehl (recorder, pennywhistle, bowed psaltery) and Jim Brooks. After numerous personnel changes, the group currently features Nancy Karpeles (percussion), Liz Knowles (fiddle), Deborah Nuse (pipes), Sarah Weiner (oboe, pennywhistles), Surrick and Richards. The Ensemble Galilei's debut album, "Music In The Great Hall" was recorded during a Washington D.C. concert. Their second album, "Ancient Noels", sold over 17,000 copies in the first three months after its release in 1994. Four years later, the group recorded, "The Mystic And The Muse", an album-length tribute to women composers of the past six centuries.

This album contains no booklet.