Christmas 2016

Christmas with Septura

J.S. BACH • HANDEL • RACHMANINOV • WARLOCK
Septura

With this recording Septura answers the question, “what if

the greatest Christmas music had been written for brass?”
In arrangements that go far beyond Yultide clichés, Septura
has carefully crafted a programme that explores virtuosity and
festive celebration in pieces such as the Christmas Suite with
music by J.S. Bach, rapturous serenity from the likes of Robert
Parson’s beautiful Ave Maria, and nostalgic favourites such as
the ravishingly polyphonic The Three Kings by Peter Cornelius.
Septura pushes its colours and combinations to the limit in re-
imagining this varied selection of sublime Christmas music from
the past 450 years.

Key Features
● Anyone hearing Septura’s remarkable re-working of music by
composers both ancient and modern will know immediately
why the creation of a Christmas album would be a logical,
almost essential step for this exceptional ensemble. While
this repertoire is of course seasonal, these arrangements give
even the most ubiquitously familiar tunes a timeless quality –
with something like Franz Xaver Gruber’s famous Stille Nacht 8.573719
emerging as a subtle exploration of changing sonorities using
mutes and various settings between the verses.
● Amongst the numerous new releases listed each Christmas
we feel that this CD more than most is likely to become a
favoured evergreen, and a gift that will remain in demand for 7 47313 37197 6
many years to come.

© Bethany Clarke

© 2016 Naxos Rights US, Inc. 1 of 1


PREVIOUS RELEASES FROM SEPTURA
8.573314
“This is brass playing at
its most exalted.” – Fanfare
8.573386
“Bright, clear, full and
rounded in tone, with the
right blend of heft and
lyricism when called for.”
– WQXR
OTHER RECORDINGS FROM THE NAXOS CHRISTMAS CATALOGUE
8.573332
“Winpenny plays with
impressive precision and
clarity.” – BBC Music Magazine
8.559621
“The performances and
recording are first class.”
– American Record Guide
© 2016 Naxos Rights US, Inc.
Christmas 2016
8.573475
“These imaginative
transcriptions,
plus splendid
performances”
– Audio-Video Club of Atlanta
8.573526
“There is an overwhelming
sense of sincerity present
in both the skilfully crafted
new arrangements…
and the execution of
performance”
– Brass Band World
8.573316
“Alessandro Marangoni
reveals himself as a great
artist with musical and
poetic sensibility”
– Musica
8.559791
“Straight-forward
no-nonsense
performances.” – WTJU
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