Strange Wonders, The Wexford Carols, Vol. II

Caitriona O'Leary, Seth Lakeman, John Smith, Clara Sanabras, Stile Antico, Alison Balsom

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Cat No: HERESY026

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Release Date: 12 November 2021

Label: Heresy Records

Packaging Type: Custom Packaging

No of Units: 1

Barcode: 715802313530

Genres: Folk Classical

Description

Strange Wonders, The Wexford Carols, Vol. II brings together folk, classical and traditional music luminaries to present Ireland's greatest Christmas music.

Produced by Ethan Johns featuring vocals by Caitriona O'Leary, Seth Lakeman, John Smith, Clara Sanabras & Stile Antico with Instrumentalists Alison Balsom, Olov Johansson, Simone Collavecchi & Others.

The Wexford Carols are Ireland's greatest Christmas music and perhaps the most important body of Christmas carols in English yet to be introduced to the public. In 2014 Heresy Records released The Wexford Carols to international acclaim. The album reached #1 on both the Billboard and Amazon charts. The first Wexford Carols release focused on the well-known episodes of the Christmas story and took a stylistic approach that integrated Irish traditional music with Americana.

Strange Wonders, The Wexford Carols Vol. II, presents the highly anticipated follow up to the previous album. The new album features 11 carols from the Waddinge and Deveraux collections that focus on the spiritual and mystical aspects of the Christmas story and also some less familiar aspects of this narrative including carols about the lives of saints whose feast days fall within the 12 days of Christmas (24th December – 6th January). These includes carols on St. Stephen, St. John, St. Sylvester and the Holy Innocents.

Producer Ethan Johns has adopted an intimate interpretation of these remarkable and moving carols that integrates early music, folk music and classical styles.

For Strange Wonders, The Wexford Carols Vol. II singer/arranger Caitriona O'Leary and producer, Ethan Johns brought together an ensemble comprised of leading virtuosi from folk and classical music including, Seth Lakeman (voice, fiddle, viola), Clara Sanabras (voice, baroque guitar), John Smith (voice, guitar), Stile Antico (Choir), Alison Balsom (trumpet), Olov Johannson (nyckelharapa), Simone Collavechi (lute), Deirdre O'Leary (clarinet), Mel Mercier (percussion), Ethan Johns (harmonium), John Hearne (baroque bassoon).

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

"Charming and evocative" – The Catholic Herald

"… supremely beautiful " – Classical Explorer

"The mixture of chilliness and warmth is intoxicating, O'Leary's crystalline diction making every syllable tell. The arrangements are effective and feature starry support; Alison Balsom, Seth Lakeman and Stile Antico all playing significant roles." – The Arts Desk
Tracklisting