okay some info
Tear Open the Heavens
with special guests
Page Smith, cello
Janet Putnam, oboe
Ruth Mar, harp
Sunday, December 14, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.
St. James Cathedral
Experience the wonder of the holiday season as we observe the Hugo Distler centennial celebration with his O Heiland reiss die Himmel auf (O Lord, Tear Open the Heavens); Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Distler’s take on Bach’s famous “Sleepers Awake”); and Lo, how a rose e’er blooming. These works are heard alongside Brahms’ own setting of O Heiland reiss die Himmel auf and his Es ist das Heil uns kommen her. Opus 7 is joined by cello, oboe, harp, and percussion for some lighter seasonal works by Eric Robertson, Bern Herbolsheimer, and Gustav Holst, plus The Huron Carol arranged by choral legend Dale Warland, composer-in-residence John Muehleisen’s "Christmas Hail" from his choral suite This Night, and All This Time by Sir William Walton.
Personally, I like the Brahms O Heiland much better than the Distler, but the Lo how a rose e'er blooming is good (this coming from someone who doesn't particularly like that carol). The Huron carol happens to be one of my favorites, so i'm glad we're singing it. ^.^ and Christmas Hail is actually pretty awesome/fun, too. =D
Okay, so yeah. That's some info, right there.