Trinity Church at Wall Street was directly in the path of the World Trade Center's monumantal rubble showers when the buildings collapsed on 9/11. Consequently Trinity's magnificinet organ was a victim of dust and debris along with everything else in its path. As a sort of memorial to the late renowned organ, "Christmas at Trinity" is a tribute to not only the superb choir and its director, Dr. Owen Burdick, but a fond farewell (for the time being) to one of this country's finest musical instruments. And as the the parishoners get used to a decent substitute organ, the glorious instrument is being refurbished (at enormous, but worthy expense) to return to its place of honor at Trinity, Wall Street.
Having added that bit of history, "Christmas at Trinity" is a general collection of the finest arrangements and selection of choral literature for Christmas. Under the direction of Dr. Owen Burdick, the Choir breathes sensitivity into each carol. This disc is one of the finest collections of Christmas music available. It is a classical collage of sound and literature which I would recommend for a single choice for one's Christmas enjoyment, that is, if you are on a limited budget.
And, speaking of "budget", for $6.98 this is a superb bargain. Naxos is the label with delicious and unusual collections of music for anyone wanting to be adventuresome, or looking for a modest start to a personal CD library. Start with "Christmas at Trinity" and be delighted with not only the performance, but also the lovely price!
