Soprano Lise Davidsen releases her new album, Christmas From Norway via Decca Classics. The album presents a personally-selected collection of traditional Norwegian Christmas music and classic festive favourites, spreading the warm glow of the Scandinavian Christmas spirit...

Christmas albums are a strange genre. I normally only get them out to listen to in December and I have my favourites that I like to revisit each year. But once the start of January comes around, back in the box they go with the Christmas decorations for another year.

Christmas From Norway contains 14 tracks (50 min, 12 sec) of songs, most of which will be familiar to all in the western hemisphere. The adaptations here feature soprano Lise Davidsen's vocals at their centre, backed by wonderful full orchestrations of the original source material. The result is an uplifting, festive collection of hymns, carols and classical music.

Reflecting on the project, Davidsen says: "For Scandinavians, Christmas serves as a beacon of light in the midst of a lengthy winter. Perhaps that is why we embrace it so wholeheartedly. Christmas is how I got into music. We listened to all kinds of music: choral music, popular music, and Norwegian songs."

This is an album which I will be faithfully playing this and every year from now on. A wonderfully curated collection of traditional pieces that really set the mood for the festive period.

Tracklist:

01. O Helge natt
02. Weihnachten
03. Silent Night
04. Jul, Jul
05. Deilig er Jorden
06. Mitt Herte Alltid Vanker
07. Julvisa
08. Bach: Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring
09. Maria Wiegenlied
10. Bach/Gounod: Ave Maria
11. Schlafendes Jesuskind
12. The First Noel
13. O Come All Ye Faithful
14. O Holy Night

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Darren Rea