14. December 2020 – THE FLENSBURG FILES

December 14th and this advent calendar takes us to the Unstrut River Valley to the town of Nissmitz and to the restaurant and catering service Ehrau12. Located north of Naumburg in the southern part of Saxony-Anhalt, Ehrau is lcated deep in the Saale-Unstrut Valley which is famous for its wineries. In the summer time, the wine-tasting mile takes place where visitors can try different kinds of wine, including the Müller-Thurgau, Weisser Burgunder, Silvaner, Riesling and Dornfelder. Like the rest of the region, the vineyards are really quiet this time of year, with places like this one leaving the Christmas tree lighted as a sign of holiday cheer and solidarity. This pic was taken by Uwe Marquart (Ehrau12 Catering) that shows a quiet version of Christmas, something many of us are looking forward to this holiday season……

As a surprise, we hope you enjoy some Christmas music for we have an album we would recommend. Have a look at the surprise here!

Picking up from where we left off on John Rutter, Mr. Rutter left an everlasting legacy when it came to musical pieces that were devoted solely to life and death and in particular the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, this genre pays tribute to Mr. Rutter with a collection of musical pieces devoted to the birth of Christ the Lord. The John Rutter Christmas Album features a wide array of works done by the conductor over the years, with the Cambridge University Singers and the City of London Sinfonia performing the pieces. Here are a couple excerpts from the album, yet you can listen to the album via youtube or even order it online. You can find more information about the album from John Rutter’s own website by clicking on the link below:

https://johnrutter.com/product/the-john-rutter-christmas-album

Youtube’s link to the album can be found here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa9OHZGa9Rs&list=PLXpQCRhZw2lb4G6O0qZH7OV2J2FRW7PW3

Much of Rutter’s pieces have been performed either in segments or as a whole at Christmas concerts world wide and if compared to the piece I introduced at the beginning oft he series, Lux Aeterna, much of the work was done solely by the choir in the form of carolers, yet some of the more popular pieces, like Joy to the World, Deck the Halls and Silent Night were conducted Rutter’s way, which makes it musical and enjoyable to perform either by voice or with instrument. And so with that, enjoy a couple excerpts and feel free to get the album for your own home this holiday season!