The Sounds of a Worldly Winter Holiday

Christmas and winter holiday celebrations take place in virtually every corner of the globe. And even where Christmas is not the primary event, there are parallel ceremonies honoring the season. Each area has its own music associated with the seasonal events that rejoice in the return of the sun from its southward passage. Yet it seems as each year rolls around that it is Celtic music, in many shapes and forms, that dominates the winter world music recording releases.

But although they cannot match the numbers of Celtic recordings, there are other fascinating, sometimes unexpected, productions as well. Here is a quick guide to some of the more intriguing entries in this year’s collection of world music seasonal CDs.

“Noels Celtiques” (Green Linnet Records). Brittany may be a part of France, but the presence of Celtic culture is pervasive. L’Ensemble Choral du Bout du Monde, formed in 1977 with more than 100 singers, is dedicated to preserving traditional as well as original music written in Breton, the Celtic dialect spoken in Brittany. Although the pieces are not familiar, they are nonetheless immediately engaging, their sweet, traditional harmonies underscored by a piquant accompaniment of renaissance and medieval instrumentation consisting of cornemuse, claviers, flutes, guitars and percussion.

“A Real Irish Christmas” (Claddagh Records). You couldn’t have asked for a more accurate title. Listening to the richly emotional array of tracks is a bit like taking a whirlwind tour through Irish musical culture, in both the past and the present. There is, for example, an intense performance from the influential piper Leo Rowsome, recorded in 1970, the year of his death. There is harpist Derek Bell of the Chieftains, playing a pair of pieces by the legendary Sean O Riada (who also appears in a recording made before he died in 1971). There are delightful fiddle performances featuring the very different styles of John Doherty and Tommy Potts, and other pipe and flute outings from Paddy Taylor, Paul McGrattan and Willie Clancy. Again, the music may not be familiar, but after a listen or two it moves quickly into one’s consciousness.

“A Celtic Christmas: Peace on Earth” (Windham Hill). A set of moody, contemporary Christmas pieces, some based on traditional styles and music, all filled with atmospheric seasonal qualities. The material includes: the immediately familiar, with “Flow Gently Sweet Afton” (also known as “Away in a Manger”) in an affecting rendering by guitarists William Coulter and Benjamin Verdery. The poignant traditional tale of “Barbara Allen” is sung and played by the sister team of Triona and Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill. And Triona also performs with her regular group, Nightnoise, in “The Flight Into Egypt” and “No Room at the Inn.”

“El Milagro de Guadalupe” (Iago/Talking Taco Music). A follow-up to the San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensembles’ “Guadalupe-Vergen de Los Indios,” a highly praised collection of newly rediscovered European and Native American music. “El Milagro” takes a similar path, examining--in a laborious effort at historical accuracy--the cultural shifts in the volatile years of the middle 16th century via the encounters between Europeans and Native Americans in Mexico and Central America--and, especially, the fashion in which that encounter manifested itself in a blending of musical traditions associated with the appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

“Reggae Chanukah: A Roots, Rock and Reggae Chanukah Celebration” (Mr. E Records). A different slant on the Festival of Lights, with traditional and original songs wrapped in everything from ska and high-life to reggae mixed with West African, Brazilian and Middle Eastern drumming. An incredibly eclectic combination of sounds, styles and influences that actually turns out to be as spiritually sound as it is entertaining.

“New World Party” (Putomayo). Why not wrap up the holiday season with a truly far-reaching set of music to welcome the new millennium? In typically eclectic fashion, Putomayo has gathered performances by Miriam Makeba, Wyclef Jean (with Lauryn Hill, Gal Costa, Ramata Diakite, Germany’s Dissidenten and San Francisco Latin ensemble Los Moscosos. The music is spirited, ranging from Algerian funk and Haitian hip-hop to Latin soul and Brazilian R&B--what; better way to make the transition into a century in which music will finally become truly global?