Christmas in Europe

In the middle of the pandemic summer 2020, Thomas Hengelbrock and the members of the Balthasar Neumann Choir traveled from all over Europe to Dortmund in order to deal with the question: What is the sound of Europe? And which tradition would be more adequate for this inquiry than the folk song, and the Christmas song in particular?

For each one of us in our society, the Corona pandemic means a substantial cut – professionally, financially and socially. With the CD “Christmas in Europe”, the Balthasar Neumann Choir and Thomas Hengelbrock would like to set a sign for companionship in our society. What the collective of a choir shows in miniature, can easily be transferred to our families, our daily social life, but also the community of states when dealing with the crisis.

The CD shows how music can transcend borders and other obstacles that currently seem unbreachable. It is an important political sign that shows how relevant culture is to the system. It can help us through difficult times and it gives us hope that someday live concerts with audiences will be possible again and that music can be enjoyed collectively.

On the new album, Thomas Hengelbrock and the Balthasar Neumann Choir present the fascinating variety and beauty of Christmas music from all over Europe – with festive and joyful works in 16 different languages. The travel route leads us from Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands to England, Germany, France, Spain and Russia.

Balthasar Neumann Choir & Soloists
Thomas Hengelbrock Direction

Publication: Sony Music | 2020