Yo-Yo Ma and Friends - Songs of Joy and Peace - Inspired by The Christmas Revels

Yo-Yo Ma’s Holiday CD

Inspired by The Christmas Revels!

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma’s star-studded holiday CD is a joyful musical party inspired by the holiday season, and in part, by The Christmas Revels. Don’t take our word for it – read the liner notes below. “Songs of Joy & Peace” features such luminaries as James Taylor, Diana Krall, Dave Brubeck, Joshua Redman, Chris Botti and the Silk Road Ensemble with new takes on holiday favorites– not to mention four variations of the peace round, Dona Nobis Pacem, sung each year, cast and audience together, at The Christmas Revels.

Excerpted from Liner Notes:

One of my favorite holiday memories, which I wanted to recreate at the recording sessions, is the joyful feeling evoked by singing together. Every year my extended family and I attend The Christmas Revels, a community celebration of the winter solstice that includes traditional music, dance, drama and rituals drawn from the world’s cultures. During the performance, the audience joins in singing the three-part canon Dona Nobis Pacem (Give us Peace), famously written by Anonymous. For a short time, parents, grandparents, children, actors, dancers and musicians become one, recreating a ritual that is contemplative and transcendent.”

More information about this CD.

Songlist

Dona Nobis Pacem (with counterpoint)
You Couldn't Be Cuter - Diana Krall, John Clayton
Joy to the World - Dave Brubeck, Matt Brubeck, Paquito D'Rivera
Here Comes the Sun - James Taylor
Improvisation on Dona Nobis Pacem - Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile
The Wassail Song/ All Through the Night - Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile
A Christmas Jig/Mouth of Tobique Reel - Natalie MacMaster
The Wexford Carol - Alison Krauss
Panxolina: A Galician Carol - Christina Pato
Improvisation on Dona Nobis Pacem - Sergio Assad, Odair Assad
Vassourinhas - Sergio Assad, Odair Assad
Improvisation on Dona Nobis Pacem - Paquito D'Rivera, Alon Yavnai
Invitacion a Danzon - Paquito D'Rivera, Alon Yavnai
My One and Only Love - Joshua Redman
Familia - Assad Family
Concordia - Dave Brubeck, Matt Brubeck
My Favorite Things - Chris Botti
Touch the Hand of Love - Renee Fleming, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile
Kuai Le - Wu Tong, The Silk Road Ensemble
This Little Light of Mine - Amelia Zirin-Brown
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) - Jake Shimabukuo
Dona Nobis Pacem/Auld Lang Syne - Chris Botti
Yo-Yo Ma, cello