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Christus Natus Est is a high-end entry in the classical choral category; this holiday album excels in every way. "Kairos: A Consort of Singers" is a fine professional ensemble based in New York just north of the Big Apple. It is a mixed group, with 17 members spread among the soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone voices. Edward Lundergan is the skillful head of this magnificent troupe, which handles sophisticated classical fare with passion and aplomb.

If you have read many of my reviews, then you probably know my bias for a cappella music, and this ensemble is most impressive. Not too small and not too large, the voices provide a full, yet intimate, sound. In addition, the fact that the group includes both genders enriches the range, as well as the vocal textures.

Keep in mind, though, that this music is serious stuff; no fluffy contemporary carols here. The hymns, motets, and carols date from the Middle Ages to the 1900s, and only one or two will be known to general holiday audiences (Still, still, still falls in that category).

The album smartly opens with Gloria ad modem tubae, a fast-paced round that grabs the listeners' attention in the opening notes. My favorite pieces are O Magnum Mysterium (Tomas Luis de Victoria version) and Est ist ein' Ros' entsprungen (Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming), both drawn in delicate, yet dynamic, colors. The former piece is one I learned for the Bowdoin Glee Club as a college student decades ago; for me, this motet is one of the most hauntingly lovely seasonal pieces in existence, and Kairos does it justice here. As the notes swelled in my headphones, I jumped into the alto part, unintentionally driving my family crazy in the process (an inherent danger associated with reviewing holiday music). One of the more striking numbers is Rachuli alilo (Rachan "Alilo"); "Alilo" is apparently a Georgian version of "Alleluia," sung here with rugged, contrasting harmonies and intense fervor. Cool!

Fans of a cappella classical fare will find much to like on Christus Natus Est, a well-constructed and nicely-executed offering. On a cold morning just days after Thanksgiving, this album was an inspiring companion. Thank you, Kairos!

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2008)

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From the liner notes:

Edward Lundergan is Director of Choral Activities and Chair of the Music Department at the State University of New York at New Paltz. He Has been Artistic Director of Kairos since 1996.

Kairos:
Sopranos: Kathen Cowan, Callie Hershey, Christine Howlett, Amy littler, Carol Lundergan
Alto: Tricia Lewis Agar, Judith Handman, Patricia Marquez, Kathryn Stewart
Tenor: Scott Borden, Craig Fryer, Glenn Knickerbocker, Bryan Michels
Baritone: William Ashby, Donald Boyer, James Oppenheimer, Michael Saunders


From the Website:

KAIROS: A Consort of Singers is a select vocal ensemble located in West Park, New York (about 75 miles north of New York City) dedicated to the performance of unaccompanied choral literature from the Medieval to the present. We are Artists-in-Residence at Holy Cross Episcopal Monastery and perform throughout the Hudson Valley and beyond.

The name KAIROS comes from the Greek word for cyclic time, as opposed to chronos, or linear time. It denotes the state of mind we hope to achieve in our music, a time-out-of-time in which past and future merge with the present in the listener's experience.

KAIROS: A Consort of Singers was formed in 1994 by Brother Randall Horton, a member of the Holy Cross Episcopal Monastery in West Park, New York. The group originally focused on medieval and Renaissance repertoire, interspersing Gregorian chant with movements of masses by Palestrina, Josquin, Byrd, and other 16th and 17th century composers. The group quickly established a loyal following and performed several times a year.

In 1996 the group was reorganized under its present Artistic Director, Dr. Edward Lundergan. Ed brought a new focus to Kairos, and the group has blossomed and matured under his direction. Repertoire such as Britten's Hymn to St. Cecilia and Five Flower Songs, Poulenc's Un Soir de Neige, contemporary British composer Tarik O'Regan's The Ecstasies Above, and J. S. Bach's Singet dem Herrn are just some of the demanding and complex works that the group regularly performs. The group performs at various venues in the Hudson Valley, and has also performed with instrumental groups such as the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, the Bach Festival orchestra, and members of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic String Quartet. In 2005 Kairos became artists-in-residence at Holy Cross Monastery and performs concerts in the wonderful Chapel throughout the year.

Kairos: A Consort of Singers

Christus Natus Est

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