Christmas Cantata / A Ceremony Of Carols

Released by the Czechoslovak label Supraphon in 1971, this recording pairs Arthur Honegger's 'Christmas Cantata' with Benjamin Britten's 'A Ceremony of Carols.' The album showcases a unique collaboration between the Prague Symphony Orchestra and the Dětský Sbor Čs. Rozhlasu, or the Czechoslovak Radio Children's Choir, under the direction of French conductor Serge Baudo. At the time, Supraphon was instrumental in documenting the high level of choral and orchestral talent within the Eastern Bloc, and this specific pairing emphasized the label's commitment to mid-20th-century European liturgical and seasonal compositions.

The design and production reflect the aesthetic sensibilities of the era's classical vinyl releases, often characterized by clean, formal covers that prioritized the composer and performer credits. By the early 1970s, Serge Baudo had built a significant reputation for his interpretations of modern French and British music, making him a fitting choice to lead these specific works. The recording was well-regarded for its technical clarity, typical of Supraphon’s studio work at the time, and served to introduce international audiences to the technical precision of the Czech Philharmonic and the Radio Children's Choir in complex, polyphonic choral arrangements.