Romanian Christmas Carols = Colinde Românești De Crăciun

Released by the state-owned Electrecord label in 1990, this recording of Romanian Christmas carols captures a significant moment in the nation's cultural transition. Produced shortly after the fall of the communist regime, the album represents a reclaiming of traditional religious and folk music that had been suppressed or strictly regulated during the preceding decades. The Choir of the Romanian Patriarchate, under the direction of Iulian Cârstoiu, was selected to perform these pieces, grounding the recording in the liturgical and cultural authority of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

The aesthetic of the album reflects the solemn, choral tradition of Romanian 'colinde.' These carols are distinct from Western Christmas music, often featuring complex modal harmonies and ancient lyrical themes that predate the Christian era. By choosing the official choir of the Patriarchate, Electrecord sought to produce a definitive, high-fidelity archival record of these songs for a public newly permitted to engage openly with religious holiday traditions. The recording remains a valued example of post-1989 cultural revivalism in Eastern Europe.