16 Sep Press Release: LD to release two CDs this November

LES DÉLICES CELEBRATES RELEASE OF TWO NEW CDS WITH WEEKEND EVENTS NOVEMBER 3-5, 2023

CLEVELAND, OH — Les Délices celebrates the release of two new CDs, Noel, Noel and The Highland Lassie, with three live events in Northeast Ohio this November featuring music from their Scottish baroque-crossover album The Highland Lassie. The new CDs will be available for purchase at all events; CD audio will also be available on all streaming platforms beginning Friday November 3. 

CD Release weekend events begin with a free pop-up concert on Friday, November 3rd from 7:00-9:00 pm at Waterloo Arts Gallery complete with Scottish-themed drinks during the Collinwood Arts District’s monthly “Walk all over Waterloo” neighborhood open house. Next, Les Délices heads to Cleveland Heights’s Bottlehouse Brewery for a release party with live music on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at 3 pm. And on Sunday November 5, 2023 at 5pm, the ensemble performs a ticketed concert version of The Highland Lassie under the auspices of Music from the Western Reserve in Hudson.

All events feature LD Artistic Director and oboist Debra Nagy performing songs from The Highland Lassie alongside Cleveland musicians Elena Mullins Bailey (soprano), Julie Andrijeski and Allison Monroe (violin), Rebecca Landell Reed (cello), and Mark Edwards (harpsichord).

The audio for both albums comes from concert films recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. Says Artistic Director Debra Nagy, “Les Délices was in a unique position to be amazingly creative and productive during the pandemic – we recorded 10 different programs for video! Audiences particularly loved our holiday program Noel, Noel – and The Highland Lassie was so much fun that we decided to release both projects as albums so that an even wider audience can enjoy them.”

The Highland Lassie, a Scottish baroque-crossover album, was recorded on-site at Cleveland’s historic Dunham Tavern barn. This CD celebrates the rich tradition of Scots songs including classics “Barbara Allen” and Robert Burns’ famous “A red, red rose” beautifully sung by LD favorite, soprano Elena Mullins Bailey. The Highland Lassie celebrates the permeable borders between folk song and art song, between country dance and cotillion with a peerless ensemble of baroque instrumentalists including guitarist Daniel Swenberg playing on an original 18th C. English guittar (pictured left).

Noel, Noel was recorded live at Herr Chapel at Plymouth Church in Shaker Heights in the fall of 2020. Designed as a comforting experience for music lovers sheltering at home in the midst of the first pandemic winter, Noel, Noel proved one of LD’s most-watched and critically acclaimed concert films. The album features original arrangements of classic carols from French, English, and German traditions, including favorites “In dulci jubilo” and “In the bleak midwinter” sung by soprano Elena Mullins Bailey with instrumentalists Debra Nagy (baroque oboe & recorders), Julie Andrijeski and Allison Monroe (violins), Rebecca Landell Reed (viola da gamba), and Mark Edwards (organ). Andrew Tripp was the recording engineer and Debra Nagy produced the audio.

As part of its 2023-24 Concert Series, Les Délices will perform Noel, Noel Dec. 20-22 with soprano Amanda Powell in Akron, Rocky River, and Cleveland Heights. Like the CD of the same name, the concert will feature favorite carols and festive baroque music by Praetorius, Merula, Buxtehude, and others. Tickets ($28-$45-$10) are available at lesdelices.org. Copies of Noel, Noel and The Highland Lassie CDs will be available for purchase at all concerts, along with other recent LD albums.