The singer-songwriter and the Baroque orchestra: Christmas with Herman van Veen & Ton Koopman

Whenever huge contrasts clash, they simultaneously provide the greatest creative sparks: the Dutch singer-songwriter Herman van Veen is famous for songs like "Ich hab' ein zärtliches Gefühl"; he is also a clown, poet and the creator of the comic duck Alfred Jodocus Kwak. His fellow Dutchman Ton Koopman on the other hand is an acknowledged pioneer of Early Music and therefore a champion of classical music – as an acclaimed performer of J.S. Bach and re-discoverer of Baroque scores. Back in the 1990s the two of them joined forces to create an unusual Christmas project that is now to enjoy a new lease of life by being re-issued.

With a selection of the most popular German Christmas carols, including "Stille Nacht", Herman van Veen, who is still one of the most successful singer-songwriters, proves yet again with this well-loved repertoire that he is an empathetic story-teller who can bring a fresh approach to the famous Christmas story, as if he had written it himself. His interpretations combine the joyous with the reflective in his inimitable style, making this disc a legendary jewel in recording history. The same goes for the refined arrangements featuring strings, flutes, lute and organ played by Ton Koopman's Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, accompanying Herman van Veen's voice and the Avro Children's Choir with neo-Baroque flair. This puts a whole new complexion on Early Music!