What a delightful change this CD of South African Christmas carols makes right now, considering the annual bombardment of familiar kitschy carols being churned out in supermarkets.
It all goes back to the 1960s when the late Jo Ross was asked to organise an international Christmas carol morning in Pretoria. Diplomatic groups performed their national carols - but there were no South African carols. Ross made it her mission to collect carols composed by South Africans.
There was such a strong response that two books of indigenous carols were published. After her death her daughters determined to have a CD of carols put out. This album of 38 carols is the result.
I haven't heard it receiving much airplay, possibly because stations I usually don't listen to are playing it. Cape stations should be playing it, for local artists are well represented: the St George's Cathedral Choir conducted by Barry Smith, the Stellenbosch Libertas Choir conducted by Johan de Villiers, and the Tygerberg Children's Choir conducted by Hennie Loock.
Local soloist Hannelie Rupert is there, and local composers include Charles and Richard Oxtoby and the late Blanche Gerstman.
Most of the carols are in Afrikaans, many of them quite twee but at least pleasantly unfamiliar. There are several gems such as Vrae aan Maria sung by Hanneli Rupert and André Howard, Somerkersfees sung by Jannie du Toit and Inkosi Jesu sung by the Mimi Coertse and the Durban Men's Choir.