Cesta světla / České a moravské koledy a zpěvy vánoční - CD

This CD presents Czech and Moravian Christmas carols and songs arranged in Jiří Slavík’s original cycle and performed by VUS Ondráš. The title, taken from the words of the evangelist John, expresses the cycle’s deepest message: turning our attention away from glittering Christmas decorations and towards the heart of the holiday—the story of the birth of Jesus. Traditional carols convey the poetry of this story and of the people who witnessed it with striking directness. Jiří Slavík, an experienced young jazz musician and composer with folk roots, began shaping the cycle when the pandemic confined people to their homes in spring 2020 and the songs became a source of hope and light. The arrangements range from gentle and intimate to symphonic and richly coloured, with interludes and songs inspired by the biblical story. VUS Ondráš, a professional ensemble rooted in folk music but open to crossing genre boundaries, performs the carols with complete naturalness, in both the familiar cimbalom-band style and more unusual arrangements. The programme includes “Nesem vám noviny,” “Byla cesta ušlapaná,” “Narodil se Kristus Pán,” “Jak jsi krásné neviňátko,” “Chtíc, aby spal,” “Štědrej večer nastal” and other Christmas songs.