Vladimir’s Classical Christmas

Since Vladimir Jablokov arrived in Ireland from Slovakia some 10 years ago, he has slowly but firmly positioned himself in a perceived no-man's-land of classical crossover. In other words, for some people the likes of Vladimir is neither fish nor fowl. Such views matter little, one suspects, to his fans, of which quite a few will undoubtedly be listening to this seasonal album as the turkey sizzles in the roasting tray. For all of that, what we have here is mixed bag of treats: good (The Wexford Carol, with Wallis Bird); efficient if unsurprising (Prokofiev's Troika, Strauss's Blue Danube); frankly bizarre (Jona Lewie's Stop the Cavalry, with a smile-cracking vocal from bass-baritone John Molloy); and a sentimental yet pardonable mistake (Walking in the Air, featuring Jablokov's six-year-old daughter, Dominika). Vladimir continues his nationwide tour; the dates are on his website. vladimirmusic.com
Download: The Wexford Carol