Holly and the Ivy [Import]

Track Listings

1. King Jesus Hath A Garden

2. Up! Good Christian Folk, And Listen

3. Gabriel's Message

4. Donkey Carol

5. Wexford Carol

6. Cradle Song

7. Child In The Manger

8. Mary's Lullaby

9. Ding Dong! Merrily On High

10. Quelle Est Cette Odeur Agreable? (Whence Is That Goodly Fragrance?)

11. I Saw A Maiden

12. In Dulci Jubilo

13. In The Bleak Mid-Winter

14. I Saw Three Ships

15. The Noble Stem Of Jesse

16. The Crown Of Roses

17. Jesus Christ The Apple Tree

18. Omnis Mundus Jocundetur

19. Wassail Song

20. The Holly And The Ivy

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Import exclusive Christmas album composed by John Rutter. Decca. 2004.

Tracks:

O Come All Ye Faithful
O Holy Night
Bring A Torch, Jeannette Isabelle
Fum, Fum, Fum!
Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
Ave Maria
Gesu Bambino
Medley: I Saw Three Ships; The First Nowell; The Holly And The Ivy
Away In A Manger
Silent Night
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Mary's Cradle Song
Zither Carol
I Wonder As I Wander
Mary Had A Baby
Rise Up, Shepherd
What Child Is This?
Ave Maria
Finale and Reprise: Veni, Veni, Emmanuel; It Came Upon A Midnight Clear; O Little Town Of Bethlehem; Silent Night; O Come All Ye Faithful

Customer Reviews:

A Christmas Celebration: Kathleen Battle.......2007-01-19

what can i say about the best of the best? As always, Miss Battle makes me wonder how anyone else would dare to sing this music after her rendition. A beautiful CD

One of the most beautiful Christmas albums .......2005-11-22

I love Kathleen Battle's voice, and to get such a great collection of beautiful sacred music, it was like a dream come true. She sings many traditional carols like Holy Night, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Silent Night, which is possibly my favorite here, you may think you have heard this song so many times, but Kathleen's voice really shines in it. Her English diction is so incredible, you can understand every word, which is not something many opera singers can achieve. Her singing is always so natural and lovely. Many other songs are oustanding on this album, I love the two version of Ave Maria and the Italian song Gesu Bambino. If you are looking for a really beautiful collection of Christmas music, this album is a great choice.

A Christmas Collection For The Ages.......2005-11-13

If there is one performer I miss hearing on a regular basis, it is Kathleen Battle. Anytime I knew that she'd be in a Metropolitan Opera radio broadcast, I knew it would be a performance to remember and more often than not, I was correct. She has a light voice that reaches the upper reregisters with ease and has as a gorgeous sound. She not a regular at many opera houses these days, and in likelihood, if she still did perform on the world's opera stages, we'd be hearing critics say her voice was not what it once was, but thanks to her recorded legacy, her voice will, always have that youthful, energetic sound.

Overall I believe that Ms. Battle performs better in complete opera recordings than recital albums, but most of her recital recordings are of at least good quality and this Christmas collection is outstanding. She handles all of the works with apparent similar ease, but since the recording is so varied, this is a compliment to her skill as a performer. She begins and ends with "O Come All Ye Faithful" where she does a few vocal acrobatics but it's never overdone. Each time I think of what the bets part of the collection is, my mind changes. She brings her skills from the operatic stage in her renditions of "O Holy Night," "Gesu Bambino" (only Pavarotti sings this better, but it's a very close second), and "The Zither Carol" which sounds so much like something that could come from the mouths of Oscar from UN BALLO or Zurbinetta from ARIADNE AUF NAXOS, two of her signature roles. The music from the African American Spirituals tradition and American background are well done and the accompaniment of the Harlem Boys Choir, used to great advantage here adds so much.

With so many Christmas collections from the world of opera available, choosing one can be difficult, but this is one collection that has proven to be a joy for almost fifteen years and will continue to give holiday pleasure for years to come.

Kathleen Battle, My Madam Christmas.......2004-12-28

I probably have 50 Christmas albums. I love many of them. This is my favorite. Leaves me astounded and breathless every time I enjoy it.

Pure Joy.......2003-12-07

In a world where disturbing things are all too common, Christian scripture guides us to dwell on that which is lovely. Kathleen Battle's blessed voice is most certainly one of those lovely things.

I bought this CD in the early 1990's, and I am here to buy it again because I have worn out the original with scratches, etc. I only listen to it during the Christmas season, but I enjoy it enough to hear it all year.

The 'Christmas Celebration' CD should be enough to convince you to also purchase Kathleen's 'A Carnegie Hall Christmas Concert'. Ms. Battle's wonderful soprano voice is joined by that of the mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, and the blending is more than memorable. There are a couple of songs which are on both CD's, but you'll want to hear both. In fact, the video of the PBS special is also available, and I recommend buying all three. You won't regret it.

Some of my favorite selections from 'Christmas Celebration' include 'Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabelle' and 'Fum, Fum, Fum', both of which are from a culture different from my own. I found such glimpses into unfamiliar favorites to enhance my own enjoyment of the Christmas season, as long as all of my traditional American favorites were included. They were. "I Wonder As I Wander" and "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful" are there among the other favorites.

Tracks:

The Holly & The Ivy
Gaudete
L'Amour De Moi
Salva Nos
Glass Window
There Is No Rose of Swych Vertu
Kinderly
In Dulce Jubilo
Love Me Broughte
I Am Eve
Quan Vey La Lauzeta
The Coventry Carol
Undrentide
Ecce Mundi Gaudium
Blow Northern Wind

Customer Reviews:

buy this one first.......2006-06-29

This is not really a Christmas, or even a seasonal, album, more of a best of the Babes. yYs, they lead off with "The Holly and the Ivy" (and do it beautifully) but do not buy this as a "holiday music album"... or do... you won't regret buying it whatever your reasons!
This was my introduction to this band and I was absolutely floored. It lived in my car CD player for 2 months straight, and still is in the first section of my CD storage unit.... a rare honor for *any* Cd. It is also responsible for causing me to go out and try to buy every other CD the band has out, and I have not been disapointed in any of the ones I have gotten so far.
Speaking as a former music major, religious student, and medieval re-creationist, I know I can be pretty nit picky when it comes to "medieval" music; all too often it is neither medieval, nor (in my opinion) music! This is one of those rare exceptions that can manage to get you out of a chair to dance, while singing at the top of your lungs in Olde Englishe, Latin, or whatever. There isnt a bad voice in the lot (although some of the harmonies can be a bit odd if you arent used to medieval music) and the instrumental backings are pure gold.

Great introduction to Mediaeval Baebes.......2006-02-27

This CD has many songs from previous albums and a few new songs. It is a great introduction to Mediaeval Baebes music and serves as "best of" type of collection. It is billed as a "holiday" collection but I listen to it year round and quite often. The Mediaeval Baebes have a very unique and wonderful sound.

Great choral versions of ancient songs.......2005-11-19

I first heard the Mediaeval Baebes on a UK double CD (Best carols in the world ever) featuring three of their trackss (Guadete, Coventry carol, Adam lay ibounden), all of which can also be found on their debut album, but my curiosity only became aroused when that UK double CD was updated and repackaged with a different title (Best Christmas carols ever) and all the Mediaeval Baebes tracks were omitted with other choirs replacing them. My research showed that they have become an established group (albeit with line-up changes) and are now very successful in their chosen style, which some may regard as classical but (since they sing with their natural voices rather than operatic voices) seems more like traditional folk music to me.

This is not a Christmas album in the true sense of the word although there are some recognizable Christmas carols here - rather it is a compilation of music taken from their earlier albums together with a couple of re-recordings and two completely new recordings. I would have liked some liner notes giving some detailed information about the songs but very little information is actually provided. Apparently, much more information can found in the booklets provided with the original album releases. Still, it's the music that counts and, when it comes to choral music, this is as good as it gets.

The set opens with The holly and the ivy, set to the tune that everybody is familiar with. I seem to remember reading somewhere that this tune, although old, is not the original tune written for the song. This is where liner notes would be useful - and as this is one of the new recordings, their original albums won't help. Given that the Mediaeval Baebes aim to re-record very old songs, it would have been nice to hear them sing it to its original tune if it really was different from the current one. I suppose it doesn't matter since they sing the song superbly anyway.

Other Christmas carols that you are likely to recognize are Gaudete (revived most famously by folk-rockers Steeleye Span), In dulce jubilo (a new recording for this album, it was recorded in the seventies by Mike Oldfield, who had a UK hit with his instrumental version) and The Coventry carol. The other songs are unfamiliar to me but the group perform them all brilliantly. The other song of theirs on that UK carols compilation (Adam lay ibounded) is not included, but there's plenty else to make up for that omission.

The instruments used to back the group (mostly played by members of the group) are interesting. They include a zither, a hurdygurdy, a citern, a glockenspiel, an astrowheel and three different types of recorder - not the kind of instruments to be heard regularly on pop and rock albums. I was particularly pleased to find the recorders here. Like many Brits of my generation, I was forced to learn to play the recorder at school (I did so very badly) and so the recorder has never had a great reputation, but when played well and in the right setting (as here), it sounds wonderful.

This is a fine compilation in many ways but it may be that one of the original albums (which apparently have detailed liner notes) will provide an even better introduction to the music of the Mediaeval Baebes. Despite my reservations, this is still (easily) a five-star album and I'll certainly listen to more of their music eventually.

A pleasing tone.......2004-12-02

This is probably one of my new favorite Christmas albums. It is an absolute gem. It isn't an over-powering album with new or different things but they have recorded a few lesser known Latin Carols that are not given much attention anymore. Gaudete was one that stood out. The arrangement is rather simple and beautiful and the song itself is melodic in an unusual way. I have found that this CD has appealed to a fairly wide spectrum of people and would make a great album to play in the background during the Holidays. I think this would be the perfect thing to put on in the late afternoon in December while curling up with a good book or wrapping presents.

A "best of", not really a Christmas record.......2004-03-27

Potential purchasers should bear that in mind. As with the Medieval Baebes debut album it contains a small proportion of `holiday season' material, but most of it can be listened to without embarrassment at any time of the year. (In my experience, all of it can - even on a warm spring afternoon I can't bring myself to program out `In Dulci Jubilo', `The Holly...' etc).

Another thing potential purchasers should bear in mind - this compilation winds up being a better "best of" than the album of that name.

It's more representative - career-spanning and able to demonstrate the increasing ambition and complexity of the arrangements, and of Katharine Blake's compositions. (Of course, some of their experiments with modern instrumentation on the `Undrentide' album didn't work, but they don't appear here).

It's also more enjoyable on a basic musical level - there are no over-repetitive pieces, no odd song-fragments...nothing that drags. Or maybe there are a couple of weak spots - "I Am Eve" which goes on a little too long, and Audrey Evans's rendition of "L'amour de moi" which is suprisingly weak, and no substitute for the original featuring the much-missed Dorothy Carter - but these are easily forgiven.

Even if you can't understand what's being said, even if you understand it well enough to spot the mispronunciations here and there, it will be hard to resist the ethereal beauty the Baebes' voices, and of songs like `Quan Vey La Lauzeta', `There Is No Rose of Swych Vertu' or `Blow Northern Wind'.

Average customer rating:

ANOTHER ANGELIC ALBUM!

Calling all Angels

Calling All Angels

Calling All Angels
Jill Holly
Manufacturer: Ivy
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music
Pop Rock | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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When I Was a Boy

Calling All Angels

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ASIN: B00003CM1Q
Release Date: 1996-01-12

Tracks:

Calling All Angels
Daddy Don't Worry
Common Ground
Heart On The Line
If Ever There's A Doubt
As If She Had Wings
The Same Hands
The Last Flight Out
Louise
About Last Night

Album Description

Acoustic pop/rock/folk AAA format. Equisite lyrics, driving melodies, displaying accomplished vocal/guitar/piano work from an award winning singer/songwriter. As KLOS radio Los Angeles claims," Jill Holly, a pure talent presented in a simple and totally engaging manner", "Thoughtful lyrics crafted around life's episodes". A true gem for any music lover of any age.

Customer Reviews:

ANOTHER ANGELIC ALBUM!.......2005-02-27

If... for nothing else to hear quality vocals and wonderful lyrics ...this is a must buy to experience! Jill you still are charming us with your magic! Thanks for sharing your enormous talent with us! Keep it up! C Beller

Calling all Angels.......2000-03-27

Fabulous CD. Couldn't find it in a music store. Thank God for Amazon.com

Calling All Angels.......1999-12-05

The album is exquisitely performed and the unique style of Jill, coupled with the original songs, gives me hours of enjoyment. I can hardly wait for her next CD. Great lyrics; all ages enjoy the music.

Songs of Angels - Christmas Hymns and Carols

Average customer rating:

Much Anticipated
A Taste of Heaven
The Energizer Bunny
Great Seasonal Album
The Most Beautiful Sounds I Have Ever Heard

Songs of Angels - Christmas Hymns and Carols
Robert Shaw , and Robert Shaw Chamber Singers
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003D0G
Release Date: 1994-10-18

Tracks:

God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
Angels We Have Heard On High
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
How Unto Bethlehem?
The Boar's Head Carol
O Tannenbaum
Masters In This Hall
My Dancing Day
Away In A Manger
Good Christian Men, Rejoice
The Holly And The Ivy
Good King Wenceslas
Wassail Song
Bring A Torch, Jeannette, Isabella
Fum, Fum, Fum
Mary Had A Baby
Hacia Belen Va Un Borrico
Christ Was Born On Christmas Day
March Of The Kings
Coventry Carol
Deck The Halls
The Cherry Tree Carol
We Three Kings Of Orient Are
Toruo-Louro-Louro!
So Blest A Sight
I Saw Three Ships
What Child Is This?
Susanni
In The Bleak Midwinter

Customer Reviews:

Much Anticipated.......2007-01-26

I have been looking for this CD for years!! Our family had a Shaw Chorale LP which contained almost all the songs on this CD. We had a number of excellent holiday albums and played all of them often, but we wore the Shaw Chorale album out! Not only are the musical renditions excellent and very similar to earlier Shaw recordings, the nostalgia evoked for this listener is incomparable!

A Taste of Heaven.......2007-01-18

I received this recording on cassette from a choral teacher, and played it so often that I wore it out! I especially appreciate the purity of sound and the arrangements in this recording. Lovers of choral music will feel as though "Songs of Angels" brings them a taste of heaven!

The Energizer Bunny.......2007-01-18

Alas that Robert Shaw is no longer with us. Throughout his long and varied career he gave us choral music with exactness,good pacing,and proper execution though not all musicologists would chose his renditions.
In "Songs of Angels" recorded in 1994 he shows us that even in later years he just kept going and going. Giving us stellar performances of masterpieces such as "Elijah","The Creation" and other large choral works. Yet in this album he shows the same attention to detail and
enraptures us with that special beauty of tone and ensemble which was
was to be Shaw's watermark on his life's offering.

Great Seasonal Album.......2006-01-16

This is one of the most impressive period albums I own. Wonderful for the holiday season. Will miss it during the rest of the year.

The Most Beautiful Sounds I Have Ever Heard.......2003-02-04

A fluid and seamless piece of heaven that transcends all classical and holiday music. This is an OUTSTANDING non-traditional Holiday CD!!! Many voices come together as one in these enchanting verses sung in languages other than English. It is just enough language mix to appease and intrigue the soul but not too much so that the listener does not understand the lyrics. For example, the English verse is sung then a verse in German and then back to English. Emmanuel is written this way. Other languages include French (Angels we Have Heard on High) and even Catalan which is a dialect of Spain.

Several of the songs were not traditional Holiday songs (at least for my generation), yet they were intriguing to learn and now I feel I know them just like the traditional ones. This CD offers a healthy mix of traditional and non-traditional songs on this CD.

If you can picture the most beautiful sounds you have ever heard you can come close to the joy this CD will bring you. It is February and I can't stop listening to it. You will not regret purchasing it&the only regret you may have is not buying all of Robert Shaw's holiday CDs.

Tracks:

Awake, And Join The Cheerful Choir
Good People All
The Seven Rejoices Of Mary
The Lamb
A Scots Lilt
Balulalow
Balulalow
The Holly And The Ivy
The Reel Of Tullochgorum
I Saw Three Ships
A Calendar Of Kings
Air: La Fuar Geimhreadh
An Teicheadh Go Heigipt
A God, And Yet A Man?
Grene Growith The Holy
Wel, Dyma'r Borau Gorau
The Cherry Tree Carol
Can Wassel
A New Year Carol

Amazon.com

This offbeat disc of seasonal songs and carols by the Anonymous 4 will delight their fans and please everyone else. The 19 selections include traditional folk melodies and texts, some of which date back to the Middle Ages, interspersed with fitting selections by contemporary composers including John Taverner, Benjamin Britten, and Peter Maxwell Davies, whose ethereal a cappella A Calender of Kings gets its first recording. Andrew Lawrence-King, playing Irish harp, Baroque harp, and psaltery with his accustomed finesse, is a major reason for the disc's success, accompanying most of the vocals and contributing three lovely solos. The disc is crammed with highlight tracks, like the lilting Cornish Wassail song and the Irish Good people all, and haunting numbers like "Flight into Egypt," sung in Gaelic, and "Behold, here is the best morning," sung in Welsh. Excellent sonics and Harmonia Mundi's typically fine production values also help make this a Christmas disc that will give joy in July. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Wolcum Yule.......2006-01-17

The recording is fine . . . it just didn't appeal to me personally

lovely and unusual Yule album.......2004-01-06

Anonymous 4 has brought us a beautiful selection of 19 traditional songs from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. These include a lesser known work by Henry VIII as well as more contemporary songs by John Tavener, Richard Bennett, Geoffrey Burgon and Benjamin Britten, and a piece commissioned for the group from Peter Davies. Andrew Lawrence-King accompanies on Irish harp, Baroque harp and psaltery. There is a short essay on the traditions and legacy of the concept of Yule, a Cetic midwinter celebration, and this and the informative liner notes are given in English, French and German, accompanied by Celtic drawings.

The songs are pure, simple and very beautiful -- a welcome addition to your holiday listening.

Goose Flesh!.......2003-12-09

This is a remarkable quartet, singing with purity and style, from the haunting to the merry, medieval chant to modern settings of Celtic religious texts. Where there are arrangements, they are lovely and the instrumental pieces are simple and beautiful. This is the first time I have heard this group of women, and I am enchanted. It's a cappella at its very best: look to your laurels, King's Singers and Chanticleer, here come the ladies!

Average customer rating:

Can I give it more than 5 stars? Sublime.
It will become part of your Xmas
Shockingly beautiful...
It doesn't get any better than this.
Superb Christmas Cd From A Sublime Soprano,Ms.Norman!

Jessye Norman - Christmastide
George Frideric Handel , Christmas Traditional , Felix Mendelssohn , Adolphe Adam , Research Composer , Franz Xaver Gruber , Jr. Hopkins John Henry , Anonymous , John Francis Wade , Robert de Cormier , and Jessye Norman
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000040YQ
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Christmastide: O Come, O Come Emanuel
Christmastide: Once In Royal David's City
Christmastide: Unto Us A Child Is Born
Christmastide: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Christmastide: Good Christian Men Rejoice
Christmastide: O Holy Night
Christmastide: The Holly And The Ivy
Christmastide: See Amid The Winter Snow
Christmastide: I Saw Three Ships
Christmastide: This Christmastide
Christmastide: Coventry Carol
Christmastide: In The Bleak Mid-Winter
Christmastide: Silent Night
Christmastide: Angels We Have Heard On High
Christmastide: We Three Kings Of Orient Are
Christmastide: Joy To The World
Christmastide: Adeste fideles
Christmastide: Amen

Customer Reviews:

Can I give it more than 5 stars? Sublime........2006-12-01

It's a treat to play year after year December after December. I love the order of the songs, the lavish orchestral acompaniment, and the boy choir supporting Jessye Norman's astonishing voice. A beautifully produced CD, by far my favorite Christmas album.

It will become part of your Xmas.......2005-12-04

It's a reference. Start your Christmas season with this CD.
Jessye is perfect as always.
The harmonization is another pearl in this work. The balance between her voice and the boy's choir completes the ambience.
Pay special attention to "See Amid the Winter's Snow"

Shockingly beautiful..........2005-12-04

This album is shockingly beautiful. Norman's voice is amazing. The first track alone brings tears to my eyes. This is one of my favourite Christmas albums of all time. If you like Jeysse Norman and you like beautiful, sacred Christmas music, then you should also check out Jeysse Norman At Notra Dame.

It doesn't get any better than this........2005-08-22

This is one of the most perfectly beautiful recordings of any kind in existence. The pure glory of Jessye's voice is enhanced by the moving, glowing arrangements and thrilling accompanying performances. You will not find a better Christmas album, this is a true work of love and art in the spiritual realm. While it fills your ears with resplendant sound it fills your heart with love and hope.

Superb Christmas Cd From A Sublime Soprano,Ms.Norman!.......2003-08-22

Christmastide is heavenly listening!Excellent sound & glorious arrangements.Jesseye Norman was in stupendous voice while making this recording.I listen to it every christmas,and I'm taken away every year by Jesseye's tremendous achievement.Her O Holy Night brings me to tears.She sings with much joy and with much sacred intensity too.Bringing an unigue interpretation to every single track on this album.Christmastide is destined to become a classic,thanks to Ms.Normans supreme contribution she brought to the making of this album.

Average customer rating:

Incredible Christmas Album

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Once In Royal David - Academy Of St Martin-In-The-Fields
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Sleigh Ride - Arthur Fiedler
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Christmas Bells - Mantovani & His Orchestra
Patapan - London Symphony Orchestra
We Wish You A Merry Christmas - The Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
Jingle Bell Rock - Bond

Tracks:

Adeste Fidelis (O Come All Ye Faithful) - Academy Of St Martin-In-The-Fields
O Holy Night - Luciano Pavarotti
O Tannebaum - Vienna Boys' Choir
Ave Maria - Luciano Pavarotti
Joy To The World - Joan Sutherland
Ding Dong! Merrily On High - John Rutter
Do You Hear What I Hear? - Anthony Way
O Little Town Of Bethlehem - The Choir Of King's College
Coventry Carol - London Symphony Orchestra
Away In The Manger - The Choir Of King's College
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear - Leontyne Price
Hark! The Hearld Angels Sing - Academy Of St Martin-In-The-Fields
Deck The Halls - London Symphony
Gesu Bambino - Luciano Pavarotti
The First Nowell - The Choir Of King's College
Still, Still, Still - Vienna Boys' Choir
King Jesus Hath A Garden - John Rutter
Child In The Manger - John Rutter
The Holly And The Ivy - The Choir Of King's College
In Dulci Jubilo - The Choir Of Kings College
God Rest Ye Merr yGentlemen - The Choir Of King's College
Jesu, Joy Of Mans Desiring - Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra
Good King Wencelas - John Tesh
Twelve Days Of Christmas - Anthony Way
Silent Night - David Willcocks

Essential Carols: The Very Best of King's College Choir, Cambridge

Average customer rating:

Essential Carols: The Very Best of King's College Choir, Cambridge

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On Christmas Day: New Carols from King's Choir of King's College, Cambridge
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
Christmas from King's College Choir
O Come All Ye Faithful: Christmas Carols at King's College, Cambridge

ASIN: B000B66PE8
Release Date: 2005-01-01

Tracks:

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
The First Nowell
While Shepherds Watched
I Saw Three Ships
Ding Dong! Merrily On High
King Jesus Has A Garden
In Dulci Jubilo
Unto Us Is Born A Son
O Come , All Ye Faithful
Away In A Manger
O Little Town Of Bethlehem
The Holly And The Ivy
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
See Amid The Winter's Snow
Past Three O' Clock
Invitatory
Adam Lay Ybounden
Gabriel's Message

Tracks:

Once In Royal David's City
Sussex Carol
Rocking
Rejoice And Be Merry
The Cherry Tree Carol
The Three Kings
As With Gladness Men Of Old
A Great And Mighty Wonder
The Infant King
Balulalow
The Crown Of Roses
Christ Was Born On Christmas Day
Blessed Be That Maid Mary
Lute-Book Lullaby
Myn Lyking
Personent Hodie
In The Bleak Mid-Winter
Coventry Carol
Shepherds In The Field Abiding
Torches
Fantasia On Christmas Carols

Average customer rating:

Enchanting folk songs (taken a few at a time)
A Must For All Britten Admirers

Britten: Folk Song Arrangements
Felicity Lott , Philip Langridge , Christopher van Kampen , Benjamin Britten , Carlos Bonell , and Graham Johnson
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Britten: Folk Song Arrangements, Vol. 2
Gerald Finzi: I Said to Love; Let Us Garlands Bring; Before and After Summer
Britten: Songs
Bryn Terfel - The Vagabond & other songs by Vaughan Williams, Butterworth, Finzi & Ireland
English Song Series 3

ASIN: B0007ORDUE
Release Date: 2005-03-22

Tracks:

The Salley Gardens
Little Sir William
The Bonny Earl O' Moray
O Can Y Sew Cushions?
The Trees They Grow So High
The Ash Grove
Oliver Cromwell
Greensleeves - Philip Langridge
I Wonder As I Wander - Philip Langridge
The Crocodile - Philip Langridge
The Plough Boy
There's One To Soothe
Sweet Polly Oliver
The Miller Of Dee
The Foggy, Foggy Dew
O Waly, Waly
Come You Not From Newcastle?
Pray Goody - Philip Langridge
The Brisk Young Widow
Sally In Our Alley
The Lincolnshire Poacher
Early One Morning
Ca' The Yowes
The Holly And The Ivy
Soldier, Won't You Marry Me?
The Deaf Woman's Courtship

Tracks:

Avengin And Bright
Sail On, Sail On
How Sweet The Answer
The Minstrel Boy
At The Mid Hour Of Night
Rich And Rare
Dear Harp Of My Country!
Oft In The Stilly Night
The Last Rose Of Summer
O The Sight Entrancing
La Noel Passee
Voici Le Printemps
Fileuse
Le Roi S'en Va-T'en Chasse
La Belle Est Au Jardin D'amour
Il Est Quelqu'un Sur Terre
Eho! Eho!
Quand J'etais Chez Mon Pere
I Will Give My Love An Apple - Carlos Bonell
Sailor-Boy - Carlos Bonell
Master Kilby - Carlos Bonell
The Soldier And The Sailor - Carlos Bonell
Bonny At Morn - Carlos Bonell
The Shooting Of His Dear - Carlos Bonell
German Folk Song: The Stream In The Valley - Christopher van Kampen
Unidentified Folk Song Setting - Christopher van Kampen

Customer Reviews:

Enchanting folk songs (taken a few at a time).......2006-06-24

Britten made numerous folksong arrangements over the years--the reviewer below summarizes them very well. Here are 52 for tenor voice accompanied by paino, harp, or guitar--there's also a Vol. 2 in addition to this double CD. Only a few items, like The Minstrel Boy and Greensleeves, are likely to sound familiar to American listeners unless they already know Britten's arrangements. He adds subversive harmonies that can be dissonant and distrubing; at other times the arrangements are a bit twee. Philip Langridge has a more mellifluous tone than Peter Pears, for whom almost all the songs were set. This makes the recital easy listening, but the simple tunes quickly become too much of a good thing--it's better to listen to a handful at a time.

Persoally, I like the Irish and Scottish folksongs the best, because of their haunting modal harmonies, and the harpist Ossian Ellis is a marvelous accompanist for several of them, but there's lots to choose form here. The chief drawbacks are two: Langridge was a bit too old by 1995 to keep an unpleasant wobble out of his tone at loud volume, not to mention that he is peculiarly humorless in the comic songs. Second, Graham Johnson is an unimginative accompanist without rhythmic vigor, which compares unfavorably to Britten's own classic recordings, in both mono and stereo, with Pears. Yet for all that, there are many lovely songs here, and they are now available, transferred from the Collins Classics label to Naxos at bargain price.

A Must For All Britten Admirers.......2005-04-09

Many lovers of Benjamin Britten's music have no idea that he made extraordinary arrangements of many folksongs. And although this 2CD set is part of Naxos's 'English Song Series' and although it mainly contains songs from the Britain (and Ireland), Britten also set French and American folksongs and they are included here as this issue comprises all his voice-and-piano folksong settings. (He also made voice-and-orchestra versions of some of the songs here but they are not included.) His interest in poetry was intense, and as a friend has commented, 'Britten's knowledge of the obscure corners of English poetry would have put many a professor of English to shame.' His interest in making these settings lasted his entire composing life. Over the years he made six numbered collections: Vols 1, 3, 5 & 6 are primarily British (and some American) folksongs; Vol. 2 French; Vol. 4 Moore's Irish Songs. Also included here are several scattered single songs and songs published posthumously for a total of 52 songs in all. They are parceled out between two of the greatest English singers of the day: soprano Dame Felicity Lott and tenor Philip Langridge. They are mostly accompanied by the best English accompanist since Gerald Moore, pianist Graham Johnson. (One group are accompanied by guitarist Carlos Bonell, and a couple feature cellist Christopher van Kampen.)

The piano accompaniments are generally rather spare, tending not to call attention to themselves, but on closer listening one realizes that Britten has used his own easily identifiable harmonic and structural sense (not surprisingly, one of Britten's favorite devices, the canon, occurs repeatedly), always in pursuit of bringing out the literal meaning and, even more so, the psychology of the song at hand. For instance, he mimics the harp in 'Dear Harp of our Country' and 'The Last Rose of Summer' and the spinning of the mill-wheel in 'The Miller of Dee' or of the spinning wheel in 'Fileuse.' There is the yearning upward interval used to accompany the girl's name in 'Sally in Our Alley.' There is the sad tolling of the bell in 'At the mid hour of the night,' the indecisive alternating chords in 'O Waly, Waly.' Many of these songs are familiar, but many are obscure, at least to this writer. Each is so aptly set that one discovers new things on each listening. Some old favorites, like 'Sail On, Sail On' and 'The Ash Grove' are given fresh colorings. I was amused to realize that that silly Monty Python send-up, 'The Lumberjack Song,' uses (approximately) the tune of 'The Foggy, Foggy Dew' (set here to a melody different than the one I know from my youth).

The performances, not surprisingly, are about as good as they get. I cannot forget the sound of Janet Baker's voice in 'O Waly, Waly,' but this is no criticism of Lott's version, which is also touchingly effective. Langridge, whose diction is a marvel, is similarly effective in such favorites as 'The Plough Boy,' 'The Foggy, Foggy Dew,' and 'The Minstrel Boy.' Is there a more sensitive accompanist than Graham Johnson? I don't think so. I will admit that am not fond of the guitar (clearly my own idiosyncratic taste) but Carlos Bonell is effective in his accompaniment of Vol. 6, which includes 'I will give my love an apple' and 'Bonny at Morn' among others. At the end of CD2 is a song with cello obbligato played by Christopher van Kampen, and an unknown folksong that, in the absence of text, is given to the cello. The texts, too, are worth studying for their folk-wisdom. I was particularly struck by this line from 'Pray Goody': "Remember when the judgement's weak, the prejudice is strong." ('Pray Goody' also has an especially effective piano accompaniment that requires virtuosic control by the pianist.)

Anyone interested in the music of Britten really ought to own this set. It is an aspect of his art that should not be missed.

2CDs TT=132:47

Scott Morrison

Sleigh Ride! Classic Christmas Favorites

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Perfect Christmas Music
Best Christmas CD!!
Excellent Symphonic Christmas Album

Sleigh Ride! Classic Christmas Favorites

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

A Christmas Festival
A Festival of Carols in Brass
Joy to the World - Eugene Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra
The Glorious Sound of Christmas
The Joy of Christmas

ASIN: B000003FCB
Release Date: 1992-08-17

Tracks:

A Christmas Festival
Joy To The World
God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
Adeste Fideles
The Holly And The Ivy
Sleigh Ride
Sleigh Ride
Sleigh Ride
The Toy Trumpet
Conventry Carol
I Wonder As I Wander
Carol Of The Bells
Dance Of The Sugar - Plum Fairy
March Of The Toys
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
German Dance In D
Ave Maria
Silent Night
What Child Is I This?
German Dance In G
Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
We Three Kings
Or Let The Merry Bells Ring 'Round
Hallelujah Chorus

Customer Reviews:

Perfect Christmas Music.......2005-12-27

I've owned this for years and never tire of it. Guests ALWAYS ask what I'm playing. I've purchased several copies as gifts. If you're sick of the stuff they play in malls and pine for some big, inspiring, classical arrangements, this is the CD for you.

Best Christmas CD!!.......2004-11-16

I love the traditional carols on this CD. The Carol of the Bells is my favorite!! I also love Silent Night which is one of my all time favorite Christmas carols. This album is great to put on a at a Christmas party and hit repeat. It has a nice mix of songs that you don't get tired of hearing! This is a must have and I would highly recommend this CD for anyone that enjoys Christmas songs and the holiday season. You will catch yourself humming the songs through out your day! It will definitely get rid of any "BAH HUM BUG" moods!

Excellent Symphonic Christmas Album.......2001-12-22

I was looking for arrangements of many traditional Christmas carols done by orchestras. This album hits the spot. It is not uniquely orchestra carols, the Canadian Brass is mixed in as welll. The highlight of the album for me is the back to back track of "Sleigh Ride" pieces. It begins with W.A. Mozart's "Sleigh Ride," followed by Leopold Mozart's piece of the same name, and then finnished with the ever popular arangement of "Sleigh Ride" by Anderson. It is a really good mix of carols, and can be listened to for hours.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

The Story So Far [Import]

Voices of the Night

Yes + 1

Straight Life

Rock Music rock-music-02

Zony Mash

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (1999 Broadway Revival Cast) [Cast Recording]

Wolf: Italienisches Liederbuch

Year of the Blaster [Import]

Walton: String Quartet No2; Prokofiev: String Quartet No. 2 in F major

With a Little Help from Our Friends [Import]

Y... Gano el Amor

Ya Llegamos

Free

Winds Of Heaven, Stuff Of Earth

1. King Jesus Hath A Garden
2. Up! Good Christian Folk, And Listen
3. Gabriel's Message
4. Donkey Carol
5. Wexford Carol
6. Cradle Song
7. Child In The Manger
8. Mary's Lullaby
9. Ding Dong! Merrily On High
10. Quelle Est Cette Odeur Agreable? (Whence Is That Goodly Fragrance?)
11. I Saw A Maiden
12. In Dulci Jubilo
13. In The Bleak Mid-Winter
14. I Saw Three Ships
15. The Noble Stem Of Jesse
16. The Crown Of Roses
17. Jesus Christ The Apple Tree
18. Omnis Mundus Jocundetur
19. Wassail Song
20. The Holly And The Ivy