What Child Is This? The St. Olaf Christmas Festival, Vol. III

Track Listings

1. Fantasia on Greensleeves

2. Lift Up Your Heads

3. Ruler of Heaven

4. Vox Dicentis: Clama

5. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming?

6. Softly, Softly Fell the Snow

7. Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day

8. Salvation is Created

9. Hodie, Christus Natus Est

10. Oh, Come All Ye Faithful

11. From Heaven Winging

12. Shepherds, Shake Off Your Drowsy Sleep

13. From Heaven Above

14. Dance of the Shepherds

15. What Child Is This?

16. Carols For the Choirs

17. Praise the Lord, O My Soul

18. I Saw Three Ships

19. O Day Full of Grace

20. And God Said: The Day Shall Dawn

See all 21 tracks on this disc

What Child Is This? The St. Olaf Christmas Festival, Vol. III, Music, St. Olaf Choir, A recording of the annual Christmas Festival with the St. Olaf choirs and orchestra, this recording was produced from the nationally televised Christmas special on PBS., Christmas / Chanukkah, Classical, Gospel

The John Rutter Christmas Album
Average customer rating:

Rutter Christmas Album

Unique and Beautiful!

Johh Rutter Chirstmas Album

Liked it enough to go through a lot of trouble to give it a review.

John Rutter and Cambridge Singers

The John Rutter Christmas Album
Cambridge Singers , Rutter , and City of London Sinfon
Manufacturer: Collegium
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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John Rutter Collection

Cambridge Singers Christmas Album

Christmas Star

Requiem & Magnificat/Rutter, Cambridge Singers

Be Thou My Vision

ASIN: B00006JJ4T
Release Date: 2002-09-24

Tracks:

Wexford Carol
Jesus Child
There Is a Flower
Donkey Carol
Wild Wood Carol
Angels' Carol
Nativity Carol
Mary's Lullaby
Star Carol
Candlelight Carol
Shepherd's Pipe Carol
Christmas Lullaby
Dormi, Jesu
Love Came Down at Christmas
Sans Day Carol
I Wonder as I Wander
What Sweeter Music
Joy to the World
I Saw Three Ships
Deck the Hall
Very Best Time of Year
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Silent Night

Album Description

Top of the British Classical Charts for 10 Weeks! Billboard Top Ten Classical Recording - December 2002! This album gathers together most of the carols I have composed over the years, plus a sprinkling of my arrangements of traditional carols, grouped to form a program which narrates, reflects upon, and celebrates the Christmas story. I have always enjoyed carols ever since I first sang them as a member of my school choir, and it was not long before I began to write carols of my own-in fact my first two published compositions were the Nativity Carol and the Shepherd's Pipe Carol. For any musician involved in choral music, Christmas is an especially joyous time, and I am indeed happy that it has played a part in my musical life for so many years- JOHN RUTTER

Customer Reviews:

Rutter Christmas Album.......2007-05-14

Great selection of music, and well presented. This is however older recordings that do not match the quality of Rutter's latest recordings such as the Te Deum or the Gloria.

Unique and Beautiful!.......2007-03-09

John Rutter, and his beautiful music, is such a gift to the world. This unique Christmas CD is magnificent! Especially touching are two of Rutter's original carols, "Christmas Lullaby" and the joyful "Angels' Carol." The musical selections speak to the soul, helping the listener connect to emotions of joy, peace, faith, hope, and love. This is a worthy addition to your collection of Christmas CDs.

Johh Rutter Chirstmas Album.......2007-02-19

If I were to choose only one Christmas album to ever own, this would be the one. John Rutter is an exceptional composer of religious music, with unusual harmonies. The music is difficult to sing, and because this is his own choir and he is directing it, the performance is flawless. Gives you goosebumps.

Liked it enough to go through a lot of trouble to give it a review........2007-02-07

Great music by John Rutter: Great performance!

John Rutter and Cambridge Singers.......2007-01-18

This is quintessential English cathedral music; beautifully sung. Reminds one of the English Christmas -- warm and serene -- that we've only experienced in our dreams!

Average customer rating:

Dream a dream
This girl has Potential (I wish the press would back off)!!!!!!
This girl has Potential (I wish the press would back off)!!!!!!
A must-have for Christmas music lovers
Gorgeous!

Dream a Dream

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Voice of an Angel
Enchantment
Charlotte Church
Prelude: The Best of Charlotte Church
Our Favorite Things

ASIN: B00004ZDPO
Release Date: 2000-10-17

Tracks:

Dream A Dream (Elysium)
O Come, All Ye Faithful
The Little Drummer Boy
Mary's Boy Child
Ding Dong! Merrily On High
Winterwonderland
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
The Coventry Carol (Lully Lullay)
Joy To The World
When A Child Is Born
What Child Is This?
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
Draw Tua Bethlehem/Far Over Bethlehem
Ave Maria
Gabriel's Message
O Holy Night
Lo! How A Rose E'er Blooming
Silent Night

Amazon.com

Everybody's favorite precocious sprite of a soprano comes out with her third album in Dream a Dream. It's only been two years since Charlotte Church's smash debut, Voice of an Angel, but that's a big chunk of the Welsh singer's life span so far. This latest is basically a Christmas album, so full of festive cheer you'd never guess it was recorded in the summer. Even the glummest of moods will disappear when you hear Charlotte's infectious take on chestnuts such as "Winter Wonderland" and "Little Drummer Boy" (and having the London Symphony Orchestra as your backup band doesn't hurt either). And on top of that is a really special treat: the title song (borrowing an unforgettable classical melody) which blends Church's soaring vocals with the tender voice of young country prodigy Billy Gilman. --Sarah Chin

Customer Reviews:

Dream a dream.......2007-04-03

I bought this CD after watching the music video of the same name. Their performance of "dream a dream" is exquisite. The fact that they wrote the lyrics just adds icing to an already magnificent cake!

This girl has Potential (I wish the press would back off)!!!!!!.......2007-03-01

You know charlotte church has received so much harsh critismn about her,I find that people were jeolous of her voice, and of how a young girl can sing, she is definetly my dream ome true, (So back off johnathan flanders),this girl in the past has done some wonderful music which is inspirational and she is a wonderful person, I dont care whether she has changed, anyway her rock albumn has given me a lease on life and has given me potential in my singing,I love your voice very much, and this reviewer hasnt been written by a kid at all,if charlotte church is reading this,good on yeah girl,you definetly my dream come true,and I hope I will see you one day. your best friend JJCox

This girl has Potential (I wish the press would back off)!!!!!!.......2007-03-01

A must-have for Christmas music lovers.......2006-12-07

this cd is pure magic...almost 20 great christmas songs on one cd sung by the voice of an angel herself..there may be a few mixed reviews by some people who must be opera voice teachers because there is nothing wrong with this cd...it is flawless....charlotte's soaring vocals, the beautiful orchestra and background singers, the whole cd has the christmas feel to it..."o come all ye faithfull" has to be heard to be believed...it is breathtaking...i love charlottes take on "winter wonderland" and "ding dong merrily on high" ..made me want to go dance in the snow or something.....she hits every note beautifully..buy this cd...i bought it back in 2000 and have listened to it at every Christmastime since or Christmas doesnt feel the same.

Gorgeous! .......2005-12-07

Charlotte Church has done it again! She is extremely talented. Even if she was 25 when she put this out, she'd be amazing. But she was only 14-15 years old when she recorded this! Beautiful. This album has great choral accompaniments and fabulous orchestra arrangements. It is a little on the high side in certain songs, but it still sounds amazing. I love her voice.

A Christmas Celebration: Kathleen Battle

Average customer rating:

A Christmas Celebration: Kathleen Battle
One of the most beautiful Christmas albums
A Christmas Collection For The Ages
Kathleen Battle, My Madam Christmas
Pure Joy

A Christmas Celebration: Kathleen Battle
Kathleen Battle , traditional/various , Leonard Slatkin , and Orchestra of St. Luke's with New York Choral Artists & Harlem Boys' Choir
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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A Carnegie Hall Christmas Concert
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ASIN: B000002ROL
Release Date: 1990-10-25

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:

Medley: Good Christian Men - Rejoice - Silent Night - Patapan - O Come - All Ye Faithful
It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Shepherd's Carol
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
Medley: O Sanctissima - Joy To The World - Away In A Manger - Fum, Fum, Fum - March Of The Kings
I Wonder As I Wander
We Three Kings
My Dancing Day
Medley: What Child Is This? - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Bring A Torch - Jeanette - Isabella - Angels We Have Heard On High
Coventry Carol
God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
Carol Of The Bells
Medley: Break Forth - O Beauteous Heavenly Light - The First Nowell - O Little Town Of Bethlehem - I Saw Three Ships - Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly

Customer Reviews:

Traditional Christmas Music .......2007-01-24

If you love traditional Christmas music, done in traditional style (i.e., no rock or jazz influence), this CD is for you. The Robert Shaw Chorale, the "gold standard" of quality choral music, sings much loved carols, with some lesser-known pieces as well. Some are a cappella; some include a full orchestral accompaniment. My favorites on this CD are "We Three Kings," "Bring a Torch, Jeannette Isabella," and "I Saw Three Ships."

The quintessential Christmas recording.......2005-12-09

This recording seems to elicit universal and heartfelt praise. Who am I to dispute that? The performance is terrific, just as described by the other Amazon reviewers, no doubt about it.

However, I do have one bone to pick with this recording. There just isn't enough of it. With material as good as this, that is a real loss!

A Top List Christmas CD.......2004-12-28

I bought this cd long ago, and have enjoyed it immensely each year. It is the perfect blend of celebration and meditation. Orchestra and choir combine in four distinct groupings, and a capella arrangements complete the masterful collection. The orchestral arrangements will make the hairs on your neck stand up, and your stomach quiver with all the excitement you ever felt as a child at Christmas. Adeste Fidelis is performed as few other ensembles have ever come close. The a capella arrangements will all, without exception, be on your yearly list of must-hear holiday arrangements. Truly a top list Christmas CD, essential for every family who celebrates this feast.

The best.......2004-01-02

I own approximately 35 Christmas choral CDs - including choirs and groups such as the Cambridge Singers and the King Singers. I also own two Christmas albums with Robert Shaw and the Atlantic symphony. This performance with the Robert Shaw Chorale is old but it is still my favorite. The arrangements are magnificent, the sound is brilliant, and the choir and orchestra are precise with wonderful volume control. Buy and enjoy!

How do you describe perfection?.......2003-12-14

This is my favorite Christmas CD. Nothing comes close. I thoroughly enjoyed learning much of the music in high school choir over 30 years ago. The music has never left me. The four medleys are the arrangements of Robert Russell Bennett titled "The Many Moods of Christmas". The arrangements seem to have a freshness about them even after listening numerous times.

Interspersed with the medleys are a cappella carols.

All of this music is wonderfully performed by the Robert Shaw Chorale, the a cappella selections recorded in 1957 and the medleys in 1963.

Four decades have proven that this is the standard in choral music. The clarity of text, the richness of tone, the beauty of harmony combine to present the message of Christmas in the manner that only music can do.

Tracks:

Deck The Halls With Broughs Of Holly
Lo, How A Rose E're Blooming
Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
The First Nowell
Angels We Have Hard On High
We Three Kings Of Oreint Are
O Come, All Ye Faithful
O Sanctissima
O Tannenbaum
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Good King Weceslas
Silent Night, Holy Night
Joy To the World
The Twelve Days Of Christmas
Conventry Carol
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
Good Christian Men Rejoice
O Holy Night
What Child Is This?
Wassial Song
O Little Town Of Bethlehem
Away In A Manger
We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Customer Reviews:

Nice music but..........2007-03-08

I liked the music and the performances a lot, but there is no booklet to depict the performers, nor analyse the music or the arrangements, which are superb

Great CD.......2007-02-16

This is a great holiday CD. We used it for several holiday dinners this year.

A Noble and Festive Christmas.......2007-01-21

This is the best Christmas album you could ever get. It is the most stable as you do not have to think about it. This is the album you really sing along to. Brass makes everything festive, grand and noble; so will your Christmas! A gem for every year!

Meat and Potatoes.......2007-01-18

Since the release of this fine recording in 1967 there have been many fine
brass groups:The Canadian Brass, the Empire Brass, just to name a few.
Whereas these latter groups have all resorted to "gimmicks" such as unique arrangements to sell their albums this group of brass players from the Philadelphia Orchestra give us an album of good old "meat and potatoes" playing spiced with fine tone,good ensemble playing, and good tempos.

Totally Awesome.......2007-01-12

I love listening to this cd at christmas. The brass is so crisp, almost like being right there. You have to add this to your holiday collection, and for those of you who like brass, you will love it. I play the french horn and I esp. love hearing the french horn in it.

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:

O Come, All Ye Faithful
Candlelight Carol
Carol Of The Bells
All Poor Men And Humble
Shepherd's Pipe Carol
The First Nowell
What Is This Lovely Fragrance?
King Jesus Hath A Garden
A Spotless Rose
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Away In A Manger
Joseph est bien marie
Sleeps Judea Fair
Noel Sing!
O Holy Night
Suo Gan
What Strangers Are These?
I Wonder As I Wander
O Little Town of Bethlehem

Customer Reviews:

A Timeless Tradition.......2005-12-15

I have been listening to this choir since 1982. I wore out the original tape, in the days before CD's. I have been to the actual performance, a week before Christmas three times and am going back this year 2005.

The performance is so delicate, yet so powerful that it is emotional and moving, regardless of your orientation. Imagine this performance, in the manificent HH Richardson-designed Trinity Church, Copley Square, Boston. People wait for hours to get in. The lights go out, the Choir, brass timpani and organ just work so well together. One by one, candles are lit, and the huge church comes alive. The choir processes down the asiles singing in strength and everyone joins in.

It is a spiritual experience even if you are not religious. The strength of the performance invites you to participate. I find myself singing louder than I do anywhere else.

After my first child was born, I held her in my arms, and "Candlelight Carol" became my anthem:
How do you capture
The wind on the water?
How do you count all the stars in the sky?
How can you measure
The love of a mother
Or how can you write down
A baby's first cry?

I am not a musician and to my ear, the Chorus is professional. The tunes are classic, but they bring a new life to familiar tunes.

If you've been feeling stressed out, this is the perfect time to calm the nerves, focus on meaning and purpose, and let you enjoy yourself for a few minutes.

If you can't attend, do the next best thing, get the CD, turn it up till you hear the bass of the organ rumble your rafters and sing your heart out.

Enjoy!

A nice blend of music for Christmas.......2003-12-30

This is one of my favorite discs at Christmas time. It is at once peaceful and calm, yet joyous and expectant. There are the usual brass and organ carols, but also stunning arrangements and performances of lesser-known things. Prime among these are the setting of "Away in a Manger" that makes me want to pull off the highway and listen just to that song without distractions, and the pulsing, exciting "What Strangers are These", which I have never heard anywhere else. Chorally, the disc is a little unsatisfying because of balance issues with the rest of the disc--some songs are loud, others very soft, so it makes it hard to listen to without having to adjust the volume periodically. However, I still wouldn't trade it for all the Messiahs in the world!

Average customer rating:

Amazing skills, yet too busy for listening enjoyment
John Bayless Christmas Rhapsody
best concert pianist in the world
My favorite of the season
Best Piano Christmas CD ever!

Christmas Rhapsody

Manufacturer: Koch Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0002VEQ5C
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Tracks:

O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL / ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH / HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING
I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS / "GOING HOME" NEW WORLD SYMPHONY
SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN / DANCE OF THE SUGAR PLUM FAIRY
THE CHRISTMAS SONG
RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER / LET IT SNOW
AVE MARIA
O COME O COME EMANUEL / O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM / THE FIRST NOEL
WINTER WONDERLAND / JINGLE BELLS
SILENT NIGHT / O HOLY NIGHT
SWEET LITTLE JESUS BOY / AWAY IN A MANGER / WHAT CHILD IS THIS?
JESU JOY OF MAN'S DESIRING / AMAZING GRACE
HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS
WHITE CHRISTMAS

Customer Reviews:

Amazing skills, yet too busy for listening enjoyment.......2006-12-13

I can't believe how well John Bayless has mastered the piano. This is very obvious from the first song that you ever hear him play. I'd really like to watch him play in concert. However, the songs on this album are too much work for me to listen to. The music is so busy that I can hardly concentrate on the melody and it hardly gives me the peace I expect from traditional Christmas music. Some of my favorites for this category are Jim Brickman, David Huntsinger, and Tim Janis.

John Bayless Christmas Rhapsody.......2006-02-13

Christmas Rhapsody has quickly become one of our all time favorite Chistmas CDs. We love it so much that it is February 10th and we are still listening to it.

best concert pianist in the world.......2005-08-18

John Bayless is the best concert pianist in the world. This album shows his genuis. Perfect music to listen to any time of the year.
This is the best Christmas album on the market.

My favorite of the season.......2004-12-31

This is the holiday music I have listened to throughout the season, and it is so beautiful I cannot bear to put it away yet. I love Bayless's work at any time, and these arrangements simply take my breath away. His blending of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" with "Going Home" from the New World Symphony is particulary poignant. And his signature "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring/Amazing Grace" is seasonless and timeless. Christmas is over, but get this anyway; it's wonderful.

Best Piano Christmas CD ever!.......2004-12-15

David Lanz? Jim Brickman? John Tesh? Move over guys... John Bayless has done what no others could... Taken the xmas classics to a new level of musical enjoyment! By combining the songs together, and making them so rich and full of life, this will be my favorite Christmas CD for a looooooooooong time.

Average customer rating:

The Little Drummer Boy
Little Drummer Boy
Good but not great
Still looking for my favorite album
Mom's Recording: The Little Drummer Boy.

The Little Drummer Boy

Manufacturer: Island / Mercury
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Little Drummer Boy

ASIN: B000001F93
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Medley: Sing We Now Of Christmas/Angels We Have Heard On High/Away In A Manger/What Child Is This...
Go Tell It On A Mountain
Medley: It Came Upon A Midnight Clear/Good King Wenceslas/We Three Kings/Villancio/Hark...
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The Little Drummer Boy
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Medley: Ding Dong/While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night/The First Noel/The Friendly Beasts
Medley: Silent Night/Adeste Fidelis/A Christmas Greeting

Customer Reviews:

The Little Drummer Boy.......2007-01-19

I was trying to purchase the original Harry Simeone Chorale's Drummer Boy and received this. It was okay, a mixture of songs, but I treasure the original one. Very short album, but price was good, so I was not disappointed.

Little Drummer Boy.......2007-01-10

Listened to the album every Christmas growing up. Recording is the same. Very good Christmas music with terrific attention to Christmas story.

Good but not great.......2007-01-10

I too was hoping this was going to be the gorgeous rendition of the music I grew up with. It wasn't, but it did help cheer up the holidays this year anyway.

Still looking for my favorite album.......2006-12-31

I have this cd and I love it because I love choral singing at Christmas but I am still looking for the first Harry Simeone Chorale album I ever bought. It is also titled " The Little Drummer Boy" , was released in 1981 by Holiday Records, a product of Phoenix Entertainment and Talent, distributed by Audiofidelity Enterprises, Inc. Why do I eagerly search the Christmas cd releases every year? I'm looking for 'A Simple Prayer', the absolute best version of the Prayer of St. Francis I have ever heard. (actually the only commercial version I have ever heard, although I get to sing a different song based on the same prayer at my church every once in a while). The man who sings the actual prayer on my album has a wonderful voice that makes me shiver every time I hear the song. I know it's not a 'Christmas ' song but I keep hoping it will show up one of these days. In the meantime, I keep and play my lp every year. Jo Haase

Mom's Recording: The Little Drummer Boy........2006-11-09

This record was done by my Mother, Frances Wyatt, and a group of her musical buddies from the old "Voice of Firestone" days. She is the one singing the soprano solo's on the album and can be heard above the others in the choral works. Mom was one of the lyric sopranos soloists on the "Voice of Firestone" ABC-TV program who became easily recognized here on the streets of NYC in the late 1950's and early 1960's. She also toured with Fred Warings Pennsylvanians extensively. Pretty cool!

I am proud that so many people have enjoyed this album over the years!

We, her family and children, grew up listening to this album along with her many Fred Waring recordings.

This one simple album, through years of continued sales, rocketed off the charts eclipsing all sales of LP's by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and every Pop musical group from L.A. to London. It made it into the Guinness Book of World Records! : A distinction it held for over 20 years!

When The Guiness people called us at home, we of course though it was some kind of prank. It wasn't.

I hope you truly enjoy this album and pass it on to your kids.

My mother died October 30, 2006. I will never forget her voice.

John Wyatt

Joy to the World - Eugene Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra

Average customer rating:

Joy To The World........a joy indeed!
If you like classical Christmas music, this is for you
"Joy To The World . . . The Lord Has Come . . . And Heaven And Nature Sing"
Christmas music done in Ormady's rich "Philadelphia Sound"
A Timeless Christmas Classic

Joy to the World - Eugene Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003EPC
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Hark! The Hearld Angels Sing
Away In The Manger
The Little Drummer Boy
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Waltz of the Flowers
What Child Is This
Sleigh Ride
The First Nowell
Carol of the Bells
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Joy to the World
I Wonder As I Wander
Good King Wenceslas
Silent Night
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Angels We Have Heard On High
Silver Bells
Messiah: Pastoral Symphony (Messiah)
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus

Customer Reviews:

Joy To The World........a joy indeed!.......2007-03-16

This wonderful CD has everything to celebrate the great joy of the Christmas season. Recorded in the early 1970's it still sounds as fresh and timeless as it did way back then.
The orchestrations are majestic and imaginative without being mushy or too symphonic in structure.The addition of the chorus in most of the carols is an added bonus. The singers and orchestra blend wonderfully without either dominating the other too much. The programme of selected songs is excellent and with some lovely orchestra only tracks the CD is not tiring to listen to creating a well balanced programme.
Maestro Eugene Ormandy conducts the Philadelphia Orchestra with great zeal and a passion for the music that is felt by the listener.The chorus master is the very talented Robert Page and the carols are arranged and orchestrated by the great Arthur Harris.
The sound quality is excellent and the CD has been beautifully remastered without any loss of crispness or dynamics.The stereo balance and instrument placement sound superb with the singers centre stage.
This is a remarkably good CD from the RCA Gold Seal range and is a must for lovers of really good seasonal music played with love and passion for the joys of the Christmas season.
Thank you for taking the trouble to read my review and I wish one and all much enjoyment from this lovely CD.

Happy listening!

If you like classical Christmas music, this is for you.......2007-01-13

A truly great collection of classical Christmas music. Highly recommended.

"Joy To The World . . . The Lord Has Come . . . And Heaven And Nature Sing".......2006-12-15

For those of you who, like me, love traditional and old-fashioned Christmas carols with a chorus and a full orchestra, this album is just a perfect listen this Yuletide season. It's always been a delight listening to this classic Christmas CD, "Joy to the World with Eugene Ormandy and The Philadelphia Orchestra and Chorus." It creates a nostalgic feeling and an atmosphere of an old-fashioned Christmas that reminds me so much of the past Christmas celebrations I had with my late parents. This is the kind of Christmas music they so loved.

The Philadelphia Orchestra and Chorus under the direction of Robert Page performed ten of the nineteen tracks and The Philadelphia Orchestra performed the rest of the tracks without the Chorus under the baton of one of the most respected names in conducting and orchestration, Eugene Ormandy. Arthur Harris beautifully and traditionally arranged all the songs. This is one of the greatest Christmas albums ever recorded and a worthy addition to your Christmas collection.

The true essence of Christmas is captured by the artful blend of voices from the chorus combined with the sublime orchestration from the first carol, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" to the last piece, Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah."

Each and every track is a highlight and sacredly performed. My top favorites are "Silent Night," Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers" from "The Nutcracker," "Angels We Have Heard On High," "Away In A Manger," "What Child Is This? (Greensleeves), and "Joy To The World."

"Joy to the world
The Lord has come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing."

Joyfully recommended!

Christmas music done in Ormady's rich "Philadelphia Sound".......2004-12-04

"Joy to the World" has Eugene Ormandy with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Chorus providing a rich selection of Christmas songs, both classical and traditional, arranged by Arthur Harris. It is the former that are most impressive, although there are fewer of them, starting with Mendelssohn's "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers" from "The Nutcracker," then ending with Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desire," and the "Pastoral Symphony" and "Hallelujan Chorus" from Handel's "Messiah."

Eugene Ormandy (born Jenö Blau in Budapest) was one of the most famous of the popular American conductors of the 20th century, known best for his long time relationship with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Originally gaining public notice with the orchestra when he served as a last-minute replacement for an ill Arturo Toscanini in 1931, Ormandy would serve as Musical Director in Phialdelphia from 1938 until 1980. Under his baton the Philadelphia Orchestra became known for its warm tones, textured romantic "Philadelphia Sound," which is well represented on this Christmas album. I always thought Ormandy's interpretation of Rachmaninoff was particularly strong, although I do not know enough about classical music to articulate a coherent defense of that position beyond noting that when Vladimir Horowitz played Rachmaninoff's Third Concerto on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his Carnegie Hall debut, he picked Ormandy as the conductor of the orchestra that night.

There is over an hour's worth of music here for you to enjoy if you like more of the classical approach to your Christmas music. But Ormandy's work is always marked by an ability to bring out the emotions of music being played by a symphonic orchestra. That is why the standout tracks here are "The Little Drummer Boy," "I Wonder as I Wander," and "What Child Is This?" You would not normally think of these songs as working as well song by a chorus that by a single individual, but this album will get you to rethink your position. In terms of choirs at Christmas I still have a preference for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Ray Conniff Singers (I embrace the extremes), but in terms of listening to an orchestra play Christmas music, this is as good as it gets.

A Timeless Christmas Classic.......2003-12-08

I'm a lover of traditional Christmas music and I've acquired about 20 CDs of it. There's nothing my family likes better in December than putting on some good Christmas music and getting in the mood for the season, hearing once again the old favorites you've known since childhood. Of all the Christmas music CDs I've tried, I have two desert-island favorites, the two I always reach for first. This is one of them. I think it's one of the greatest recordings of traditional Christmas music ever made. The arrangements (by Arthur Harris) are joyous, beautiful, and soul-stirring; the performances are heartfelt and magnificent. If you can listen to this CD and not feel filled by the Christmas spirit, you must be (a) named Ebeneezer Scrooge, or (b) deaf. This one is a timeless Christmas classic, not to be missed. Warmest recommendation.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

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O Lusty May: Renaissance Songs of Spring

1. Fantasia on Greensleeves
2. Lift Up Your Heads
3. Ruler of Heaven
4. Vox Dicentis: Clama
5. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming?
6. Softly, Softly Fell the Snow
7. Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day
8. Salvation is Created
9. Hodie, Christus Natus Est
10. Oh, Come All Ye Faithful
11. From Heaven Winging
12. Shepherds, Shake Off Your Drowsy Sleep
13. From Heaven Above
14. Dance of the Shepherds
15. What Child Is This?
16. Carols For the Choirs
17. Praise the Lord, O My Soul
18. I Saw Three Ships
19. O Day Full of Grace
20. And God Said: The Day Shall Dawn