Christmas Festival

Track Listings

1. Christmas Festival (Medley)

2. Hallelujah Chorus {From Messiah}

3. Musical Sleigh Ride

4. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

5. Sleigh Ride

6. Shepherd's Music

7. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

8. Waltz of the Flowers

9. White Christmas [*]

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.

Average customer rating:

Sleigh Ride!!!
A Christmas Festival
Great CD
A wonderful Christmas instrumental to have!
Christmas in Beantown

A Christmas Festival
Boston Pops , and Arthur Fiedler
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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A Festival of Carols in Brass
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Time-Life Music: Treasury of Christmas - Holiday Memories
The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas

ASIN: B000003EP8
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

A Christmas Festival
White Christmas
Sleigh Ride
Winter Wonderland
Parade of the Wooden Soldiers
The Little Drummer Boy
What Child is This?
The Toy Trumpet
Carol of the Bells
March of the Toys
Dream Pantomime
Sleigh Ride
Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy
Christmas Medley
Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Silent Night
Santa Claus is Comin' to Town

Customer Reviews:

Sleigh Ride!!!.......2007-01-28

I'm a Christmas music junkie and I absolutely love the Boston Pops! My favorite on the CD is Sleigh Ride. This would be great background music for a Christmas party or gathering. I recommend it!

A Christmas Festival.......2006-12-19

Arthur Fieldler takes you to "A Christmas Festival" where he will lead you on a "Sleigh Ride" to a "Winter Wonderland" to celebrate an absolutely beautiful "White Christmas" with the Boston Pops Orchestra and Chorus.

Make it a "Silent Night" and listen to some of the classic Christmas carols of all-time - "The Nutcracker: Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy," "What Child Is This?" and a host of heavenly chorus singing a "Christmas Medley" of "Here We Come A-Caroling," "O Christmas Tree" and "I Saw Three Ships."

This is one my favorite Christmas music of all-time. The music of Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra has been a part of our very musical household when I was growing up. Likewise, this recording takes me back to my cherished memories of Christmases in the past. This is Christmas music at its best. The arrangements are perfectly done, the orchestration is superb, the choice of material is truly impeccable, and the chorus is outstanding.

Merrily recommended for your Holiday listen and let your ears capture its magic.

Great CD.......2005-12-03

This is a great disc of traditional Christmas music. It sounds especially good after you've been exposed that contemporary crud that passes for Christmas music.

NOTE: To the reviewer from Green Bay -- "penultimate" means "second to last". I think the word you're looking for is "definitive"! Sorry to nitpick. Happy Holidays!

A wonderful Christmas instrumental to have!.......2005-10-17

Next to the selections by Mannheim Steamroller, The Boston Pops and Arthur Fiedler put together some of the wonderful instrumental melodies of the Christmas season.Every one is first rate to listen to. I don't know which one I like. Anyway.. you will like this!!!

Christmas in Beantown.......2003-09-27

In Boston, Christmas music is synonymous with The Boston Pops, and for many people, Christmas music is synonymous with its legendary conductor, Arthur Fielder. The album contains many Pops favorites including Leroy Anderson's arrangement of Christmas carols and his well known Sleigh Ride. We actually hear the authentic rendition of Sleigh Ride on this recording since the Pops made Anderson's music famous. The recording includes classical favorites such as music from the opera Hansel and Gretel, Mozart's Sleigh Ride, a highlight from The Nutcracker, and Fantasia on Greensleves. Newer works include Al Hirt's Toy Trumpet. The recording concludes with the Pops timeless rendition of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.

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.

This CD's music is the kind that sets a wonderful Christmas mood. It can establish memories that say "Christmas" in the memories of children for life. Along with other classics like 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' and 'The Nutcraker' (from your favorite orchesta) and George Winston's 'December' and a few others, you will slowly be able to assemble a Christmas music library that will stay with you for life.

Joy to the World
Average customer rating:

A Timeless Christmas Classic

Joy to the World
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 2002-10-08

Tracks:

Joy To The World
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Deck The Hall
Carol Of The Bells
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
O Come, All Ye Faithful
O, Holy Night
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Silent Night
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
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Amazon.com

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sets the tone for what Christmas albums should sound like, and Joy to the World upholds their exacting standard of excellence. Re-released from two concerts recorded in 1970 and 1977 and repacked with three bonus tracks, this collection is as perfect as it gets, thanks to pristine production, gorgeous vocal arrangements, and stately accompaniment by the Philadelphia Brass Ensemble, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Columbia Symphony Orchestra. This record will set the mood for reveling, both with more contemporary carols, like "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "The Christmas Song," and sacred numbers, such as Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" and "O Holy Night." Joy to the World qualifies as an essential yuletide album. --Jaan Uhelszki

Customer Reviews:

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.

A Festival Of Carols / Robert Shaw Chorale

Average customer rating:

Traditional Christmas Music
The quintessential Christmas recording
A Top List Christmas CD
The best
How do you describe perfection?

A Festival Of Carols / Robert Shaw Chorale
Robert Shaw Chorale
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003EPA
Release Date: 1990-10-25

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
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Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
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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.

Average customer rating:

Truly a Festival for the Ears, Hearts, and Soul!
So You Thought Bach Couldn't Dance!

A Bach Festival for Brass & Organ
Johann Sebastian Bach , and Empire Brass
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 2005-08-16

Tracks:

Jauchzet, frohlocket! (Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248)
Wie will ich mich freuen (Cantata BWV 146, Wir mussen durch viel Trubasal)
Sleepers, Awake! (Cantata BWV 140, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme)
Concerto and Alleluja (Cantata BWV 142, Uns ist ein Kind geboren)
Three Chorales: Nun lob', mein Seel', den Herrn; Wie schon leuchtet der Morgenstern; In dulci jubilo (Brass only)
In dulci julibo, BWV 129 (Organ solo)
Nun danket Alle Gott (Cantata BWV 79, Gott, der Herr is Sonn' und Schild)
Sinfonia (Cantata BWV 29 Wir danken, dir, Gott, wir danken dir)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (Cantata BWV 147, Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben)
Sinfonia (Easter Oratorio, BWV 249)
Allein Gott in der Hoh' sei Ehr', BWV 664 (Organ solo)
Three Chorales: Allein Gott in der Hoh' sei Ehr', Christ lag in Todesbanden, O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden (Brass only)
Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten (Cantata BWV 78, Jesu, der du meine Seele)
Shee May Safely Graze (Cantata BWV 208, Was mir behagt)
Wir glauben all' in einem Gott, BWV 680 (Organ solo)
A Mighty Fortress is Our God (Cantata BWV 80, Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott)

Customer Reviews:

Truly a Festival for the Ears, Hearts, and Soul!.......2007-01-04

I spent a looooooooong time hunting the "perfect" recordings of "Jesu..." and "Sinfonia" for our wedding. I knew just what I wanted but I had NO IDEA there were so many different (and substandard!) versions of these songs available. THIS one was EXACTLY it. The horns are simply fantastic. If you're a musician, you'll love it.

So You Thought Bach Couldn't Dance!.......2005-12-20

This recording is almost certainly the same as the one listed as Angel 47395, with the same title. Along with several others, I reviewed that CD, and for your convenience I echo my remarks below:

If you think of Bach as a dry-as-dust, longhair composer you should stay away from this album, for it will prove you wrong, time and time and time again. On the contrary, this is one of the most exciting recordings around, featuring matchless performances by the superlative Empire Brass (my favorite brass group) and the talented Douglas Major playing the great Aeolian-Skinner organ of the Washington Cathedral (in D.C.) in some of the best-loved works of the old master, Johann Sebastian Bach.

But unfortunately this disk seems not to be in EMI's (Angel's) current catalog, so if you want to enjoy it, you'll probably have to try to track down a used copy. If you like Bach and brass and organ as much as I, you'll find it worth the effort. And we may hope that it will be reissued again soon.

In general, the music here is lively, tuneful, and joyous in character, starting from the very first selection, a fully satisfying transcription of the well-known "Jauchzet, frohlocket" (Exult, rejoice) from the Christmas Oratorio. But there are a few more somber pieces, such as the chorales "Christ lag in Todesbanden," (Christ lay in the bonds of death) and "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden," (O bloody and wounded head).

The music features basically three kind of excerpts from Bach's cantatas: choral preludes, chorales, and sinfonia. The choral preludes were written as organ introductions to the sung chorales (here "sung" by the brass quintet alone); the sinfonias were instrumental interludes in the cantatas. Most of the choral preludes here are played by the brass with the organ, though there are a few played by the organ alone. This combination of performances by the brass alone, the organ alone, and the two together offers delicious variety.

As a glance at the program will show, most of the big favorites in this genre are included, the best known being titled in English, as "Sleepers, Wake," "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," and "Sheep May Safely Graze." The others are titled in Latin ("In Dulci Jubilo") or, mostly, German ("Nun danket Alle Gott," [Now let all thank God], "Wie schn leuchtet der Morgenstern," [How beautifully the morning star shines], and "Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten" [We hasten with feeble, but eager footsteps].

It is the last-mentioned piece that suggested the title of this review, for in interpreting the text Bach and the performing artists give us such a rhythmic and lively bit of music that I find it hard to sit still while listening. This piece rocks!

The recording is excellent in all respects: the balance between organ and brass is right, the sound quality is all you could want, and the acoustics of the Washington Cathedral provide about the right amount of reverberation. (You will, by the way, hear the brass players taking breaths at several points, especially in the chorales.

The sound of the Empire Brass seems uniquely fine to me; though there are several other excellent brass groups around, this one I can usually recognize almost immediately because of the quality of their sound. And the 10,650-pipe cathedral organ presents under Douglas Major's fingers all you could wish for.

Average customer rating:

A Timeless Tradition
A nice blend of music for Christmas

Candlelight Carols
The Choir of Trinity Church
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tracks:

O Come, All Ye Faithful
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Carol Of The Bells
All Poor Men And Humble
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The First Nowell
What Is This Lovely Fragrance?
King Jesus Hath A Garden
A Spotless Rose
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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!

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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Similar Items:

A Christmas Festival
The Glorious Sound of Christmas
A Festival of Carols in Brass
A Festival Of Carols / Robert Shaw Chorale
The Joy of Christmas

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

Average customer rating:

Excellent
Perfect
Classic Dale Warland

Christmas With the Dale Warland Singers

Manufacturer: Gothic Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00009W0HQ
Release Date: 2003-08-05

Tracks:

Il Est Ne, Le Divin Enfant (He Is Born)
The Virgin's Cradle Hymn (Dormi, Jesu!)
Susanni
Prepare The Way
Fum, Fum, Fum! From Seven Joys Of Christmas
Sweet Was The Song The Virgin Sang
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine
The Holly And The Ivy
This Endris Night
Wonder Tidings
O Little Town Of Bethlehem
Ai, Nama Mamina From Three Latvian Carols
The Friendly Beasts
Carol Of The Bells
Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen (Lo, How A Rose)
Huron Carol ('Twas In The Moon Of Wintertime)
Patapan From Seven Joys Of Christmas
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day
Gabriel's Message
Silent Night

Album Description

The Dale Warland Singers make their debut on Gothic with a beautiful new Christmas CD, featuring imaginative arrangements of carols from around the world. The sound is incomparable!

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2007-01-19

To anyone who appreciates choral music, or even some of you who only like to listen to it during the holidays, this is the album for you. The music is so familiar, but so aesthetically pleasing to listen to. The choir sounds clear and majestic from the clear sounds of the basses to the beautiful pings of the sopranos. Forget the garbbled sounds of Choirs with people who think that singing in Forte the whole way through is beautiful. This is angelic, yet very fun to listen to. Enjoyment for the whole family. 5 Stars

Perfect.......2005-12-02

This CD is worth buying for the track Prepare the Way alone. All the tracks are amazing, but that one is the best.

Classic Dale Warland.......2003-10-31

As has been the case with most DWS recordings, this is truly a classic. Beautifully sung, with new and interesting arrangements of traditional favorites, this disc is a must for all holiday music and DWS fans. Of note are Stephen Paulus' rhythmic "The Holly and the Ivy" and Praetorius' beautiful "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" arranged by Jan Sandström. I highly recommend this recording.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Travistan

Amor Brujo [Soundtrack]

Blowing the Blues: A History of Blues Harmonica [Box set]

Smile

Suffocating Under Words of Sorrow [CD-single] [Import]

All the Great Hits [Original recording remastered]

Blue Skies

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 8; Fidelio

Banjo Haiku

Booker Little & Friend [Limited Edition] [Import]

Barbed Wire Kisses [Import]

14 Exitos

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Favorite Hymns

The Champ

1. Christmas Festival (Medley)
2. Hallelujah Chorus {From Messiah}
3. Musical Sleigh Ride
4. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
5. Sleigh Ride
6. Shepherd's Music
7. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
8. Waltz of the Flowers
9. White Christmas [*]