Customer Reviews

Christmas Choral Classics

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Twenty one favorite Christmas Carols and songs performed by the world renown Crouch End Festival Chorus (conductor - David Temple) and The city of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra (conductor Paul Bateman) for an unforgettable Holiday Season for the entire family.

Two of the most respected musical institutions bring together arrangements and orchestrations by Paul Bateman and Jeremy Marchant ~ harmonized by Charles Wood, David Wilcocks and Simon Fricker with brilliant editing ~ featuring Dolby Surround Sound and HDCD mastering for the connoisseurs listening pleasure.

Entire album is a stand out with "HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS", a Martin & Blaine tune that Judy Garland sang in "Meet Me in St. Louis", has become an every year classic ~ "GAUDETE", a traditional carol blends eternal happiness, keeping with the season ~ "DING DONG MERRILY ON HIGH", listen as the chorus receive a wonderful workout and they love it ~ "MARY'S BOY CHILD", the big Harry Belafonte hit that always reminds us why we celebrate Christmas ~ "HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER)", the Lennon/Ono tune will tell you like it is ~ but my favorite and highlight is track eleven "WALKING IN THE AIR (from The Snowman), composed for an animated short film, of a boy and his Snowman friend who suddenly comes to life, they travel through the air like magic to the North Pole, meeting Santa and all his friends as they make Christmas all over the world possible, beautiful cue and very haunting mesmerizing theme.

Hats off to James Fitzpatrick (producer), Reynold da silva (album concept), Paul Bateman and Rickie Clark (assoc. producers) and Silva America for making every Christmas special with this incredible album...gotta love it!

Total Time: 61:17 on 21 Tracks ~ Silva America 6026 ~ (10/10/2000)

Along with ERICH KUNZEL and his great christmas recording, CHRISTMASTIME IS HERE, this cd, CHRISTMAS CHORAL CLASSICS, is just what the name implies, it is a classic recording of christmas music and proves that, just like the ERICH KUNZEL cd mentioned above, they can still make christmas music like they did in yesteryear, that is, back in the 1950's and 1960's.

The usually very traditonal, old-time feeling is heard in songs such as the opening HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING, and also in IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR, WINTER WONDERLAND, HAVE YOURSLEF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS, WHITE CHRISTMAS, JOY TO THE WORLD, etc... all these songs and most others have that classic chorus sound (of the wonderful CROUCH END FESTIVAL CHORUS) that many of us grew up with (such as the LIVING VOICES, MITCH MILLER AND THE GANG, FRED WARING AND THE PENNSYLVANIANS, RAY CONNIFF SINGERS, NORMAN LUBOFF CHOIR, etc...) and along with that great chorus, there is usually a wonderful and powerful orchestra (the great THE CITY OF PRAGUE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA) backing to the songs (including all the songs mentioned thus far).

DING DONG MERRILY ON HIGH has no musical backing though, but that's okay as this is a wonder vocal version by the chorus and it is a most beautiful version.

A new song for me, GAUDETE, is also wonderful and though it only has a bit of percussion backing the chorus, it still works and the song has become a new great christmas song for me.

Even HAPPY CHRISTMAS (WAR IS OVER) is a decent version (I usually don't like this song on my christmas cd's as I just can't seem to fit it into my classic christmas liking, but the version here is easily acceptable, probably because that's just how great this chorus and orchestra are).

I really hope this chorus and orchestra team up to do another christmas cd because this christmas cd is one of my favorites and I recommend it very highly as great background music at christmas for yourself and guests over the christmas season.

Overall, a very good production. A good listener will be able to tell that orchestra and chorus were recorded in different sessions and locations. Acoustics are good, diction is understandable, good overall harmonious choir. There were several songs that I really liked, but most of them are alright; very full sound - good engineering. This is NOT a really blockbuster classical orchestral / choral show off album - say -like the Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra were so good at.

this cd is absolutely beautiful.reminds me when i was a little girl at my grandmas house...took me years to appreciate this music with all the orhestras and choirs... simply beauitful:)

This is a great Christmas CD...my favortie is 'Walking In The Air'..i like this song very much, and this is the best version that i have ever heard..I also like Phil Coulter's version..buy this CD if only for song #11 on the CD.

This recording is a fine combination of a very enthusiastic and well trained choir with an equally enthusiastic and technically proficient Symphonic Orchestra. If you are looking for something better than the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, this is it.