The Christmas Collection

Il Divo | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony Legacy
• ASIN: B000B5QWLU
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (284 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,013 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #5 in Music > Miscellaneous > Holiday > General Christmas
  • #6 in Music > Miscellaneous > Holiday > Opera & Vocal
  • #7 in Music > Miscellaneous > Holiday > General AAS

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

If you thrill to the soaring operatic voices of The Three Tenors (and imagine every Christmas comes with its own orchestral majesty), Il Divo has made this disc for you. The four GQ-handsome male singers were handpicked by American Idol's Simon Cowell for what seems to be their ability to sing opera and classical music with the hint of a pop sensibility. Their Christmas Collection features 10 standards (although the last time Santa looked, he wasn't quite sure "Over the Rainbow" and "The Lord's Prayer" were part of the Christmas canon). Still, it' hard not to imagine these emotionally stirring renditions as part and parcel of the reverential treatment the four finely sculpted voices bring to more exact seasonal fare such as "O Holy Night," "Ave Maria," "Panis Angelicus" and even "White Christmas." Dave Arch's predictable choral and orchestral arrangements are aimed right at the sweet spot where sophisticated church choir music and traditional classical music meet, with few surprises other than the dash of Irish folk music that colors "When A Child Is Born." In the end, for people who have never heard of Cowell and his cohosts (would Paula Abdul really have picked the tenor guy for this group?!), this collection will prove just as rewarding for them as the best-selling Idol records are for fans of the TV stars. --Martin Keller

Product Description

Japanese pressing includes Christmas card/poster with first pressing only. BMG. 2006. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars True to the Meaning of Christmas, October 25, 2005

By 

BamaCLM "Carolyn" (ALABAMA, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Christmas Collection (Audio CD)

This is absolutely the most beautiful Christmas music I have ever heard. Especially outstanding is Panis Angelicus, The Lord's Prayer and Ave Maria. But even White Christmas, which I have never particularly liked, is given a new and beautiful treatment.

Their voices range from soft and tender to a soaring cresendo,on all the songs. And I agree with Mr. Preiser, Carlos' voice is magnificant and provides the foundation for this wonderful, glorious music.

I highly recommend this album.

74 of 80 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Impressive Voices; Disappointing Production, October 29, 2005

By 

Peter Marengo (Westfield, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Christmas Collection (Audio CD)

Let me begin by saying that I am a huge Il Divo fan; I have listened to practically nothing else since buying their debut album a few months ago.

But to sum up my feelings about the Christmas Collection CD, it's almost as if the album was hastily put together just to get a Christmas Album out there for commercial purposes. Although Il Divo is still Il Divo and the voices are just as awesome, there are several things that made this much-aniticipated cd fall short of my expectations;

The orchestrations are not as lush nor do they complement or enhance the vocals nearly as much as in the debut album; it sounds as if the same amount of time and effort was not put into the production of this CD as the first. Nor are the arrangements as involving or emotional. (I remember welling up with tears the first time I heard "Passera;" nothing on this CD comes even close to that). The individual songs are too short, and do not have time to build to the magnificent crescendos that we have come to expect in Il Divo's arrangements.

The thing that really puzzles me about this album is that only half or so of the songs are actually Christmas Music. I'm wondering if they recorded a few Christmas songs, then threw in several other songs that they had already recorded as fillers? While "Over the Rainbow," "The Lords Prayer" and "Ave Maria" are beautiful songs -- and the latter two sacred music -- they don't belong on a Chistmas album. And "Rejoice" -- although gorgeous song -- was a let-down; I was expecting maybe Handel's "Rejoice" from the "Messiah." Instead it is a seemingly secular love song having nothing to do with the birth of Christ.

The non-Christmas songs notwithstanding, some of the song choices overall could have been better suited to the incredible voices of Il Divo. "White Christmas" and "Silent Night" are an obvious attempt at commercial appeal. The producers could have taken a cue from Contemporary Christian singer Sandi Patty's song choices to see what type of songs should be included on a Christmas Album by someone with a powerful, soaring voice.

On the positive side, the voices of Il Divo are still impressive. I find myself even more impressed this go around with Sebastien's clear, pure tones; he shines in his solo parts and has gotten better if anything -- and his slightly French-accented English is charming. Carlos and David are nothing short of magnificent as usual. Urs sounds a bit thin (especially on the opening lines of of "Ave Maria," "Over The Rainbow" and "O Holy Night"), but -- that's just Urs. Although his voice has its own unique qualities.

In conclusion, I would give five full stars to the artists themselves, "Il Divo" again blows us away with their vocal abilities, blending into a one-of-a-kind sound. But the album production would get two or three stars for song choice, orchestrations, and arrangements. That's why I've rated the album an overall 4.

89 of 107 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Stunning...., October 25, 2005

By 

David A. Preiser "Mannequin Man" (Tacoma, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Christmas Collection (Audio CD)

Il Divo Have Released One Of The Most Beautiful,Powerful & Moving Christmas Cds Ever Recorded!!! The Arrangements Both Musically & Vocally Are Gorgeous, Sweeping & Grand!!! Their Version Of "The Lord's Prayer" Is Spine Tingling, And Although All Four Members Have Fabulous Voices I Find Carlos Adds The "Chills" Factor For Me!!! This Cd Is Christmas Music The Way It Should Be Done....GLORIOUS!!!!!