Customer Reviews

A French Christmas

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The reviewer from Franklin, TN, said it very well, but this album is good enough that I want to add my praise. Ms. Couch has a rich, sweet voice, and the accompaniments are beautiful, joyful, and gentle. (I think this CD will appeal to young children as well as adults.) I don't know enough about French carols to know how many Ms. Couch had to choose from, but I appreciate her focus on the real substance of the Christmas celebration. For those who speak French, or who care to look through a French-English dictionary, these songs' lyrics include some very moving proclamations of the wonderful love, joy, and hope embodied in Jesus' birth. This CD has really enriched my Christmas experience, and I wish I could translate some of the French verses to sing along with the English words I know so well.

The CD combines the rich alto voice of Ms. Couch with traditional Christmas carols. The modern arrangements with guitar, flute, oboe etc.. makes for very pleasant and enjoyable listening. I actually enjoy this CD throughout the year. My favorite is "Il Le Ne Le Divin Enfant".

I enjoyed this album. I especially enjoyed the carols that were uniquely French, such as Noël nouvelet and Entre le bœuf et l'âne gris. I love the song Il est né le divin Enfant, but I found the musical arrangement on this album a little too cotton-candyish. It has many carols know to Angle-phones (English Speakers), and so this can be throughly enjoyed by anyone who does not speak French. Generally a good album

A wonderful gift item for anyone who has ever studied-or simply loved- the French language, this CD exceeded all my expectations for a mind trip to Paris. C.C. Couch's luminous voice adds a superb delicacy to the traditional holiday favorites. Musical arrangements by Teddy Irwin are masterful. Francophone or Francophile, the enclosed lyric sheet makes it possible for anyone to sing along. The music brought back priceless memories of my Junior Year Abroad. I feel transported and cheered each time I listen.

CD just arrived and played it to listen. I am fluent in four languages including French. This recording is great. She has a crisp and strong voice, lending meaning to the words of the song.
The instruments are arranged in a way that they don't drown out the singer, yet the clarity of each instrument can be heard very well. Very nice album even if you don't understand French. This album really puts you in the seasonal mood. John P.

Beautifully sung and nicely arranged ... her new Hispanic Christmas CD is just as good.

I am disappointed in Couch's pronunciation. It sounds really fake, overstressed, and she makes strange liaisons. Seigneur sounds like "say- gneur" for example. Her "r's" are awful. In "Un Flambeau Jeannette Isabelle" she really sounds strange. The beginning of "Sainte Nuit" is ridiculous.

Should I play this for my students and tell them not to pronounce the French like her?

If I could return this, I definitely would. Buyers beware!!

This CD is by far the most enjoyable musical experience in a foreign language that I've found here on Amazon. I've had the CD for over a year and it's always one that you can listen to again and again to put you in the holiday spirit whether you understand French or not. I've been a student of French for several years now and the lyrics help you to sing along or just to read thru them. This is also a great way to mix the French songs with your holiday playlists on your MP3 player and get an "international" feeling during the Xmas holiday.

I am a little disappointed because I was hoping to get something more contemporary, jazz, or easy listening type Christmas recording. This is still good for French lovers and people who want to learn French, but it's not as fun or exciting as I would have wanted it to be.

Delightful voice, beautiful material. Merci mille fois