Customer Reviews

Holiday Pops

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I'm not going to say anything silly and oozing with propoganda; i.e. "I never know it's really Christmas until I hear the Boston Pops." That would be a shameless lie. I'm one of those people who *always* knows when the holidays are near; I start counting down the days till Christmas the first week of September. My only point in writing this is to recommend to all of you a fantastic collection of holiday music. If you have a special place in your heart for beautiful music, Christmas, and/or Keith Lockhart, this album is for you! From sacred classics to swing and jazz songs, the Pops definitely knows how to reach listeners and spread the holiday spirit. The opening number, "Gloria," which actually premiered in 1990 with Skitch Henderson and the New York Pops, is a beautiful piece -- perfectly blending soaring choral lines with the majesty of the musical score. (The contribution of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, conducted by John Oliver, is wonderful in this recording!) Also enjoyable is the traditional "Carol of the Bells," with the Tanglewood Chorus; a medley of wassailing songs, "Tomorrow is My Dancing Day"; and the beautiful excerpts from operatic works by Berlioz and Bizet. A rousing jazz version of "Good King Wenceslas" that showcases a brilliant rhythm section puts a swing on an old favorite, and the album concludes with the John Williams/Leslie Bricusse modern classic "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas" from -- who would have thought? -- the movie "Home Alone 2." The latest addition to a string of successful classical recordings, Holiday Pops is the Boston Pops' way of wishing all of its listeners a happy holiday. It certainly lifted *my* spirits; I couldn't wait to hear it again. Merry Christmas to all, and a special thank-you to Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops for a job very, very well done!

Poor Keith Lockhart did not have the easiest time when he first came to Boston. He made a few major mistakes. First, he shortened the 1812 Overture at the July 4th Concert at the Esplanade, which may have been a decision of the television stations carrying the broadcast, but it, went over with a thud. His first few Christmas concerts were not critically acclaimed, though crowds still attended. By the time his album HOLIDAY POPS was released, things got a bit better for poor Keith, and now he is as much of a Boston institution as anyone.

The collections greatest strength is the lush sound of the orchestra and Lockhart's excellent handling of the ensemble. No matter what he selected as music for this album, it probably would have worked rather well. The track has a "Gloria" that was commissioned by the Boston Symphony. There are also familiar arrangements in the style associated with the Boston Pops of Christmas waltzes, a track called "Frosty All the Way," "Good Swing Wenceslas," and perhaps the best track on the disc "Tomorrow Is My Dancing Day." The chorus adds to numbers such as "The shepherd's Chorus," "Sleigh Ride," and John William's "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas" from HOME ALONE 2.

Lockhart's style differs greatly from the legendary Arthur Fiedler and his successor John Williams, but for those who love the Boston Pops, especially at Christmastime, will not have a complete collection without this disc.

I have to start out by saying, I am a HUGE Keith Lockhart and Boston Pops fan, as any of my friends will tell you. Naturally, I loved this CD. Mr. Keith Lockhart did a fabulous job of putting this CD together. Most (if not all) of the music was taken from the 1997 Holiday Pops Concert (if I remember correctly) and it is just good music. Christmas music is happy music and also having a CD cover with Keith in a Santa suit, is just the best. Holiday Pops gathers together "popular" christmas music like "Sleigh Ride" complete with chorus singing and more carol type pieces like "Carol of the Bells" (which in my experence, is hard to find).

In an age of Christmas artists like Mannheim Steamroller and Trans-Siberian Orchestra (Who came up with these names anyway?), it's a blessing that we still have artists who have become as timeless as the Christmas music that they play. For many years, the Boston Pops Orchestra has had an annual tradition of performing Holiday Pops concerts in December, with the audiences enjoying champagne and refreshments on the floor. And Keith Lockhart has certainly done an excellent job of carrying on the tradition long maintained by Arthur Fiedler and John Williams.

This CD is an excellent compilation of the Boston Pops at its finest. From the opening "Gloria" to "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas," each selection has its own unique touch applied to it. My favorites are "Gloria," "Christmas Waltzes," "Carol of the Bells," "The Shepherds' Chorus," "Christmas Time Is Here," and the swinging compilation "Frosty All The Way!"

He also presents a different version of the tune "Sleigh Ride," long a Pops Holiday staple, but I still think it sounds better without the lyrics. Fortunately, I have other recordings by Fiedler and Williams of this work. But other than this, it's a great CD overall. Thank you, Keith Lockhart, for keeping the tradition of great holiday music going. Your orchestra certainly has the timelessness that Mannheim Steamroller will never have.

This is a great cd with all the magic of the Boston Pops. Keith Lockhart has added youth and vitality to a great orchestra and the results are a super Christmas cd. Enjoy it!!!!!!!

My wife and I took our son and her parents to see a matinee performance of "Holiday Pops", the Christmas concert of the Boston Pops Orchestra at Symphony Hall in Boston on Friday December 14, 2001. We were fortunate to have premier Pops conductor, Keith Lockhart conducting, and also to have our table situated right at the front literally at the end of a small set of steps down from the stage. We had a perfect birds-eye view to observe Mr. Lockhart, the orchestra and chorus. This was our Christmas present to my wife's parents, they had always wanted to see the Boston Pops live in concert, having seen them many times on television. We all had a memorable time especially our at that time seven year old son, whom Keith Lockhart selected to sing "Jingle Bells" with him when he descended the stage into the audience at one point, and later was chosen again by Lockhart to join another group of children and himself to sing "Frosty the Snowman". Having seen quite a few concerts and musical events in my time, I must say this performance just about tops my list of all time favorites. Both "Holiday Pops" and its follow up CD "Sleigh Ride" bring back golden memories whenever I listen to them, as many of the numbers played at that concert are represented on these discs.

Here are some of the highlights for listening consideration. Just to warn you I am more a devotee of popular Christmas music than classical in presenting my choices. "Christmas Waltzes" is a swooping medley of "The Christmas Waltz", "Silver Bells", "My Favorite Things" and "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!" performed with waltz like flourishes. The Tanglewood Chorus adds to the silver crystalline purity of "The Carol of the Bells," which is truly gorgeous when done properly as it is here. "Christmastime Is Here" sweetly chanted by a children's choir, is cherished by anyone who's ever seen and loved the Christmas television classic "A Charlie Brown Christmas." The old carol "Good King Wenceslas" is given a jazzed up update and redubbed "Good Swing Wenceslas."

My two favorites are next "Mary's Boy Child"; a robust, ebullient, full-throated rendition that literally pulls out all the bells and whistles, and gets the blood pumping vigorously. Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride", what can I say, this is the Pops quintessential Christmas song, its signature number written especially for the Pops by Mr. Anderson. No one does it better than the Pops Orchestra, it's a merry, joyous rendition that always puts me in the Christmas spirit whenever I hear it, inspiring images out of Currier and Ives of a merry holiday sleigh festooned with silver jingling bells drawn by sleek prancing steeds over snow crusted country lanes. As such, this is my all time favorite Pops number. At the concert, it was played as the encore, and the audience reaction with the thunderous applause and cheering rocked Symphony Hall!

The final numbers I like are "Frosty All the Way!", a clever, snappy big band marriage of "Frosty the Snowman" and "Jingle Bells", and "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas", the theme song from the film "Home Alone 2", and one of the few good things in it. The Tanglewood Chorus provides a splendid chorus in accompanying the music, and it makes a fitting finale to the CD.

Of course this and the follow up Christmas CD "Sleigh Ride", play third fiddle to seeing the Pops Holiday Concert in person, or television if you're lucky enough to have it telecast in your area, but they're both keepers to revisit like old friends every Christmas season. And, if you're able to, go see the Boston Pops holdiay concert, it'll be one of the best Christmas presents you're ever given yourself!

I ordered this CD because I had received one for the music library at the public radio station where I was music director before my retirement. I loved hearing it every Christmas when I programmed music from it to air on my station, so I decided to get one for my own library at home when I no longer had access to the CD at work. I love it! And amazon.com processed my order quickly. Thanks!

~Mary Lee Warner

This is one of the cleanest orchestral recordings of the 90s and shows the Boston Pops to great advantage. The production values are amazingly good to my ears, as is the wonderful interpretation of Maestro Lockhart. Amazon should list his name (not Mark Oswald's) to increase sales. This one will put you in the spirit of the holidays, for certain!

John Whitney, Music Director, Southern Tier Symphony

The CD "Holiday Pops" is outstanding. I play it all the time when I am driving. This CD puts me in a Holiday mood, especially "The Gloria" by Bass because our church choir is using this for our Christmas concert.

Found this disk too pop orientated for the true classical music lover of Christmas music.