The Holly and the Ivy: Carols from Clare College

Christmas Traditional (Composer), John Rutter (Composer), Anonymous (Composer), Harold Darke (Composer), Michael Praetorius (Composer), Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (Composer), Elizabeth Poston (Composer), George Ratcliffe Woodward (Composer), Ralph Vaughan Williams (Composer), John Rutter (Conductor), Cambridge Clare College Orchestra (Orchestra), Mary Hitch (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Mary Hitch
• Orchestra: Cambridge Clare College Orchestra
• Conductor: John Rutter
• Composer: Christmas Traditional, John Rutter, Anonymous, Harold Darke, Michael Praetorius, et al.
• Audio CD (May 30, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B0000041VV
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,537 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #43 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Lullabies & Berceuse
  • #92 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Modern, 20th, & 21st Century > Composers > Vaughan Williams, Ralph

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The True Spirit of Christmas, November 30, 2002

By 

L. Steidl "Luigi Alberto" (NYC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Holly and the Ivy: Carols from Clare College (Audio CD)

I never get tired of listening to this, one of my all-time favorite Christmas albums. My kind of Christmas is listening to beautiful music performed by incredible English choirs, not so much the Rudoplph & Frosty things (although I am a sucker for that too!). This CD does not disappoint, and while I do prefer all-male choirs (those heavenly trebles and such), the inclusion of female voices does soften and sweeten the overall sound. A lovely addition to the Christmas Cd collection!

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Imported directly from Heaven!, December 21, 1999

By 

Whit Matteson (Atlanta, Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Holly and the Ivy: Carols from Clare College (Audio CD)

One of the absolute best choral Christmas CDs I've ever heard. The performance of Wexford Carol, In the bleak midwinter, Gabriel's message are just incredible. The sensitivity of the singing, the arrangements, the selections -- it takes the breath away.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite Christmas Album, November 24, 1999

By 

emgIT (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Holly and the Ivy: Carols from Clare College (Audio CD)

I had a vinyl copy of the import version ("Christmas from Clare" - now unavailable) and I'm so happy I found it under the new title. This album has so many unique qualities. There is some instrumental accompaniment, but it is clean and spare and devoid of the usual holiday bombast. The blend of the voices is perfect. Many of the selections are different from what usually clogs the radio waves in December. I can't really do justice to the beauty of the singing here, but it has a lovely peaceful quality that I treasure at this time every year.