Customer Reviews

Joy to the World

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

 

 

I was given this album by a friend and was completely blown away. I was hooked within the first 15 seconds! I am a long-time fan of the Empire Brass and this cd holds up to their reputation as one of the world class brass quintets.

This album is highly recommended if you are a fan of brass music and it will be enjoyable even to people who cannot identify a trumpet. I have many Christmas albums, but this ranks among my favorite.

As a side note, the copy my friend gave me had very slight distortions during some of the loud parts as a result of a low bitrate. Now I am no audiophile and I usually do not buy a cd if I already have a digital copy, but the desire to have this music sound as flawless as it was performed was incentive enough for me to buy the cd.

I've had this CD since the late 1980s and I'm now on my second copy. Wore out the first one! If you don't know the Empire Brass, you may think that the brass is blaring. It's not. Every song is perfectly arranged and played. The songs are soothing and relaxing and uplifting. This is one Christmas CD that I absolutely would not be without. 10 stars!!

Had this music as a LP. Love to hear it again on the CD. Fantastic brass Christmas music for the Christmas season.

How can brass Christmas music get any better that this? The musicianship is second-to-none and the arrangements are lively, intricate, and interesting to listen to over and over again. Yet, they still retain that traditional sound without sounding experimental or cute. I don't even like brass music so much but I love this recording.

Just put this through your headphones and be instantly transported to a another place and time. Perhaps the business district of a small town in England or the Eastern US in the 19th century. Snow covers ground and is still falling, but there's no wind at all. Folks are bundled up milling about doing their last-minute Christmas preparations, and they've all got smiling faces and are greeting each other. A brass band is playing on the street corner. You see a big Christmas turkey in a store window and you ask the shopkeeper how much is costs. "A pittance!" you think! You buy that turkey and throw a feast for all the children in the orphanage!

Anyway, it's a great CD and I still can't believe I'm writing the first review.