Best Loved Christmas Carols

Stephen Varcoe (Performer), Henry John Gauntlett (Composer), Christmas Traditional (Composer), Boris Ord (Composer), Herbert Howells (Composer), William James Kirkpatrick (Composer), Harold Darke (Composer), Franz Xaver Gruber (Composer), Richard Storrs Willis (Composer), Peter Cornelius (Composer), John Francis Wade (Composer), Felix [1] Mendelssohn (Composer), Michael Praetorius (Composer), John Jacob Niles (Composer), William Mathias (Composer), Patrick Hadley (Composer), Richard Runciman Terry (Composer), Samuel Scheidt (Composer), Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (Composer), Orlando Gibbons (Composer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Stephen Varcoe
• Composer: Henry John Gauntlett, Christmas Traditional, Boris Ord, Herbert Howells, William James Kirkpatrick, et al.
• Audio CD (October 5, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B0002YLD1O
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #130,648 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a voice teacher and early music fan, September 23, 2007

By 

George Peabody "Ariel" (U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Best Loved Christmas Carols (Audio CD)

ECLECTIC CAROLS THAT TRANSCEND THE COMMONPLACE

Listening to these carols extracted from the various Festival and Nine Lesson services held in the Chapel of King's College, Cambridge on Christmas Eve is incredibly inspiring and brings out the real meaning of Christmas and the joy of Jesus' birth. Why pick it apart??? They are recorded between the years 1969 and 1985. The conductors are firstly Sir Thomas Willcocks who directed the Choir from 1957-73 and Sir Philip Ledger from 1974-82. Both are excellent and I cannot tell the difference between the various choirs who would have had a different group of performers through the years.

The selection of carols is listed above, but I would like to mention a few that are most unusual because of their specific arrangements, and although they may be commonplace, sung by THIS choir, makes them very special. For example, the lovely descants(a higher part usually sung by treble voices in contrary motion to the other parts) added by each conductor,(usually brought in after the melody has been sung a few times) are present in several of the songs herein such as: 'Once in Royal David's City'- 'O Little Town of Bethlehem'- 'While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks'- 'It Came Upon a Midnight Clear'- and several more. Some very unusual (and possibly new to you) carols that I found tremendously attractive are: 'Adam lay ybouden' by Boris Ord (a former conductor of the Choir) - 'Personet Hodie' sung by the men of the choir- 'Quem pastores laudavere' 14th century German to name just a few. And then there were those that are somewhat familiar that I welcomed such as : 'A Spotless Rose' 14th century English- 'Tomorrow shall be my dancing day ' traditional English- and an American Carol that is not often heard in America 'Jesus Christ the apple tree'. The fact is these carols cover the gamut of countries, languages and genres. There are fifty in all and sung as only the King's College Choir can sing them with their clear-voiced boy sopranos, their velvet toned male altos, their tuneful tenors and resonant basses. Wonderful collection indeed!

The King's College Choir is an outstanding choral group that includes 16 male Choral Scholars who sing the alto, tenor and bass parts. (The Alumni of the Choral Scholars read like a list of 'Who's Who in the Vocal Music World- Michael Chance, Mark Padmore, Michael George, Stephen Varcoe, etc.)The Choristers, usually numbering about 20, are boy sopranos. To hear these beautiful, sometimes old familiar carols sung so skillfully and with much feeling is a thrill beyond compare. GO FOR IT!

11 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars CD 1 Wrong Music, December 20, 2004

By 

Steven R. Hitchcock "S. Robert" (Arlington, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Best Loved Christmas Carols (Audio CD)

I put the CD in and was met by club music, I thought maybe it was some strange take on "Morning in the City of David" nope, the CD had been burned with the wrong image. I sent it back and received a new copy, it had the same issue. I listened to the second CD and loved ever moment of it, but until EMI/Amazon can rectify this issue, I cannot fairly rate it.

5.0 out of 5 stars "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day", November 27, 2011

By 

R. DelParto "Rose2" (Virginia Beach, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Best Loved Christmas Carols (MP3 Download)

The King's College Choir fills the air with holiday classics with their immaculate vocals that can be heard within this collection of 50 carols appropriately titled Best Loved Christmas Carols. All of the well-known carols are included within this set, "Holly and the Ivy," "Away in a Manager," "Silent Night," "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear," and many more. Listeners will not be disappointed to hear the beautiful renditions of these most revered musical pieces.

There may be an array of holiday collections that have been released year after year, but for those seeking an alternative to the fast pace Christmas shake, rattle, and roll tunes, The King's College Choir may be a nice choice to relax and listen to during or after the holiday fair has winded down.