The Magic of Christmas

David [Choral Conductor] Willcocks (Composer), Christmas Traditional (Composer), Franz Xaver Gruber (Composer), Franz [Vienna] Schubert (Composer), Adolphe Adam (Composer), William James Kirkpatrick (Composer), George Frederick Handel (Composer), Max Reger (Composer), Henry John Gauntlett (Composer), Richard Storrs Willis (Composer), Hector Berlioz (Composer), Johannes Brahms (Composer), Charles Gounod (Composer), Felix [1] Mendelssohn (Composer), David Willcocks (Conductor), Carl Davis (Conductor), Joseph Silverstein (Conductor), George Guest (Conductor), Kurt Adler (Conductor), Stephen Cleobury (Conductor) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Conductor: David Willcocks, Carl Davis, Joseph Silverstein, George Guest, Kurt Adler, et al.
• Composer: David [Choral Conductor] Willcocks, Christmas Traditional, Franz Xaver Gruber, Franz [Vienna] Schubert, Adolphe Adam, et al.
• Audio CD (October 11, 1994)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B00000423T
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #338,657 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #95 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Modern, 20th, & 21st Century > Composers > Reger, Max

Track Listings

1. Fanfare ... O Come All Ye Faithful - Bach Choir

2. Angels From The Realms Of Glory - Kiri Te Kanawa

3. Stille Nacht (Silent Night) - Bach Choir

4. Avia Marie - Frederica Von Stade

5. Ding, Dong, Merrily On High! - Choir Of St. John's College, Cambridge

6. The First Nowell - Choir Of St. John's College, Cambridge

7. O Holy Night (Cantique De Noel) - Luciano Pavarotti

8. Away In A Manger - Choir Of King's College

9. God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen - Choir Of King's College

10. Joy To The World - John Sutherland

11. The Virgin's Slumber Song - John Sutherland

12. Once In Royal David's City - Choir Of King's College

13. The Holly And The Ivy - Choir Of King's College

14. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear - Leontyne Price

15. In Dulci Jubilo - Bach Choir

16. Mille Cherubini In Coro - Luciano Pavarotti

17. Shepherd's Farewell (Berlioz) - St. Anthony Singers

18. While Shepherds Watched - Choir Of St. John's College

19. Wiegenlied (Lullaby) - Renata Tebaldi

20. On Christmas Night (Sussex Carrol) - Choir Of King's College

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Re-cycled, but still glorious, November 27, 2001

By 

Matthew Spady "800rsd" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Magic of Christmas (Audio CD)

This Christmas potpourri is a repackaging of several previously released albums that creates the effect of a magnificent Christmas concert featuring some of the world's greatest singers and choirs accompanied by first class conductors and orchestras. It is in fact a historical performance since most of these carols were recorded before 1990; indeed, quite a few of them date from the early 1960's. By the time this album was released, in 1997, several of the soloists had retired (and at least one of those who hadn't, and who will remain nameless, should have) and at least one of the conductors had died. To have called this album the Magic of Christmas Past would not have been overstating the case. Of course, recycled or not, it is still magical.

To be fair, this repackaged concert does have its benefits. Although it presents a little of everyone and not a lot of anyone; it functions as a preview for other CDs. If the listener really want to hear more from any particular performer, he can have more by purchasing that performer's solo CD (most are still available).

The selections here seem to be made with an eye to creating a balanced concert on this CD and do not necessarily represent the performers' best work on the CD's from which this one was compiled. E.g., Tebaldi's "Wiegenlied", while introspective and tender, is also woefully under pitch whereas other cuts from her Christmas CD are better in tune and display the distinctive Tebaldi tone more beautifully. Tebaldi and Sutherland both recorded versions of O Come, All Ye Faithful that are more thrilling that the presented by the Bach Choir on this CD. And, we must make do here with only one contribution each from Pavorotti and Leontyne Price.

However, perhaps this is quibbling. Played from beginning to end, this is a nicely balanced concert guaranteed to put holiday spirit into even the most inveterate Scrooge.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This will help to make it a beautiful Christmas!, November 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Magic of Christmas (Audio CD)

This is an absolutely wonderful recording! From The Bach Choir's Stille Nachte--yes in German--which I need to have at least one of, even if I don't speak German, to Pavarotti's O Holy Night, half in English, half in French, to Dame Kiri Te Kawana's Ave Maria (Bach Gounod), and so so many more: all of them, really, it is absolutely heavenly. This is the first year I've gotten any Christmas music in quite some time, and this turned out to be a special treat. I think that it is guaranteed to help make something special out of the season.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Number One Christmas cd for me!!, December 22, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Magic of Christmas (Audio CD)

First, the sound quality is excellent. In addition, I love the combination of great choruses and choirs with great operatic voices mixed in; I don't like an entire cd with all the same singers. I also love the choices of carols! The little fanfare and opening and closing make the entire thing like a concert. I love this cd so much I bought a second copy in case something happens to the first!!