My Christmas

Andrea Bocelli (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 3, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Philips
• ASIN: B002L430KK
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (229 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #270 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  #1 in	Music > Miscellaneous > Holiday > Opera & Vocal
  #11 in	Music > Classical
  #39 in	Music > Pop > Vocal Pop

Editorial Reviews

From the Artist

"I have long dreamed of recording a holiday album that captures the beautiful traditions of the holiday season. Every year these songs have brought incredible joy to my family and I, and it is my hope to give back that same joy by making this album," commented Bocelli.

"The time comes for every singer to record a Christmas album. That's probably because Christmas is the most beautiful holiday of the year", says Andrea.

"Recording a Christmas album means recording good music; music that gives joy, and instils a sense of peace," says Andrea Bocelli.

From `I believe', which the tenor performed before the visibly moved Pope John Paul II, to `Adeste Fideles', the CD is an unmissable collection of songs each of us have sung at least once, carefully selected by Bocelli, who has been working on this project for a couple of years. Song after song, the CD constitutes the sound track of Christmas throughout the world, free of cheap adulation and commercial cunning. `My Christmas' is Christmas as it was sung by our forefathers, with the same atmosphere of peaceful serenity and pleasant expectation, seeking closeness with our loved ones and a relaxed escape from the horrors of the world. Particular merit certainly goes to those who prepared the scores, remaining faithful where possible to the original, and to David Foster, one of the most famous producers of our day, and the only one to have worked with all the greatest pop artists, from Celine Dion to Michael Jackson. In "My Christmas", Foster has arranged a number of traditional carols, such as "Angels we have heard on high" and `What child is this", with unique ability and a remarkable lightness of touch, adapting each track so as to render them almost a first edition. That Foster, he always manages to surprise us. Working alongside him, the great maestro Renato Serio also arranged two traditional carols deep-rooted in our hearts: `Tu scendi dalle stelle' and `Adeste fideles'.

But above all, it is the voice of Andrea Bocelli that stands out, once again engaged in a new feat. "This repertoire requires a broad vocal range," says Andrea, "from soft, almost whispered tones, to a stronger, more powerful voice." In `White Christmas', Bocelli's voice is graceful, and tenderly soft. In `Santa Claus is coming to town', it becomes irresistibly playful, making it almost impossible not to sing along. In `God bless us everyone', taken from Disney's Christmas blockbuster `A Christmas carol', we discover Bocelli the performer. The film, directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring an amazing cast (Jim Carrey, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins, Gary Oldman and Robin Wright Penn), takes its inspiration from Charles Dickens' famous short story, and is set to become one of the most successful end of year blockbusters. Bocelli's performance in `God bless us everyone' (composed by Alan Silvestri and Glenn Ballard) blends the magic of Christmas with the tenderness of the phrase that gives it its name, spoken by Tiny Tim at the end of Dickens' short story.

But it is in `The Lord's prayer', arranged by David Foster and performed with The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, that Bocelli really outdoes himself, in an imposing, moving performance of unique intensity. A masterpiece that will leave its mark, without the shadow of a doubt, in the history of music. However, the greatest challenge is to win over the little ones, and "My Christmas" is certain to please them too, not just their parents. Indeed, Bocelli's hope for this project was that families, united for Christmas, should listen to this music together. As he explains: "I drew inspiration from the voices that fill the churches; the voices that can be heard at family sing-alongs, on Christmas day". And as soon as the stereo starts playing `Silent night', a family sing-along is a dead cert.

Like all great gifts, `My Christmas' too has surprising and unexpected elements: its duets. For this album, Andrea Bocelli, a popular singer appreciated worldwide, has called on a number of friends to create several miniature masterpieces. In `I believe', he is accompanied by the Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins, a genuine revelation of recent years. In `Blue Christmas', Reba McEntire, the queen of country music with 55m albums sold worldwide, adapted the fullness of her voice, with a trace of pop, to a particularly difficult track. Mary J. Blige recorded her parts of `What child is this' in a day, in New York, in a register that blends remarkably well with Bocelli's, resulting in a duet that will rock the American world, and not only that. The same may be said of `The Christmas song', to which Natalie Cole brings a touch of genuine, warm soul and R&B. But The duet with the Muppets, in Jingle Bells, is certain to make the greatest splash worldwide, especially with children, and to become a version sung and played for years to come.

In a word, `My Christmas' is a winning album, expertly arranged, played and sung, becoming a point of reference for the entire genre. And from now on, no one, listeners and performers alike, will be able to forget this Christmas, as sung by Andrea Bocelli.

Paolo Giordano

Product Description

Millions will rejoice this holiday season with the much-anticipated release of Andrea Bocelli's My Christmas. The first-ever Christmas recording from Andrea is a heart-warming collection of seasonal favorites produced by the legendary David Foster. The lush, beautiful arrangements alongside Bocelli's unmistakable soaring vocals make this a must-have holiday recording. Highlights include "White Christmas," "Oh Holy Night," "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," "Jingle Bells," "Silent Night," "The Christmas Song," and "What Child Is This" among others. My Christmas will also be a major component of a PBS Great Performances special to air on Public Television this December, featuring Andrea and David Foster with additional special guests.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AT LAST !!!, November 4, 2009

By	Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

Andrea Bocelli's first-ever Christmas album was worth the wait! These songs stun me with their beauty and natural charm. Bocelli is in excellent form here and the duets are equally beautiful. The songs on this album are all nothing short of perfect; and Bocelli's ability to perform a wide variety of holiday music impresses me even more. The quality of the sound is excellent and the artwork is very nicely done.

Some of the songs I like the most (although they all are special) include the gorgeous "White Christmas / Bianco Natale;" Andrea sings this with panache and it truly comes from his heart and soul. The piano arrangement works well for this number as well. "Angels We Have Heard on High" is lovely; and Andrea really opens up and delivers this out like the pro he truly is! The operatic qualities of his voice lend themselves so well to "Angels We Have Heard on High;" I love it. In addition, "The Lord's Prayer" is wonderful as The Mormon Tabernacle Choir joins Bocelli; and I really like listening to "Adeste Fidelis" with its lush musical arrangement. "Cantique De Noel" is very pretty also.

Of course, there are songs for children, families and really anyone to enjoy that are not quite so religious. Listen for a sublime version of "The Christmas Song" which Bocelli does with Natalie Cole as a duet; and "Jingle Bells" is performed with the voices of The Muppets! Bocelli sings "Blue Christmas" with such passion I don't think I'll be forgetting it anytime soon and Reba McEntire's vocals enhance "Blue Christmas" all the more.

There are even more songs that showcase wonderful duets. Mary J. Blige sounds great with Bocelli on "What Child Is This;" it's a major highlight of this CD. Katherine Jenkins provides excellent vocals to go with Bocelli's singing on "I Believe." Great!

Andrea Bocelli and the other artists on this album rank very, very favorably in my book; this is a stunning holiday CD that is an instant classic thanks to their incredible talent. I highly recommend this album for anyone who enjoys a mixture of religious holiday music along with other Christmas songs that are more secular and playful.

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Memorable Experience, November 3, 2009

By	Paul Lavoisier "A music fan" (Paris, France) - See all my reviews

I'm not a fan of Christmas music. In general, I even avoid listening to it. However, when I saw this CD by Bocelli was coming out, I could not help but getting it. What a treat! Yes, most of the songs are the same songs you have heard a thousand times. But I have to say that Bocelli and Foster bring an entirely different perspective to each of them, bring each song to a new dimension. Particularly nice are all of the duets on the CD, plus "White Christmas". There is one song, however, that will be remembered for a long time on this CD, "The Lord's Prayer", with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, which, regardless of your religious beliefs or lack of them, will bring tears to people who enjoy true music. An instant classic.

25 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and Phenomenal!, November 3, 2009

By	WlaBalnyneta "threeboysmomcta" (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) - See all my reviews

I happened just upon this CD while putting together my Christmas CD for this season on Rhapsody. I've already listened to half of the selections and am quite pleased with what I'm hearing! If you like Andrea Bocelli, then you won't go wrong with his new CD. It's beautiful.