In the Nutcracker Mood

Glenn Miller Orchestra (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 5, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Delta
• ASIN: B000001VF5
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #148,642 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Miniature Overture

2. March

3. Dance of the Fairy Dragee

4. Russian Dance

5. Arabian Dance

6. Chinese Dance

7. Dance of the Mirlitons

8. Waltz of the Flowers

9. Jolly Old St. Nicholas

10. Toyland

11. Ode to Joy

12. A String of Carols: Here We Come a -Caroling, up on the House Top, a ...

13. Parade of the Wooden Soldiers

14. Old-Fashioned Christmas Tree

15. March of the Toys

16. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Lovely Christmas Album . . . Until They Start Singing., November 21, 2002

By 

C. Michael Massey "litterateur" (St. Louis, Missouri) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In the Nutcracker Mood (Audio CD)

I first became enamored with the Glenn Miller Orchestra's IN THE CHRISTMAS MOOD albums with the second of the three. I've since collected them all, this being the most recent.

I love the purely instrumental big band tracks on all three of the albums. These guys-original members of the Glenn Miller Orchestra who've gotten together to create these holiday recordings-are OBVIOUSLY the real thing. They interpret traditional holiday songs with an impeccable and immensely fun big band swing.

My bone to pick-and a major one, unfortunately-is with the "Moonlight Seranaders," who sing on (thankfully only) four of the sixteen tracks on this album. Although my experience of authentic big band recordings from the 1940s is slim, I do have a couple of albums, including a two-disc set of original Glenn Miller recordings. On NONE of these albums do the singers sound as disgustingly saccharin as these vocalists.

The sound of the "Moonlight Seranaders" is definitely that of the sappy Lawrence Welk singers of the 1960s and '70s. It's truly terrifying and, sadly, interferes greatly with the otherwise fantastic tracks on this album and the others in the series. Personally, I'd much rather have had a single, talented, emotive vocalist on several of the tracks rather than the sickly-sweet chorus, which completely ruins songs like "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" on this album and "I'll Be Home For Christmas" on one of the other two.

Nevertheless, for the usually ridiculoulsly low price of these albums, you really can't go wrong. The twelve great tracks on IN THE NUTCRACKER MOOD is well worth its cost-with or without the "Moonlight Seranaders." Buy it and re-live those fantastic days of big band music right in your own home this holiday season.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Glenn Miller fans will adore it., November 30, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: In the Nutcracker Mood (Audio CD)

Without a doubt, the coolest arrangement of the Nutcracker I've ever heard. True Glenn Miller and swing fans will love it. Best Xmas album we own.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Get the Ellington Version, November 28, 2005

By 

Clayton Duncan "Jazz Musician" (Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In the Nutcracker Mood (Audio CD)

If you really want a jazz version of the Nutcracker Suite, get the Duke Ellington version which is available on the "Three Suites" CD. Nothing against the GMO rendition but the Ellington version just swings so much harder. It is a little short but in my opinion it is vastly superior.