Perry Como Christmas [Original recording remastered]

Perry Como | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 25, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B00005O6KB
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #130,785 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

This 2001 Christmas comp collects 22 sublimely soothing holiday songs recorded by Como from 1946-81. These go perfectly with a crackling fire: O Holy Night; Ave Maria; The Christmas Song; My Favorite Things; Santa Claus Is Coming to Town; Christmas Dream; The Bells of St. Mary's; All Through the Night , and more! --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Ave Maria" with The Robert Shaw Chorale in Living Stereo!, December 8, 2001

By 

[e-mail] (Nova Scotia, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Perry Como Christmas (Audio CD)

As his first full stereo Christmas album "Season's Greetings from Perry Como" was being released in October, 1959, Perry recorded two very special new versions of the "Ave Maria" and "The Lord's Prayer" as a guest of The Robert Shaw Chorale ( Male Voices ) which are two hallmark hymns of his entire recording career. Although these two hymns were released originally on a limited distribution stereo single, all subsequent re-releases were either monaural or fake stereo. The difference in the hearing of these two recordings re-mixed and remastered in REAL Living Stereo is so remarkable that one might consider them to be different versions. Perry's performance, coupled with the Male Voices of the Robert Shaw Chorale, in stereo to the left and to the right, are certain to send a chill up your spine. His singing is both assured and assuring and the sequencing of "Ave Maria" directly following his legendary "Story of the First Christmas", itself over ten minutes in length, is seemingly as it was meant to be. Both of these hymns are being re-released this month within another compilation "Perry Como Sings Songs of Faith and Inspiration" but this Christmas compilation is definitely highlighted by the inclusion of "Ave Maria" at it's closing. Also included within this compilation is a first release of Perry's "The Bells of St. Mary's" which was recorded during the 1962 sessions for one of Perry's hallmark albums "By Request" produced by Hugo and Luigi with Mitchell Ayres' Orchestra and the Ray Charles Singers. A beautiful song long buried within the RCA Victor Archives and now seeing the light of day for the first time ever! This compilation was not intended to be "just another Christmas record" as it's contents will reveal. These recordings are pure Perry Como and represent the songs Perry liked to sing and record during this very special time of year. With more than 75 minutes of music, there's something here for everyone, no matter how one celebrates Christmas, for people of all faiths. The recording quality is excellent.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something for Everyone - NOT just a Christmas CD, but more., November 9, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Perry Como Christmas (Audio CD)

If you bought this for just 3 songs: 'Christmas Eve', 'All Through the Night' and 'Love In A Home' - you would be happy, as was I. This includes the unreleased 'Bells of St. Mary's'. But, there is something for everyone on this CD - and it is NOT just a Christmas CD, but has tons of songs about family, life, AND holidays. With the recent current events, an album like this is something to really make you think. The songs were personally selected by Perry's biggest historian, Mr. Townsend of Canada. There are several original 78 RPM versions of songs instead of the later stereo recordings; his 1974 song 'Christmas Dream' sounds crisper than ever digitally remastered. A neat and insightfull collection of a talented artist. Something for everyone to enjoy on this over 1-hour-long CD.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Living Stereo ~ the REAL THING!, October 2, 2002

By 

Dave Manning (Prince Edward Island, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Perry Como Christmas (Audio CD)

This album contains the first re-release of Perry's 1959 "Ave Maria" in more than 40 years. To think that this beautifully recorded hymn sat in the RCA Archives for all those years is absolutely amazing. How many more recordings are there locked up? The companion hymn "The Lord's Prayer" has also been released within the Buddha compilation recently released as well. Bravo BMG! Another real "find" within this compact disc is the previously unreleased "The Bells of St. Mary's" recorded by Perry in 1962 within sessions for his "By Request" album, 40 years ago this year, and it too was locked away all this time! A beautiful collection of songs superbly performed.