Favourite Christmas recordings
Mon, Dec 20 2010, 8:36PM
#2
RE: Favourite Christmas recordings
Here's another one:
WALTON 4 Christmas carols:
- Make we joy now in this fest
- What cheer
- King Herod and the cock
- All this time
Absolutely beautiful stuff. The version I have is WALTON CHORAL WORKS on Chandos 9222. Finzi singers and Paul Spicer/Andrew Lumsden organ. Don't know though if it is still available - 1993 I think.
The same four carols appear on the Conifer issue of Walton's choral works. Lovely stuff, although I've always thought that "All this time" and "Make we Joy" sound like the composer plagiarising himself.
I just got the Elora Festival Singers' Mystery of Christmas (Naxos) from our library and was blown away. Aside from a well-judged mix of favourites and less well-known carols, there's a superb rendition of Poulenc's Quatre Motets Pour le Temps de Noel. Arrangements and singing throughout the disc are inspired.
Tue, Dec 21 2010, 4:07AM
#3
RE: Favourite Christmas recordings
I have some great collections of English carol singing, but the last few years, I've looked for a little more punch, a little more swing, and a little more hutzpah in my Christmas music. In no particular order:
Handel, Messiah, Musica Sacra with Judith Blegen, Katherine Ciesinski, John Aler, and John Cheek, Richard Westenburg, music director (triggers special memories; as a choirboy, I particpated in a concert performance)
Roberto Alagna, The Christmas Album (a heavy dose of Italian schmaltz to fire up the Christmas spirit; I love when he sings "We weesh you a merry Chreestmas"; we cut our tree free of its netting to his O Tannenbaum, and his Il est ne is a fine holiday ripper)
Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas (supreme renditions of the American Christmas standards; did you know that Jingle Bells is not just an annoying jingly song sung by children?)
Leon Redbone, Christmas Island (too-cool-for-school crooning of the American standards; something really different, lovely, and soothing, with a warm smile)
Vanessa Williams, Silver and Gold (my newest find; soulful and sweet; the title track seems destined to become a standard)
The Ultimate R&B Christmas, with Nat King Cole, Otis Redding, Gladys Knight, James Brown et al.
Yule Struttin' (A Blue Note Christmas) with Chet Baker, Dexter Gordon, Stanley Jordan and other jazz notables
The Alligator Records Christmas Collection, with Koko Taylor, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Charlie Musselwhite and other blues notables
Soulful Christmas (Limited Edition compilation from Borders Books and Rhino) with Ray Charles, Jimmie Rodgers, Booker T. & The MG's (you've gotta hear White Christmas as performed by the Drifters and Jackie Wilson's Deck the Hall)
Lou Rawls, Christmas (what a voice)
Tue, Dec 21 2010, 10:59PM
#4
RE: Favourite Christmas recordings
This one is very nice!
Joan Sutherland LP from the '60s. 12th day of Christmas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjXaVVAk4vc
Rolf
Fri, Dec 24 2010, 1:44PM
#5
RE: Favourite Christmas recordings
Messiah, of course, in Boult's full blooded version (although I only have highlights CD) or Bonynge's lively ECO version (both with Sutherland). Corelli's "Christmas Concerto" in the sumptuous recording by Munchinger & Stuttgart CO; simply glorious luscious sound in Decca's best early stereo before the authentic instrument movement got their hands on it. I found the scrawny sounding OAE performance on Radio 3 last night almost unbearable after Munchinger.
PS Am I allowed on here to say I have always liked Phil Spector's Christmas album? Seasonal greetings everyone!
Sun, Dec 26 2010, 1:31PM
#6
RE: Favourite Christmas recordings
Here an other Chrismas classic, the Nutcracker by Tsjaikovsky (Tchaikovski, what is the "official" western spelling?)
A week ago, Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra performed it live, and that performance is now complete on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbKFa8PgSmY
Enjoy!
Rolf
Wed, Nov 30 2011, 12:12PM
#7
RE: Favourite Christmas recordings
I've always extent that "All this time" and "Make we Joy" sound like the scribe plagiarising himself. christmas greetings quotes || new year quotes
Wed, Nov 30 2011, 2:41PM
#8
RE: Favourite Christmas recordings
On EMI, you also find a glorious collection by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf conducted by Mackerras, quite tastefully done, much less syrupy than most such collections.
Also, surprise that nobody mentionned the seasonal favourite of Bach's Christmas Oratorio. The opening 'Jauchzet Frohlocket' always makes my heart beat faster, in particular in rendition by Karl Richer and the Munich Bach Singers (and an unequalled line up of soloists).
Wed, Nov 30 2011, 11:10PM
#9
RE: Favourite Christmas recordings
There are plenty of interesting, inspiring, intriguing and not very common CDs on Christmas music. Here some of them to enhance your collection and enrich your listening Christmas experience:
- 2L : WOLFGANG PLAGGE: CHRISTMAS VARIATIONS. A wonderful, unusual SACD with some splendid Variations on Christmas Carols for solo piano.
- HAENSSLER: GERMAN CHRISTMAS SONGS with soprano B. Pahn and J. Held on lute. A very intimate album with some very beautiful German Christmas songs.
- CENTAUR: CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD - West Edge String Quartet. Some known and unknown songs from different parts of the world played by a String Quartet!
- NEOS: MERRY CHRISTMAS (Traditional and New Christmas Music, played by Henschel String Quartet and the Tolzen Boychoir)- Quite original renditions and compositions.
- ANALEKTA : ANGELA DUBEAU & LA PIETA : Noel - Christmas music played with enough refinement and style by one of the greatest violinists of Canada and her String Orchestra.
- ARS PRODUKTION: A LATE ROMANTIC CHRISTMAS EVE: A very original and quite interesting SACD with romantic music, inspired by Christmas Eve, performed with style by Le Quatuor Romantic and the Soprano E. Fink.
- SIMAX: MY HEART IS EVER PRESENT: A very good, unusual and intriguing SACD with the gifted and talented Norwegian trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth.
- CHANDOS: ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT: A very recent SACD with the Choir of St. John's College, Cambridge with excellent English music for the season.
- DELOS: DALLAS CHRISTMAS GALA : A typical American Christmas extravaganza with the Dallas S. O. under the baton of A. Litton. Impressive, luscious sound on SACD with full Orchestral and Choral Christmas Music, known und few unknown.
There are many more, but, anyway, that may be enough for the present time.
Parla
Thu, Dec 1 2011, 1:00AM
#10
RE: Favourite Christmas recordings
There are a few flute/harp pieces written by a young Jolivet called Pastorale de noel. But Christmas music is usually just PANTS. Nobody mentioned Cliff yet.......
Thu, Dec 1 2011, 12:17PM
#11
RE: Favourite Christmas recordings
I have a favourite recording of my favourite Christmas piece (Finzi's In Terra Pax) but it is no longer available. I prefer it to both David Hill's later recording and the one recently issued on Naxos.
Conducted by Richard Hickox, it had Norma Burrowes and John Shirley Quirk as the soloists. I don't suppose it will ever see the light of day again.
Thu, Dec 1 2011, 12:17PM
#12
RE: Favourite Christmas recordings
I have a favourite recording of my favourite Christmas piece (Finzi's In Terra Pax) but it is no longer available. I prefer it to both David Hill's later recording and the one recently issued on Naxos.
Conducted by Richard Hickox, it had Norma Burrowes and John Shirley Quirk as the soloists. I don't suppose it will ever see the light of day again.
Sat, Dec 3 2011, 4:03PM
#13
RE: Favourite Christmas recordings
Well Tagalie seems like you've got UK's xmas cover from last year. Not a sniff of xmas on our Dec issue this year - we got Stavinsky's ugly mush to look at!
Anyway: Finzi's In Terra Pax and Ella Fitzgerald for me.
Wed, Jun 6 2012, 3:26PM
#14
RE: Favourite Christmas recordings
I saw Black Nativity when the show came to London in the early 60's and the LP thereof is a seasonal treat.
The show is a retelling of the classic Nativity story with an entirely black cast. Traditional Christmas carols are sung in gospel style, with a few songs created specifically for the show. Originally written by Langston Hughes, the show was first performed on Broadway on December 11, 1961, and was one of the first plays written by an African-American to be staged there. It has been performed in Boston, Massachusetts at Tremont Temple since 1969. The original 160 singers were arranged by age group and vocal range, with an assortment of soloists, along with the narrator, and Mary and Joseph, who are both mute. ( this bit from Wiki)
Another LP from the 60's was "Misa Creola" which has the seasonal offering "Navidad Nuestra" on the B (?) side with the haunting "La Peregrinacion".
P.S. Christmas Oratorio, anyone?
Wed, Jun 6 2012, 3:36PM
#15
RE: Favourite Christmas recordings
My favourite Christmas recording is Faust or Mefistofele.
Let's hear it for the Devil, Yeah!
Here's another one:
WALTON 4 Christmas carols:
Absolutely beautiful stuff. The version I have is WALTON CHORAL WORKS on Chandos 9222. Finzi singers and Paul Spicer/Andrew Lumsden organ. Don't know though if it is still available - 1993 I think.