The Carols of Christmas

1. Do You Hear What I Hear? - Jim Brickman

2. We Three Kings - Marion Meadows

3. Christmas Time Is Here - George Winston

4. O Little Town of Bethlehem - Tracy Silverman

5. First Noel - John Boswell

6. Emmanuel - Will Ackerman

7. Dona Nobis Pacem - Richard Stoltzman

8. Ave Maria - William Galison, Toninho Horta

9. Carol of the Bells - Manuel Barrueco, Steve Morse

10. O Holy Night - David Darling

11. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Michael Manring

12. Silent Night - Ray Lynch

13. Simple Gifts - Liz Story

14. What Child Is This? - Michael Hedges

15. Medley: Hark, the Herald Angels Sing/Angels We Have Heard on High - Nightnoise

16. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Brian Keane

The Carols of Christmas,Various Artists,Windham Hill Records,90's,Adult Alternative,Ambient,Chamber Jazz,Christmas,Christmas / Chanukkah,Christmas Music,Classical,Contemporary Instrumental,Crossover Jazz,Electro-Acoustic,Ethnic Fusion,Film Music,Fusion,Holiday,Neo-Classical,New Acoustic,Pop,Post-Bop,Progressive Electronic,Solo Instrumental,World Fusion,Worldbeat

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Average customer rating: The Polar Express Excellent! First Rate Polar Express is hot Polar Express music CD PERFECT!

The Polar Express Various Artists Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music Similar Items: The Polar Express (Full Screen Edition) The Polar Express How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2000 Film) Josh Groban Live at The Greek (CD/DVD) Josh Groban in Concert (with Bonus DVD) ASIN: B00063F8B2 Release Date: 2004-11-02

Tracks:

1. The Polar Express -- Tom Hanks
2. When Christmas Comes To Town -- Matthew Hall and Meagan Moore
3. Rockin' On Top of the World -- Steven Tyler
4. Believe -- Josh Groban
5. Hot Chocolate -- Tom Hanks
6. Spirit of the Season -- Alan Silvestri
7. Seeing is Believing -- Alan Silvestri
8. Santa Claus is Comin' To Town -- Frank Sinatra
9. White Christmas -- Bing Crosby
10. Winter Wonderland -- The Andrews Sisters
11. It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas -- Perry Como
12. Silver Bells -- Kate Smith
13. Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Claus Lane) -- Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters
14. Suite From the Polar Express -- Alan Silvestri

Amazon.com

In adapting Chris Van Allsburg's beloved, 1986 Caldecott Medal winning children's Christmas fable, director Robert Zemeckis fused the technologies of live-action motion capture and CGI to an unprecedented degree, producing a visual sensibility that perfectly embodies the netherworld between fantasy and reality that made the book so inviting. Musically, Zemeckis has shrewdly teamed longtime collaborator Alan Silvestri with hit tunesmith Glen Ballard for the original half his soundtrack, then given the rest over to a star-packed tribute to pop Christmas past that includes such timeless chestnuts as Bing Crosby's "White Christmas," "Winter Wonderland" by the Andrew Sisters and Perry Como's "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas." But the Silvestri/Ballard originals here are the main event, from Tom Hanks' vigorous vocal mugging on the title track and "Hot Chocolate" through the innocent charm of "When Christmas Comes to Town" and the over-the-top, jumpin' jive of Steven Tyler's "Rockin' On Top of the World." Josh Groban's "Believe" overdoes the treacle, but Silvestri's rich choral workouts and underscore suite are grand Hollywood-scaled tributes to the spirit of the season. Also available in a deluxe, illustrated children's book format gift edition that includes an actual encased jingle bell embedded in the cover. --Jerry McCulley

Album Description

Promising to be this holiday season's family film blockbuster, the revolutionary computer-animated The Polar Express-based on a best-selling children's book, starring the voice of Tom Hanks and directed by Academy Award winner Robert Zemeckis-is a classic Christmas film with a modern look. The soundtrack album also mixes the classic with the contemporary, with immortal versions of the greatest Christmas songs ever penned, such as "White Christmas" from Bing Crosby and new recordings from Josh Groban "Believe", Aerosmith's Steven Tyler "Rockin' On Top Of The World" and others. This Christmas everyone will be getting on board The Polar Express.

Customer Reviews:

The Polar Express.......2007-05-24

A dream of a boy comes to life in the great book polar express. It is about a great journey to the North Pole to meat Santa Claus. He meats lots of friends and has many good and bad/ dangerous things happen to him.
The main character has brown hair and eyes also he is about 9 of 10. During the book you can tell he is very generous. also he get in to many bad situations like when we dosent belif in santa claus.

Excellent! First Rate.......2007-04-11

We give it a strong 5 stars. Young and old alike will love this movie. Nothing in it is offensive, and it has a great message of hope.

Polar Express is hot.......2007-04-11

I am 57 yet I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and as a result bought the soundtrack. It plays in my Subaru's CD and has songs that remind me of childhood, songs that are fun, and others that make me want to move to the beat. It takes you through the movie and I find myself recalling little scenes from the movie. It was an outstanding performance by Tom Hanks and he puts just the right amount of train conductor and wise sage in the cuts he does on this soundtrack. I am glad I bought it.

Polar Express music CD.......2007-02-06

Quick to receive. Only slight thing I noticed was a crack in the cover but the CD itself was in perfect condition.

PERFECT!.......2007-02-02

This is the BEST Heart-felt Christmas Story I have seen in years. I have 2 copies of this and still had to watch it everytime it was on TV. AWESOME!!!!!

Average customer rating: I wish they played in my town... Love it! Blackmore the Raider This is a Great Album! Just good music.

Winter Carols Blackmore's Night Manufacturer: Locomotive Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Village Lanterne Blackmore's Night -- Castles & Dreams Ghost of a Rose Beyond the Sunset: The Romantic Collection Under a Violet Moon ASIN: B000JBXOHG Release Date: 2006-11-07

Tracks:

1. Hark The Herald Angels Sing / Come All Ye Faithful
2. I Saw Three Ships
3. Winter (Basse Dance)
4. Ding Dong Merrily On High
5. Ma-O-Tzur
6. Good King Wenceslas
7. Lord Of The Dance / Simple Gifts
8. We Three Kings
9. Wish You Were Here
10. Emmanuel
11. Christmas Eve
12. We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Album Description

"Winter Carols" features familiar favorites, new songs including "Christmas Eve" and even their unique interpretation of The Rednex "Wish You Were Here". Each track is a magical, velvety blend of lush orchestral arrangements, organic Renaissance instruments, guitar mastery and ethereal vocals. Listening to "Winter Carols" is like sitting next to a roaring fire with a glass of cherry brandy as the crystalline snow blankets the earth outside. Let Blackmore's Night be a part of your holiday fantasy!

Customer Reviews:

I wish they played in my town..........2007-07-20

I have adored this band since a college friend played "Shadows of the Moon" for me. I like to play their albums as I drive to my volunteer job at the Renaissance faire. As a rule, I get tired of Christmas music way before the big day but I could listen to this particular collection a long, long time.

Love it!.......2007-04-08

I'm a huge fan of Christmas music, and this CD is one of my favorites.

Blackmore the Raider.......2007-03-01

This is quite a nice little holiday album, I must say. It would have gotten a five star review, though, if it had the splendid sounds of an electric guitar demolition as a coda to the whole thing.

This is a Great Album!.......2007-02-15

This album was as wonderful as I had expected. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because there were 2 things that annoyed me on the album.
1. The word Christ was never uttered in any of the songs. They changed all the traditional lyrics that mentioned "Christ" and replaced them with vague references. If they don't want to mention "Christ", perhaps they should go with less religious Christmas carols like "Deck the Halls" or "Here We Go Caroling".
2. I am not the biggest fan of "Wish You Were Here". I was disappointed to see they had included it on this album since it has nothing to do with Christmas. I would have loved to see them include "Greensleeves" instead. That way the song would have fit on the album AND they wouldn't have to mention Christ! :)
Overall, I do highly recommened the album to all, not just Blackmore's Night fans.

Just good music........2007-02-04

Although I am a big Blackmore's Night fan, you don't have to be a BN fan to love this cd. I have played this cd when my in-laws were around at Xmas and Thanksgiving. They made comments on how beautiful the music was and would sing along to the songs they knew.

Candice's voice is simply beautiful and blends in so well with the musical arrangements played by the band. I cannot say enough about how great this music is. I only hope that they will come out with another Xmas album in the near future. This is by far my favorite holiday album ever.

Average customer rating: Completely satisfied Holiday music with that extra magic - creepiness! Another brilliant Nox Arcana CD! Music to be enchanted by Very Good, Different

Winter's Knight Nox Arcana Manufacturer: Monolith Graphics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Goth | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Sound Effects | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music Similar Items: Transylvania Darklore Manor Carnival Of Lost Souls Necronomicon Blood of the Dragon ASIN: B000ALIUR4 Release Date: 2005-07-25

Tracks:

1. Vigil
2. Ghosts of Christmas Past
3. Ebonshire
4. Solitude
5. Crystal Forest
6. First Snow
7. Evening Star
8. Reflections of Long Ago
9. December Winds
10. Phantom Toccata
11. Hallowed Ruins
12. Gregorian Hymn
13. Spirit of the Season
14. Coventry Carol
15. Lullaby
16. Winters Knight
17. Past Time with Good Company
18. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
19. Veni, Veni, Emannuel
20. Redemption
21. Carol of the Bells

Product Description

Nox Arcana weaves a musical ghost story with this haunting collection of original melodies, symphonic orchestrations, and Gothic renditions of traditional carols. Winter's Knight contains 21 tracks and over 60 minutes of darkly enchanting music to celebrate the spirit of the season.

Customer Reviews:

Completely satisfied.......2007-04-01

I am very satisfied with this product and recommend it to anyone who likes instrumental and haunting melodies.

Holiday music with that extra magic - creepiness!.......2007-01-26

If you are in a holiday mood, but are heartily fed up with Irish (or even worse: Mariah Carey!) Christmas songs, then you might want to consider this album. It is not a soundeffect album, nor is it program music. A final touch is that it is not cheaply produced, as some more traditional holiday albums.
The music conveys a feeling of cold, dark, and immensly lonely winter. The Christmas is there, but there are undertows of older and more sinister rituals, and whispers call the more unwary listeners to join in...
This album could be a very good way to spice up the celebrations.

Another brilliant Nox Arcana CD!.......2007-01-03

Nox Arcana's versatility has made them a tough act to follow. Whether it be a musical journey into the foreboding land of vampires (Transylvania) or a sinister carnival with a bloody history (Carnival of Lost Souls) or any of their other forays into gothic imaginings, Nox Arcana has taken each concept and breathed impressive, symphonic life into it. Their CDs truly are mini symphonies, with astounding musicianship and intricate orchestrations.

In Winter's Knight, Nox Arcana presents a moody, elegant collection of holiday-themed songs that captures the more mystical, meditative side of Christmas. The CD's strong medieval/classical flavor is refreshing, particularly since most Christmas music nowadays seems dominated by more modern songs. Joseph Vargo and William Piotrowski offer great new arrangements of classic pieces like "Veni, Veni, Emmanuel" as well as many of their own moving compositions, such as the memorably haunting "Crystal Forest" and the chilling piano-dominated "Evening Star." Guest vocalist Michelle Belanger also contributes a lovely interpretation of the holiday standard "Past Time With Good Company" and Jeff Endemann's vocal work on "Coventry Carol" is likewise a highlight.

While most Christmas music is, unfortunately, either infantile and annoying or overdone, Winter's Knight provides a refreshing change of piece full of musical elegance and mystical beauty.

Music to be enchanted by.......2006-12-25

As mesmerizing as falling snow, this poetic and magickal soundscape creates a wonderland of lavish treats befitting the Holiday Season. Haunting and sophisticated, there's a certain luster to these songs that reflects the gothically romantic luxury only Nox Arcana can deliver. The addition of neo-bard, Jeff Endemann's spellbinding voice on "Coventry Carol" delivers an extra gift of warmth for those chilly Yuletide evenings. The original score by Vargo and Piotrowski interspersed with classic carols and a booklet of eye-candy artwork by Joseph Vargo makes this a perfect fit for any Holiday Collection, so fill your wassail cup, pull up some moonlight and breathe in the wonder of Winter Knights.

Very Good, Different.......2006-11-04

The idea behind this CD and the music itself are a breath of fresh air in the stagnant holiday music scene. Dark and evocative, it pushes aside the sugarplums and saccharine we're all used to. However, the production leaves quite a bit to be desired. It's all done with computers - the choral parts are lacking in fullness, I can't always tell what the stringed "instruments" are supposed to be, and rather than cadences that would give finality to the piece, the tracks often come to a sudden stop. 3 1/2 stars.

Average customer rating: A most incredible, beautiful, and moving recording An old friend Can't go wrong with Hodie Some of the loveliest Christmas music ever written A classic recording of a classic

Hodie / Fantasia on Christmas Carols Manufacturer: Angel Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Vaughan Williams, Ralph | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Vaughan Williams, Ralph | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music Opera & Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music Similar Items: Britten: A Ceremony of Carols Vaughan Williams - Serenade to Music · Five Mystical Songs · Fantasia on Christmas Carols · Flos Campi / Sixtieen Soloists · Thomas Allen · Nobuko Imai · Corydon Singers · ECO · Matthew Best Respighi: Laud to the Nativity; Monteverdi: Magnificat The John Rutter Christmas Album Fantasia on Christmas Carols/ The First Nowell/ On Christmas Night ASIN: B00004YU84 Release Date: 2000-11-07

Tracks:

1. Fant On Christmas Carols: This Is The Truth Sent From Above- - John Barrow/Chor Of Guildford Cathedral
2. Fant On Christmas Carols: Come All You Worthy Gentlemen- - John Barrow/Chor Of Guildford Cathedral
3. Fant On Christmas Carols: On Christmas Night All Christians Sing- - John Barrow/Chor Of Guildford Cathedral
4. Fant On Christmas Carols: God Bless The Ruler Of This House - John Barrow/Chor Of Guildford Cathedral
5. Hodie: I. Prologue: Nowell! Nowell!
6. Hodie: II. Narration: Now The Birth Of Jesus Christ-
7. Hodie: III. Song: It Was The Winter Wild
8. Hodie: IV. Narration: And It Came To Pass In Those Days
9. Hodie: V. Choral: The Blessed Son Of God
10. Hodie: VI. Narration: And There Were In The Same Country
11. Hodie: VII. Song: The Oxen (Christmas Eve, And Twelve Of The Clock)
12. Hodie: VIII. Narration: And The Shepherds Returned
13. Hodie: IX. Pastoral: The Shepherds Sing
14. Hodie: X. Narration: But Mary Kept All These Things
15. Hodie: XI. Lullaby: Sweet Was The Song The Virgin Sang
16. Hodie: XII. Hymn: Bright Portals Of The Sky
17. Hodie: XIII. Narration: Now When Jesus Was Born
18. Hodie: XIV. The March Of The Three Kings: From Kingdoms Of Wisdom-
19. Hodie: XV. Choral: No Sad Thought His Soul Affright
20. Hodie: XVI. Epilogue: In The Beginning Was The Word

Customer Reviews:

A most incredible, beautiful, and moving recording.......2005-04-12

I first became aware of Hodie when I performed the work in high school. While it is true that Vaughn-Williams does use a variety of styles, this is much more than a compendium of musical approaches. Each style is well chosen to provide an appropriate context for the words in a way matched by few composers - intimate in "The Oxen", hushed and reverential in "No sad thought his soul affright", and imposing and even majesterial in "The March of the Three Kings". I can't imagine how anyone could listen to the Epilogue (especially as performed here) with it's quoting of the beginning of St. John's gospel without being utterly undone.

Because of the beauty of the work and the quality of the performance, it quickly became one of my most beloved recordings, defining for me how this work should be performed just as Karl Richter's Mass in b Minor and Colin Davis's Mozart Requiem have. The singers all have incredibly beautiful voices and each use their voice very sensitively. Just listen to John Shirley-Quirk's simple yet eloquent singing in "The Oxen", describing the animals in the manger on their knees at cradle of God incarnate or Janet Baker's "Lullaby" with a beauty that can bring tears to your eyes. Richard Lewis likewise provides a good range from the heroic to the sensitive - one of the best performances of his I have heard. The choral work is likewise fantastic. I have been searching for this work on CD for years to replace my well-loved but somewhat worn-out LP copy and am delighted that it is finally available again.

More so than Messiah, this work has come to define Christmas for me. If you love choral music, Vaughan-Williams's work, works that can put you in touch with the Divine, or you just appreciate beautiful singing, I would STRONGLY urge you to purchase this recording while it is still available.

An old friend.......2004-02-09

It is always a wonderful thing to find a beloved recording transfered to CD. My old LP is still on my shelves and has been there since 1973, though the recording dates from 1965. It is a fine performance of an unjustly neglected Christmas work.

Vaughan Williams was 81 when he wrote this. It is a portmanteau piece, a form pioneered by Britten, with narrations alternating with chorals, hyms and songs enclosed within a prologue and epilogue. The words set range from the biblical to Thomas Hardy. The narrations, sung by a boys' choir accompanied by a chamber organ, tell the story of the Nativity, and are often followed by a short tenor solo with full orchestral accompaniment. These brief, melismatic sections are of extraordinary emotional power. They still make me go all funny after 30 years. Set in this regular framework go the assorted numbers which vary in character from a gentle lullaby to the glittering March of the Three Kings (the words of which were written by the composer's wife). The work has been criticised for the disparate styles of the settings - some songs like early RVW, others set to the glassy, late orchestral style of Sinfonia Antartica. To me it adds variety as well as demonstrating the sheer breadth of his music. This is a gorgeous piece to play on Christmas day and it will refresh your spirit no end.

The performance is first rate, with a trio of distinguished soloists. The recording is remarkably good for its age.

The Fantasia on Christmas Carols is a much earlier work and its title is self- explanatory. It is a very attractive work which is given a perfectly acceptable performance here. A mystery is the name of the band : "String Orchestra", which sounds alarmingly generic. Guildford, a town to the west of London, does have a semi-professional orchestra so maybe the players are from this.

The insert notes are by Michael Kennedy, who was a close friend of the composer and is the leading authority on his music. Full texts are included for Hodie.

Can't go wrong with Hodie.......2003-01-02

The other reviewers have it right in giving this disc five stars, at least for Hodie. First the bad news: the Fantasia is given here in a slightly bloodless version for baritone, chorus, strings, and organ, which can't quite match the original.

Now the good news: the performance of Hodie on offer here is amazing. As good as Hickox is in his later EMI recording, he and his team of soloists are clearly outmatched. We have captured here early recordings of both Dame Janet Baker and John Shirley-Quirk, two of the great British singers of modern times, each in gorgeous voice and both deeply committed to the work. If you need much convincing of this, try "It was the winter wild" or "The Shepherds sing"; you won't be disappointed. Of course, we shouldn't leave Richard Lewis out, even though he has a somewhat smaller role in the proceedings than the other two. In exchange, he has the challenging hymn "Bright portals of the sky," which he delivers with seeming ease. Their trio in the "March of the Three Kings" is the crowning moment of the work, until topped a few minutes later by the bank-holiday fervor of the finale.

The choral and orchestral work is on pace with that of the soloists: I would say that one can hear more orchestral and choral detail on this disc remastered from the mid-1960's than is available on the Hickox recording!

So, in short, this disc is a must-have for Hodie; if you want the "Fantasia" too, go for Matthew Best's recording with Thomas Allen, the Corydon Singers, and the English Chamber Orchestra on Hyperion.

Some of the loveliest Christmas music ever written.......2002-12-25

I have played this recording every Christmas for the past 28 years at least, first in the original LP from Angel, and then the first CD release, which for a while was out of print. I am so happy to see that it is again available.

If you do not know the Vaughan Williams Hodie, you are missing some of the loveliest Christmas music ever composed. A brilliant mosaic of musical styles serving to set poetry of the most diverse sources,the various parts are all bound together by the Gospel narration of the Nativity story sung by boy's choir. The result, far from being a hodge-podge, is instead deeply felt, organic, and filled with that pastoral, mystical and intensely affecting quality of the best of RVW's work. The soloists are terrific, especially the young Janet Baker at her most radiant. The sound is still quite fresh and beautifully recorded.

I cannot imagine Christmas Eve without this heavenly music!

A classic recording of a classic.......2002-01-09

I first heard Hodie on the initial vinyl release of this performance over 30 years ago. It's one of the finest choral works of the 20th century, and a rare instance where the nobility of the music matches the nobility of texts--and what texts! Milton, the Bible, Thomas Hardy, George Herbert--some of the finest religious poetry in English. The performance is, quite simply, perfection. Willcocks owns every note of the score, and the soloists are perfectly matched.

I could go on for pages, but it would be superfluous. Just buy it. At this price, it's a steal.

Average customer rating: A Christmas Celebration: Kathleen Battle One of the most beautiful Christmas albums A Christmas Collection For The Ages Kathleen Battle, My Madam Christmas Pure Joy

A Christmas Celebration: Kathleen Battle Kathleen Battle , traditional/various , Leonard Slatkin , and Orchestra of St. Luke's with New York Choral Artists & Harlem Boys' Choir Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Gounod | Gounod, Charles | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Michael Praetorius | Praetorius, Michael | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Reger, Max | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Reger, Max | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Battle, Kathleen | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Battle, Kathleen | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music Opera & Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music Similar Items: A Carnegie Hall Christmas Concert Angels' Glory Jessye Norman - Christmastide Kathleen Battle · Wynton Marsalis ~ Baroque Duet / Anthony Newman · Orch St. Luke's · Nelson Kathleen Battle & Christopher Parkening ~ Pleasures of Their Company ASIN: B000002ROL Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. O Come All Ye Faithful
2. O Holy Night
3. Bring A Torch, Jeannette Isabelle
4. Fum, Fum, Fum!
5. Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
6. Ave Maria
7. Gesu Bambino
8. Medley: I Saw Three Ships; The First Nowell; The Holly And The Ivy
9. Away In A Manger
10. Silent Night
11. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
12. Mary's Cradle Song
13. Zither Carol
14. I Wonder As I Wander
15. Mary Had A Baby
16. Rise Up, Shepherd
17. What Child Is This?
18. Ave Maria
19. Finale and Reprise: Veni, Veni, Emmanuel; It Came Upon A Midnight Clear; O Little Town Of Bethlehem; Silent Night; O Come All Ye Faithful

Customer Reviews:

A Christmas Celebration: Kathleen Battle.......2007-01-19

what can i say about the best of the best? As always, Miss Battle makes me wonder how anyone else would dare to sing this music after her rendition. A beautiful CD

One of the most beautiful Christmas albums .......2005-11-22

I love Kathleen Battle's voice, and to get such a great collection of beautiful sacred music, it was like a dream come true. She sings many traditional carols like Holy Night, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Silent Night, which is possibly my favorite here, you may think you have heard this song so many times, but Kathleen's voice really shines in it. Her English diction is so incredible, you can understand every word, which is not something many opera singers can achieve. Her singing is always so natural and lovely. Many other songs are oustanding on this album, I love the two version of Ave Maria and the Italian song Gesu Bambino. If you are looking for a really beautiful collection of Christmas music, this album is a great choice.

A Christmas Collection For The Ages.......2005-11-13

If there is one performer I miss hearing on a regular basis, it is Kathleen Battle. Anytime I knew that she'd be in a Metropolitan Opera radio broadcast, I knew it would be a performance to remember and more often than not, I was correct. She has a light voice that reaches the upper reregisters with ease and has as a gorgeous sound. She not a regular at many opera houses these days, and in likelihood, if she still did perform on the world's opera stages, we'd be hearing critics say her voice was not what it once was, but thanks to her recorded legacy, her voice will, always have that youthful, energetic sound.

Overall I believe that Ms. Battle performs better in complete opera recordings than recital albums, but most of her recital recordings are of at least good quality and this Christmas collection is outstanding. She handles all of the works with apparent similar ease, but since the recording is so varied, this is a compliment to her skill as a performer. She begins and ends with "O Come All Ye Faithful" where she does a few vocal acrobatics but it's never overdone. Each time I think of what the bets part of the collection is, my mind changes. She brings her skills from the operatic stage in her renditions of "O Holy Night," "Gesu Bambino" (only Pavarotti sings this better, but it's a very close second), and "The Zither Carol" which sounds so much like something that could come from the mouths of Oscar from UN BALLO or Zurbinetta from ARIADNE AUF NAXOS, two of her signature roles. The music from the African American Spirituals tradition and American background are well done and the accompaniment of the Harlem Boys Choir, used to great advantage here adds so much.

With so many Christmas collections from the world of opera available, choosing one can be difficult, but this is one collection that has proven to be a joy for almost fifteen years and will continue to give holiday pleasure for years to come.

Kathleen Battle, My Madam Christmas.......2004-12-28

I probably have 50 Christmas albums. I love many of them. This is my favorite. Leaves me astounded and breathless every time I enjoy it.

Pure Joy.......2003-12-07

In a world where disturbing things are all too common, Christian scripture guides us to dwell on that which is lovely. Kathleen Battle's blessed voice is most certainly one of those lovely things.

I bought this CD in the early 1990's, and I am here to buy it again because I have worn out the original with scratches, etc. I only listen to it during the Christmas season, but I enjoy it enough to hear it all year.

The 'Christmas Celebration' CD should be enough to convince you to also purchase Kathleen's 'A Carnegie Hall Christmas Concert'. Ms. Battle's wonderful soprano voice is joined by that of the mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, and the blending is more than memorable. There are a couple of songs which are on both CD's, but you'll want to hear both. In fact, the video of the PBS special is also available, and I recommend buying all three. You won't regret it.

Some of my favorite selections from 'Christmas Celebration' include 'Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabelle' and 'Fum, Fum, Fum', both of which are from a culture different from my own. I found such glimpses into unfamiliar favorites to enhance my own enjoyment of the Christmas season, as long as all of my traditional American favorites were included. They were. "I Wonder As I Wander" and "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful" are there among the other favorites.

This CD's music is the kind that sets a wonderful Christmas mood. It can establish memories that say "Christmas" in the memories of children for life. Along with other classics like 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' and 'The Nutcraker' (from your favorite orchesta) and George Winston's 'December' and a few others, you will slowly be able to assemble a Christmas music library that will stay with you for life.

Average customer rating: Microcosmos Great value with a few flaws eeh, I guess I don't like Bartok that much Best classical value out there 5 Stars for the music and performance

Bartok: Complete Solo Piano Music Manufacturer: Vox (Classical) ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music General | Bartók, Béla | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Improvisation | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Elegies | Requiems, Elegies & Tombeau | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Bagatelles | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Impromptus | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music Similar Items: Bartok: The Piano Concertos Béla Bartók: The 6 String Quartets - Takács Quartet Complete Piano Works of Scriabin Bartok: Violin Concertos, Viola Concerto, 6 Duo for 2 Violins, Violin Rhapsodies; Yehudi Menuhin Bartók Plays Bartók ASIN: B00008X5AY Release Date: 2003-05-27

Amazon.com

Sàndor, still active at 90 as this reissue appears, was a student of Bartók and a preferred interpreter of his music. Since this set appeared on nine LPs in the early 1960s, it has been the standard for Bartók's piano music; in this fine-sounding reissue, it still is. Sàndor can hit hard enough for such virtuoso pieces as the Piano Sonata and "Out of Doors," but he also retains the romantic element heard in the composer's own playing which tempers the harsher qualities of the music. While this collection isn't quite as complete as advertised (some early, insignificant piano music by Bartók is omitted), it includes all of Bartók's significant piano music, including such relatively obscure gems as the Bagatelles, eight Improvisations, and many delectable folk arrangements which will appeal even to listeners who think Bartók is too challenging for them. Vox's recorded sound, superbly remastered, resists obsolescence as effectively as Sàndor's performances. Even with the inclusion of the early books of "Mikrokosmos," which will appeal mostly to piano students, this set is worth several times the asking price. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Microcosmos.......2007-03-08

Sándor was a champion not only of Bartók's music but also of Bartók's style of playing. He often complained that people were too quick to see Bartók as ultra-modern, and to fail to appreciate the rich seam of lyricism that also runs through his music.

The piano music is dominated by short pieces, many of them written for piano students, notably the collections "Microcosmos" and "For Children". These, together with suites of folk dance arrangements, make up the bulk of the solo piano output.

Sandór plays these short, and often simple pieces, with neither too much nor too little art. As a gifted teacher, he knew unerringly how much music each of these small vessels held. The result is beguiling - but be warned: no-one can listen to the 153 short pieces of Microcosmos end-to-end. This is an anthology to be dipped into, not swallowed whole.

The remastering is pretty successful (fortunately - some of Vox's CD reissues are plagued by severe deterioration of the original tapes). And it's for half nothing-what's not to like?

Great value with a few flaws.......2006-07-28

I am not a Bartok expert by any scale, but I do like the way these pieces, without exception, are played. There are, however, a couple of other problems.

As mentioned by an earlier reviewer, very few of the works are split into tracks - Mikrokosmos is divided into 7 for each of its six volumes, and to accomodate for a full CD. In these seven tracks there are 121 songs. I would have much preferred if the songs had been split into tracks. Almost the entire CD set is this way - Fifteen Hungarian Songs is one track, Fourteen Bagatelles, etc. It is very annoying when one wants to hear a particular song in those tracks and not the others.

Another detriment to the collection is the recording quality. It is decent most of the time, but in loud sections the piano buzzes. One might be able to ignore it, but I think that it detracts from the passion of the forte quite a bit.

Overall, for $18 it is pretty decent, but if you are like me and like to keep your music library neatly organized (and aren't extremely cheap), I would not recommend this set.

eeh, I guess I don't like Bartok that much.......2006-07-25

I like the fact that Bartok is into the folk tradition and all, but he just tends to forget the fact that melody has to be SOMEWHERE in the music. I'm all for creative expression when you're sitting alone at the piano, but abstract music should be reserved for performance art. I like playing some of your stuff Bela, but I just don't want to listen to you.

Best classical value out there.......2005-10-05

To put this set in perspective, for months I would go to my local Tower Records fishing for worthwhile classical CDs at least once a week. One of the discs that sat in the bins the longest was a single CD of Bartok piano music, played by Zoltan Kocsis. It was Volume 7 of a complete series. This CD listed for $17.99, and as long as I went to that Tower Records, it did not budge an inch, nor was its price amended.

Now, Kocsis is one of the greatest pianists alive, and if anyone is worthy of commanding a premium, it is him. And to be fair, that CD is going to be re-released on October 11 as part of a Collector's Edition - eight CDs, $63.97 MSRP. But it's already going up against this little gem, which contains five CDs with all of the truly great solo-piano works by an internationally recognized Bartok specialist for $21 - not much more than the cost of one CD from the other set. This kind of value is not to be taken lightly.

I came to this set with my impression of Sandor informed by his complete Prokofiev - ultra-hard, sometimes rhythmically slack, always melodically lacking in some way or another. But he held a very special feeling for Bartok, and saved his best playing for the great Hungarian. In passages like the first of the Three Csik Dances, the opening of the Improvisations Op. 20, or in the Ten Easy Pieces, there is a simplicity, charm and wistful homesickness that is quite touching. In pieces like the Out of Doors suite, the Sonata, or the Burlesques, there is a vicious, impulsive energy, a wicked sense of humor and an overabundance of overtones. It is never mindless, inappropriate or even overly harsh - it's just very, very loud.

In this set I like best the endless landscape of the Sonatina, the unusual colors and fragrances in the Etudes, the brilliantly conceived Bear Dance (the last of the Ten Easy Pieces), and the multifaceted, complex, gorgeous Improvisations. Any fan of Bartok should hear these.

5 Stars for the music and performance.......2005-04-04

This is a fantastic deal, but the problem with this Collection stems from the fact that the pieces are often not separated by tracks. This is especially annoying for the Children's Pieces and Mikrokosmos. There are so many pieces, one wears out the fast forward button and still may miss the particular piece one is looking for. The booklet is fairly insightful, and the performer is widely hailed as the supreme interpreter of Bartok's piano music. So aside from this slightly annoying at times and ridiculously annoying at other times flaw, this is one of the best deals in Classical music. Don't hesitate. Add it to the cart.

Average customer rating: Great for Kid's Christmas Programs Kids music

Christmas Carols Cedarmont Kids Manufacturer: Cedarmont Kids ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Christian Contemporary Music | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Styles | Music Sing-A-Longs | Children's Music | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Children's Music | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Holiday Music | Miscellaneous | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Holiday Music | Miscellaneous | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music Children's Music | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music Under $7 | Today's Deals | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Christmas Favorites Sunday School Songs Action Bible Songs Hymns Songs of Praise ASIN: B00000DPKG Release Date: 2000-11-14

Tracks:

1. Joy To The World!
2. The First Noel
3. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
4. Silent Night! Holy Night!
5. We Three Kings
6. Angels We Have Heard On High
7. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
8. I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
9. O Come All Ye Faithful
10. Good Christian Men, Rejoice
11. How Great Our Joy!
12. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
13. Away In A Manger
14. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
15. O Come, Little Children
16. Joy To The World!
17. The First Noel
18. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
19. Silent Night! Holy Night!
20. We Three Kings
21. Angels We Have Heard On High
22. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
23. I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
24. O Come All Ye Faithful
25. Good Christian Men, Rejoice
26. How Great Our Joy!
27. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
28. Away In A Manger
29. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
30. O Come, Little Children

Product Description

BRAND NEW, sealed, includes the original CD, case, and paperwork, First Class shipped, ask me for my CD List or more Titles to combine shipping!M

Customer Reviews:

Great for Kid's Christmas Programs.......2007-01-15

The children loved these songs and they were easy to teach and to use, especially with the split tracks.

Kids music.......2007-01-12

This is a great cd for kids. I bought one for my children for Christmas and they love it. The songs are fun, upbeat, and timeless.

Average customer rating: Much Anticipated A Taste of Heaven The Energizer Bunny Great Seasonal Album The Most Beautiful Sounds I Have Ever Heard

Songs of Angels - Christmas Hymns and Carols Robert Shaw , and Robert Shaw Chamber Singers Manufacturer: Telarc ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Blues | Styles | Music Texas Blues | Regional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Piano | Blues | Styles | Music All Works by Holst | Holst, Gustav | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Holiday Music | Miscellaneous | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Holiday Music | Miscellaneous | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Easy Listening | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music Opera & Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music $7 - $10 | Today's Deals | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: A Festival Of Carols / Robert Shaw Chorale A Robert Shaw Christmas - Angels on High O Come All Ye Faithful: Christmas Carols at King's College, Cambridge A Festival of Carols in Brass The Many Moods of Christmas (1963 RCA Victor Version) Robert Shaw Chorale and Orchestra ASIN: B000003D0G Release Date: 1994-10-18

Tracks:

1. God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
2. Angels We Have Heard On High
3. O Come, O Come Emmanuel
4. How Unto Bethlehem?
5. The Boar's Head Carol
6. O Tannenbaum
7. Masters In This Hall
8. My Dancing Day
9. Away In A Manger
10. Good Christian Men, Rejoice
11. The Holly And The Ivy
12. Good King Wenceslas
13. Wassail Song
14. Bring A Torch, Jeannette, Isabella
15. Fum, Fum, Fum
16. Mary Had A Baby
17. Hacia Belen Va Un Borrico
18. Christ Was Born On Christmas Day
19. March Of The Kings
20. Coventry Carol
21. Deck The Halls
22. The Cherry Tree Carol
23. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
24. Toruo-Louro-Louro!
25. So Blest A Sight
26. I Saw Three Ships
27. What Child Is This?
28. Susanni
29. In The Bleak Midwinter

Customer Reviews:

Much Anticipated.......2007-01-26

I have been looking for this CD for years!! Our family had a Shaw Chorale LP which contained almost all the songs on this CD. We had a number of excellent holiday albums and played all of them often, but we wore the Shaw Chorale album out! Not only are the musical renditions excellent and very similar to earlier Shaw recordings, the nostalgia evoked for this listener is incomparable!

A Taste of Heaven.......2007-01-18

I received this recording on cassette from a choral teacher, and played it so often that I wore it out! I especially appreciate the purity of sound and the arrangements in this recording. Lovers of choral music will feel as though "Songs of Angels" brings them a taste of heaven!

The Energizer Bunny.......2007-01-18

Alas that Robert Shaw is no longer with us. Throughout his long and varied career he gave us choral music with exactness,good pacing,and proper execution though not all musicologists would chose his renditions.
In "Songs of Angels" recorded in 1994 he shows us that even in later years he just kept going and going. Giving us stellar performances of masterpieces such as "Elijah","The Creation" and other large choral works. Yet in this album he shows the same attention to detail and
enraptures us with that special beauty of tone and ensemble which was
was to be Shaw's watermark on his life's offering.

Great Seasonal Album.......2006-01-16

This is one of the most impressive period albums I own. Wonderful for the holiday season. Will miss it during the rest of the year.

The Most Beautiful Sounds I Have Ever Heard.......2003-02-04

A fluid and seamless piece of heaven that transcends all classical and holiday music. This is an OUTSTANDING non-traditional Holiday CD!!! Many voices come together as one in these enchanting verses sung in languages other than English. It is just enough language mix to appease and intrigue the soul but not too much so that the listener does not understand the lyrics. For example, the English verse is sung then a verse in German and then back to English. Emmanuel is written this way. Other languages include French (Angels we Have Heard on High) and even Catalan which is a dialect of Spain.

Several of the songs were not traditional Holiday songs (at least for my generation), yet they were intriguing to learn and now I feel I know them just like the traditional ones. This CD offers a healthy mix of traditional and non-traditional songs on this CD.

If you can picture the most beautiful sounds you have ever heard you can come close to the joy this CD will bring you. It is February and I can't stop listening to it. You will not regret purchasing it&the only regret you may have is not buying all of Robert Shaw's holiday CDs.

I am writing this review to share the joy with you!

Average customer rating: 1st purchase with Amazon Relaxing and Enjoyable Music lover Brickman's best yet - Sending us all a little Christmas! GRAMMY NOMINATED FOR GOOD REASON

Peace Jim Brickman Manufacturer: RCA Victor ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | New Age | Styles | Music Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | New Age General | New Age | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music Similar Items: The Gift Grace Jim Brickman - Greatest Hits The Disney Songbook Escape ASIN: B0000ABGD4 Release Date: 2003-09-23

Tracks:

1. We Three Kings
2. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
3. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
4. Early Snowfall
5. Do You Hear What I Hear?
6. Away In A Manger
7. Rejoice (O Come, O Come Emmanuel)
8. O Holy Night
9. Jingle Bells
10. God Rest Ye Merry Christmas
11. Sending You A Little Christmas
12. Blessings
13. Peace (Where The Heart Is)

Amazon.com

Peace, Jim Brickman's second collection of holiday-themed music, is largely a mirror image of his first (The Gift, released in 1997). Both feature a mix of solo piano works, augmented piano selections (involving oboe, strings, synthesizers, a pop-jazz ensemble, or some combination thereof) and glossy, radio-ready pop vocal productions. To some ears, the polished sheen of the vocal tracks (four are included) may infringe on the more contemplative mood of Brickman's instrumental tracks, the way a city's after-dark glow can seep into your view of a deep night sky's canopy of stars. Still, as with The Gift, Peace is an attractive mood-setter for the season. Brickman's best arrangements will resonate with a listener's introspective sensibilities. "Jingle Bells," "Away in a Manger," and "We Three Kings," for instance, all receive slow-building, reflective treatments that might prod you into pondering deeper meanings. A pair of nonholiday originals, "Early Snowfall" and "Blessings," achieve the same heart-nudging effect. As for the vocals, The Blind Boys of Alabama reinforce the finger-snapping, muted-trumpet, `40s-swing vibe of "Let It Snow;" Kristy Starling takes a sweetly romantic turn on "Sending You a Little Christmas;" and country's Collin Raye (also featured on The Gift) earnestly conveys the clear-eyed optimism of the title track. --Terry Wood

Album Description

2003 Christmas album featuring a mix of traditional and contemporary holiday songs, with guests such as The Blind Boys Of Alabama, Anne Cochran, Kristy Starling & Collin Raye. Includes the bonus track 'Peace (Where The Heart Is)'. BMG.

Customer Reviews:

1st purchase with Amazon.......2007-01-31

Decided to "surf" for CD that I wanted to purchase. Went to Amazon for the first time since I was told by friends that it was an easy site to use. WOW! Were they ever right!!! Finding what I wanted & purchasing it were easy & quite refreshing after having stood in many a line at Xmas for other purchases. I will certainly be using your site in the future!

Relaxing and Enjoyable.......2007-01-09

Wonderful music. Simple joy just listening to it. This man knows how to play piano. Loved it.

Music lover.......2005-12-08

This is an all-time great Christmas album! It is almost perfect. The best song is "Rejoice" - probably the most ethereal, beautiful 4 minutes of music you can find! Jim Brickman has a real knack for making classic songs sound new and fresh but without going over the top. Perfection!!

Brickman's best yet - Sending us all a little Christmas!.......2004-03-14

Jim Brickman's second holiday CD, not just an incredible work worthy of a Grammy nomination, will also carry with it his patriotic efforts, as fans remember his farewell shows for the USO and CD distribution to the departing troops. Kristy Starling, who sings "Sending You a Little Christmas" and Jeff Timmons (of 98 Degrees) joined Jim for several farewell shows for deploying troops during the holidays. The USO named that song as its theme, CDs were distributed to the troops, and many soldiers and their families seemed pleased with the sendoff.

Jim's beautiful renditions of traditional favorites like "We Three Kings", "Hark the Herald Angels Sing", "Away In a Manger", "O Holy Night", "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "Rejoice" lend such beauty to the season. "Do You Hear What I Hear?" with Tracy Scott Silverman's electric violin and Anne Cochrane's lovely voice ... if you've ever seen them perform this live in concert, well, it's a very special treat."

The title track, "Peace ... Where the Heart Is" is superbly performed by Colin Raye, who vocalized on "The Gift" with Susan Ashton on Jim's previous holiday CD. The Blind Boys of Alabama do a nice job of "Let It Snow"

Having seen Jim's live performances (and some are available on DVD: My Romance, and Love Songs and Lullabies), the CD is a wonderful way to close your eyes and re-live that show.

"Early Snowfall" was a favorite of mine ... original and accoustically descriptive, as Jim's native Ohio background sparks his creativity. "Blessings" was exactly my feeling about this collection ... each song was a blessing to enjoy from "America's Newest Romantic Piano Sensation"

GRAMMY NOMINATED FOR GOOD REASON.......2003-12-30

I saw Jim on TODAY show and had to explore his music. Peace is an amazing piece of work and deserves the Grammy. I can't wait to hear the rest of his albums. You listen to his work and you feel like you've known him for years. Such a personal gift this album is!

Average customer rating: Nice music but... Great CD A Noble and Festive Christmas Meat and Potatoes Totally Awesome

A Festival of Carols in Brass Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Holiday Music | Miscellaneous | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Holiday Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: A Christmas Festival Joy to the World - Eugene Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra A Festival Of Carols / Robert Shaw Chorale Songs of Angels - Christmas Hymns and Carols O Come All Ye Faithful: Christmas Carols at King's College, Cambridge ASIN: B0000024Q6 Release Date: 1991-07-16

Tracks:

1. Deck The Halls With Broughs Of Holly
2. Lo, How A Rose E're Blooming
3. Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
4. The First Nowell
5. Angels We Have Hard On High
6. We Three Kings Of Oreint Are
7. O Come, All Ye Faithful
8. O Sanctissima
9. O Tannenbaum
10. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
11. Good King Weceslas
12. Silent Night, Holy Night
13. Joy To the World
14. The Twelve Days Of Christmas
15. Conventry Carol
16. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
17. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
18. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
19. Good Christian Men Rejoice
20. O Holy Night
21. What Child Is This?
22. Wassial Song
23. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
24. Away In A Manger
25. We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Customer Reviews:

Nice music but..........2007-03-08

I liked the music and the performances a lot, but there is no booklet to depict the performers, nor analyse the music or the arrangements, which are superb

Great CD.......2007-02-16

This is a great holiday CD. We used it for several holiday dinners this year.

A Noble and Festive Christmas.......2007-01-21

This is the best Christmas album you could ever get. It is the most stable as you do not have to think about it. This is the album you really sing along to. Brass makes everything festive, grand and noble; so will your Christmas! A gem for every year!

Meat and Potatoes.......2007-01-18

Since the release of this fine recording in 1967 there have been many fine
brass groups:The Canadian Brass, the Empire Brass, just to name a few.
Whereas these latter groups have all resorted to "gimmicks" such as unique arrangements to sell their albums this group of brass players from the Philadelphia Orchestra give us an album of good old "meat and potatoes" playing spiced with fine tone,good ensemble playing, and good tempos.

Totally Awesome.......2007-01-12

I love listening to this cd at christmas. The brass is so crisp, almost like being right there. You have to add this to your holiday collection, and for those of you who like brass, you will love it. I play the french horn and I esp. love hearing the french horn in it.

Meditation Music:

1. The Road Less Traveled
2. The White Arcades
3. The Wire: 20 Years 1982-2002 [Box set] [Import]
4. Towards Higher Conciousness
5. Tribal Echoes
6. Trilogy [Box set]
7. Wings of Dawn
8. Worship from Denmark [Live]
9. AlphaKardia Relaxation System: 01 "In the Heart"
10. Angel's Songs

Meditation Music

meditation music

Meditation Music

Evidence [Import]

Kupferman: The Proscenium

Real Live Woman

Music: Piano Works: Music of Abyss; Insectarum; Etc

One Night Stand (1994 Film) [Soundtrack]

Private Parts

News of the World [Gold CD]

Opus Oil Slick # Same Said

Omo Wunmi

Mountain King

Places to Visit [EP]

Light from the East

Music from Beyond

1944-45

Cultivation