American Folk Songs for Xmas

American Folk Songs for Xmas

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
American Folk Songs for Christmas amounts to an extraordinary and large collection of unvarnished American folk songs sung and played by the Seeger family with help from British friends and folksinger-playwright Ewan MacColl and daughter Kitty. Unassuming and full of old-fashioned good times, this CD's simple pleasures are derived from gospel music and lost carols, mountain hymns, a sprinkling of popular standards, spirituals, and such "earthy" instruments as the concertina, fiddle, piano, dulcimer, banjo, jaw harp, whistle and plain-singing human voices and joyous handclaps. The disc's panoramic look into Christmas from another time and place is just right for those caught up in today's "simplicity" movement where less is definitely more--or for anyone wanting to get out from under the oppressive weight of so much commercialized product. Recommended. --Martin Keller

Tracks:

Sanctus
Ave Maria
Panis Angelicus
O Divine Redeemer
The Holy City
Amazing Grace
Greensleeves
Let's Us Break Bread Together
I Wonder As I Wander
Sweet Little Jesus Boy
Gesu Bambino

Customer Reviews:

How sweet the sound!.......2003-01-23

Heaven must be missing an angel because she's here with us-singing on this disc. This is arguably one of the most beautiful recordings of sacred music ever made. Ms. Norman brings a lifetime of experience to this genre-she joined her church choir at 4! The warm acoustics make you feel like you are sitting in your favorite pew-albeit with a magnificent vocalist in the choirloft. Jessye has conquered the world's opera houses in the most demanding roles-one of which garnered her a fifty-five minute standing ovation (Salzberg). But she is most resplendent in the music of her youth. The majestic voice soars over the orchestra and chorus to deliver the full beauty of the music. Ms. Norman also performs selections with organ accompaniment-appropiate since her voice has often been compared to the king of instruments-"with all the stops pulled out"! You will hear why she is one of the most acclaimed recitalists of our time. Her expansive vocal range encompasses every nuance of the music heard here. We are taken on a journey through the entire spectrum of the category starting with a classical Mass, moving through an American spiritual and finishing with a Christmas carol that will keep you in a festive mood year 'round. Amoung the gems on this disc is an Ave Maria sung in German and arguably the most powerful solo recorded performance of "The Holy City" ever. If you want to hear what the heavenly choir sounds like before entering the pearly gates-listen to this disc. Brava Jessye!

breathtaking!.......1999-03-22

The Sanctus, and the Holy City will send chills down your spine! Absolutey Breathtaking.

incredibly moving.......1999-02-25

I was listening to the local public radio station when they played the Sanctus and I literally had to drive off the road to listen it was so powerfyl and moving. Jessye Norman is a national treasure.

Average customer rating:

My favorite Christmas recording -- ever.
As traditional as you get these days
The best of American folk songs for Christmas

American Folk Songs for Christmas
Mike Seeger , Peggy Seeger , and Penny Seeger
Manufacturer: Rounder Select
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Old-Time Country | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Pop Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Rounder Records | Specialty Stores | Music

Traditional Country | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Singer Songwriters | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Pop Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:

American Folk Songs For Children
Animal Folk Songs for Children
Carols for All Seasons
Ballads from Her Appalachian Family Tradition
American Folksongs For Children

ASIN: B0000002JF
Release Date: 1992-09-16

Tracks:

Stars in the Heaven
Oh, Watch the Stars
Great Big Stars
Shine Like a Star in the Morning
Bright Morning Stars are Rising
Rise Up, Shepherd and Follow
Sheperd, Shepherd
Don't You Hear the Lambs a-Crying
Found My Lost Sheep
Look Away to Bethlehem
How Many Miles to Bethlehem?
Jehovah Hallelujah
Joseph and Mary
A Virgin Most Pure
Baby Born Today
Go Tell it on the Mountain
Sheperds, Rejoice
The New-Born Baby
Oh, Mary and the Baby Lamb
Star in the East
Babe of Bethlehem
Child of God
Cradle Hymn
Ain't That a-Rocking All Night
Sing-a-Lamb
Mary, What You Going to Name That Pretty Little Baby?
Sing Hallelu
Mary Had a Baby

Tracks:

Jesus Borned in Bethlea
Wasn't That a Might Day
January, February The Last Month of the Year
Poor Little Jesus
Heard From Heaven Today
'Twas a Wonder in Heaven
Mariner's Hymn
O Mary, Where is Your Baby?
Yonder Comes Sister Mary
The Blessing of mary
Awake
Exultation
Children of the Heavenly King
Singing in the Land
Rejoice My Friends
The Twelve Apostles
Holy Babe
Twelve Days of Christmas
The Angel Band
Almost day
Heaven Bell Ring
A mInce Pie or a Pudding
Christmas Day in the Morning
Turkey Run Away
Breaking up Christmas

Amazon.com

American Folk Songs for Christmas amounts to an extraordinary and large collection of unvarnished American folk songs sung and played by the Seeger family with help from British friends and folksinger-playwright Ewan MacColl and daughter Kitty. Unassuming and full of old-fashioned good times, this CD's simple pleasures are derived from gospel music and lost carols, mountain hymns, a sprinkling of popular standards, spirituals, and such "earthy" instruments as the concertina, fiddle, piano, dulcimer, banjo, jaw harp, whistle and plain-singing human voices and joyous handclaps. The disc's panoramic look into Christmas from another time and place is just right for those caught up in today's "simplicity" movement where less is definitely more--or for anyone wanting to get out from under the oppressive weight of so much commercialized product. Recommended. --Martin Keller

Customer Reviews:

My favorite Christmas recording -- ever........2007-01-16

In the 1940s composer/folklorist Ruth Crawford Seeger assembled a collection of traditional American Christmas songs from Library of Congress field recordings, old manuscripts and WPA collections into a landmark book, "American Folk Songs for Christmas". There weren't the carols you hear in the shopping mall, but the songs found deep in Anglo- and African-American traditions, and they were wondrous. In the 1980s Seeger's children, Mike, Peggy and Penny Seeger, all accomplished performers of traditional songs, got together with their families (including Peggy's husband, the British folk giant Ewan MacColl) to record all of the songs in their mother's book. The result is magnificent; the musicians arranged the songs in various styles, ranging from unaccompanied solos and groups to full-on string-band settings. The songs will mostly be new to you, the spirit infectious, the overall effect delightful -- whether you're a Christian or not, these songs are among the treasures of our culture, and the performances are exemplary. I recommend this set wholeheartedly -- in fact, the one I'm reviewing is the second copy I've bought, as a gift for a family in Italy who have shared their Christmas traditions with us.

As traditional as you get these days.......2004-09-10

Ruth Crawford Seeger was a folk music fanatic who compiled a series of books, one of which was devoted to Christmas songs. It is from that book that the album title and all but two of the tracks are taken (the liner notes do not say which two), although some of the tracks are not performed exactly as Ruth described.

Three of Ruth's children (Mike, Peggy and Penny Seeger), four of her grandchildren (Sonya Cohen, Calum MacColl, Kitty MacColl and Kim Seeger) and Ewan MacColl, father of Calum and Kitty (their mother was Peggy), took part in the project. Note that Kitty MacColl must not be confused with Kirsty MacColl, a daughter of Ewan MacColl by a previous marriage. Kirsty, of course, was a brilliant singer in her own right and I've already reviewed Galore, the best compilation of her music.

The songs, mostly unfamiliar, are sequenced to tell the Christmas story. The first eleven tracks are about stars, shepherds, sheep and a journey to Bethlehem, so - you must wait till track fifteen (Baby born today) to actually hear about the birth. You will surely recognize Go tell it on the mountain and Twelve days of Christmas. I also recognized Christmas day in the morning, though it is rarely recorded these days.

There is variety in the arrangements - some solo, some duets and some choral - with various instruments being used, or sometimes none at all. Some of the instruments do not strictly fit the traditional concept of the album but the overall feel of the album is very traditional.

Unless you are really into traditional folk music, you may find that two and a half hours is more than you want of it in one session (you may prefer to play one CD then play other music before playing the other CD), but there is no denying the quality of the performances here.

The only other Christmas album I have that is comparable is Maddy Prior's Carols and capers. If you enjoy that album, give this a listen. And if you haven't heard that but you enjoy this, give Maddy Prior a listen.

The best of American folk songs for Christmas.......2000-11-13

This album contains 53 American folk songs for Christmas from Ruth Crawford Seeger's work as performed by her children Mike, Penny and Penny Seeger and their families. (Yes, these are half siblings to Pete Seeger). The children have taken liberties in the sense of not trying to recreate traditional performances or replicate the piano version of their mother on other instruments. However, all of them are primarily folk musicians so the album is definately "folk".

Instrumentation varies - piano, bowed psaltery, slide guitar, guitar, mandolin, dulcimer, concertina, fiddle, autoharp ... The voicing also varies - solo pieces, duets, and "the whole shebang". The performances are of consistently high quality - with a love of the material shining through.

In listening to the album, the first thing that is noted is the volume of the songs that concern the stars - followed by lambs and pure rejoicing.