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A Christmas Orchestra And Chorus Must have

rodney wiltin | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | 08/25/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This christmas cd of ARTHUR FIEDLER AND THE BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA is a most recommended christmas cd to own for the holidays. Despite the simple packaging with no liner notes inside or anything, it's the christmas music you want this cd for and it's christmas music played at the most professioanal level that you'll get.



This is my favorite christmas release of the BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA (there's tons of releases over the years and decades under various conductors - ARTHUR FIELDER being the most noteable one and it is he who conducts all the tracks here). What makes this release so special and above any other BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA christmas release is that it's all christmasy. Other releases seem to have a couple of songs here and there that lack a real true christmas atmosphere but this release doesn't lack anything in terms of the christmas spirit.



Some real great versions (always among the greatest version if not the absolute greatest version) of various christmas songs are on this cd such as ARTHUR FIELDER AND THE BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA'S most famous and greatest christmas song, SLEIGHRIDE (the most classic version and perhaps the greatest version ever recorded - and I'm referring to the LEROY ANDERSON version as there are two very different versions of SLEIGHRIDE on this cd, the other being a more classical styled version but still very great), WINTER WONDERLAND (again, perhaps the greatest version ever recorded), and maybe the greatest versions of RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER and SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN.



The last three songs (one in medley form) are with the BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA but a CHORUS also sings on them (with ARTHUR FIEDLER conducting). Of course, they remain true to the above instrumentals as they are among the greatest versions to the greatest versions of the songs ever recorded. O CHRISTMAS TREE is just fantastic as is I SAW THREE SHIPS, and SILENT NIGHT.



I only wish ARTHUR FIEDLER AND THE BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA'S 1959 version of WHITE CHRISTMAS was on this cd as it's such a powerful take of the song, one of the best if not the best version of the song ever recorded (at least SLEIGHRIDE was included, though, and would have to be due to the reason I noted above). But the songs actually chosen for this cd still make up for it, it's just such a great christmas cd, one I put on often during the christmas season



If you're looking for some very good christmas music from yesteryear (1950's/1960's), then this is it. If you like the LIVING STRINGS, ADNRE KOSTELANETZ, PERCY FAITH, HENRY MANCINI, etc.... then you'll most likely enjoy this as well, perhaps even more than those I just named as this cd is really just that good. Excellent background christmas music as well for when you have guests over during the christmas holidays.



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