Search - Felix [1] Mendelssohn, Christmas Traditional, John Francis Wade :: Enchanted Carols

Far From The Beaten Paths

Nicholas Croft | New York | 12/06/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The recordings of mechanical instruments, featured on this disk, come from the collection of Roy Mickleburgh. The collection was sold off after Roy's death, but many fine recordings were produced before the instruments were dispersed.Instruments featured on 'Enchanted Carols' include: Victorian Music Boxes, Handbells, Barrel Organs, Street Pianos and Church Bells.During Christmas time, we are often bombarded by a variety of holiday music. Sadly, few recordings we are likely to hear while shopping, will capture the same inventive and whimsical spirit evoked in these works.Indeed, to maintain any sense of reverence for the holiday at all, in our rabid globally driven market economy, it may be wise to go beyond the well trodden paths and explore unorthodox musical territory.'Enchanted Carols' remains a first rate example of the possible fruits in choosing such an oblique strategy for the Holiday."

Not just machinery

John H. Kilbourne | New York, NY United States | 11/27/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"just to note that there are also choirs and handbells on this disc, at least on my vinyl version, which I suspect is the same, so the disc is indeed more enchanted than might be inferred from descriptions of just mechanical instruments. Lovely and nostalgic indeed. It seems to capture the spirit, without the commerciaization.



JK"

Like walking into an old time department store

Hammen | Seattle, WA United States | 12/30/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"very nice sounds from seldom-heard instruments. All together, the results provide the sort of vague, whistful nostalgia for Christmas as you might get from a flickery silent movie."