Search - Hampton String Quartet :: What If Mozart Wrote, 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas'

My favorite Christmas CD

Cara Rickel | Florida | 08/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My parents picked up this recording when I was a child and it became for me the quintessential Christmas music. Several years after I moved out on my own I begged them for the tape to make a copy (shh, don't tell) and to my horror discovered that it had been lost. I moped for years and spent quite a bit of time trying to track it down to no avail. Then I discovered it here on Amazon and have been made happy again. It is such a refreshing change from traditional Christmas music (which I also love) and even as I write this review in August, the tunes play in my mind. Get this CD and you won't regret it--I promise. This is the first and probably only review I'll ever make and it's all in honor of my favorite CD in my collection."

Pleasant change-up in your holiday music

Z. Spencer | CA United States | 12/01/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A cute little christmas album.



If you like lite classical or classical pop, you'll probably get a real kick out of this quaint little 1986 offering by the Hampton String Quartet. The arrangements are all offered in a serious way - what if all these Xmas tunes were given a classical string quartet arrangement? The efforts range from the predictable to the outstanding (The faux-fugal arrangement of DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR? is a high point).



The MOZART in the title is somewhat misleading, though. Warren Schatz (producer) attempts different classical styles (in his wish for "The perfect Christmas album") besides old "Wolfy." WHITE CHRISTMAS is a bit more Beethoven-y than Mozartian, and THE CHRISTMAS SONG is definately in a Debussey vein.



If you can find this one for a decent price, snap it up.



Originally on the RCA Red Seal Digital label."

HSQ Does Christmas (again)

J. Glasser | New Jersey | 12/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you liked the original "What If Mozart Wrote 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas'"

by The Hampton String Quartet on the RCA Red Label, you'll love the digital re-recording of many of these tunes by the original artists, The Hampton String Quartet, on "HSQ Does Christmas (again)."



This new recording ( Sept., 2005) by HSQ features eight favorites from the "What If Mozart" album ("Frosty," "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," "The Christmas Song," "Rudolph," "White Christmas," "The Little Drummer Boy," "Winter Wonderland," and "Let It Snow"), plus three new arrangements ("O Little Town of Bethlehem," "Greensleeves" and " "We Wish You A Merry Little Christmas").



The CD is available on the web at the MonaLisaSound.com website and on Amazon. You'll also find three rock CDs by the original rock string quartet, The Hampton String Quartet. "Take No Prisoners," the latest CD, is HSQ at its best - "Sweet Dreams Are Made of This," "Paint It Black" and "Heartbreaker" are just a few of the standouts on this CD. Have fun!"