Classic Christmas recordings from Eugene Ormandy
John O'Neill | Alpharetta, GA | 11/09/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This out of print, but readily available, CD is a wonderful collection to pick up if you can find it. It is not a straight reissue of either 1962's "Glorious Sound of Christmas" or the 1964 follow up "A Christmas Festival" but rather a compilation of sixteen tracks pulled from the two LPs: eight from each.
"O Come All Ye Faithful", "O Little Town of Bethlehem", "Deck the Halls", "The First Noel", "Hark! The Herald Angels Sings", "Joy to the World", "O Holy Night" and "Silent Night" are all from "Glorious Sounds of Christmas". "Jingle Bells", "We Three Kings", "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear", "O Tannebaum" , "Away in A Manger", "Little Drummer Boy", "Good King Wenceslas", and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" are from "A Christmas Festival" which, sadly, has never been released on CD in its entirety. So this is the only way to obtain the 8 "Christmas Festival" tracks short of finding an old LP copy.
The sound on all these vintage performances is wonderful and the playing - well, it is 1st class as you would expect from Ormandy and the Philadelphians' long and successful run with Columbia.
Please note: "The Glorious Sound of Christmas" is still available at budget price. In addition to the eight tracks listed above it also includes: "Ave Maria", "O Sanctissima", "The Worship of God", "O Come Little Children", "O Come O Come Emanuel", and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". You may want to purchase that CD from Amazon as well.
The Glorious Sound of Christmas
The four tracks from the "A Christmas Festival" LP which sadly have not yet found their way to CD are: "For Unto Us A Child Is Born", "Hallelujah Chorus", "Here We Go A Caroling", and "I Wander as I Wander"."
If you liked "Glorious Sound..."
Presbyteros | Glassboro, NJ USA | 12/20/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have always referred to this album as "Son of Glorious Sound of Christmas". I don't know if these cuts are from the same sessions, but they are almost as good, the very best material being found on "The Glorious Sound of Christmas". Same orchestra & choir, same recording venue, Arthur Harris arrangements. A nice addition is the boychoir of St. Francis de Sales RC Church, especially for those allergic to the "Oxbridge" choir sound (I'm not, but many are). If you find it on Amazon, go for it, because it's a little hard to find."