4 comments about Elisabeth Schwarzkopf - The Christmas Album.

1. There are hundreds of classical Christmas-themed albums by now but none exceeds this one for sheer joy and pleasure. Originally released as a mono Lp in the 1950's with a non-seasonal title, it reappeared on CD for the first time in stereo for Christmas. The last cut is actually an Easter offering, but no matter, this is perfect seasonal entertainment.
   Schwarzkopf is warm, polylingual and technically impressive. Sir Charles Mackerras on one of his earliest albums does splendid work as both arranger and conductor. Star peformers like Julian Bream and Denis Vaughn turn up like tinsel on a glittering tree. But ultimately what matters is the spirited music-making in excellent sound. No allowances need be made for its age.
   This disc comes out every year with the ornaments, and lights up the holidays every year.
   A truly great recording!



2. I bought this album after hearing the arrangement of "Stille Nacht" (Silent Night) which is full of Austrian charm. (You get it twice on this album with the duet version finishing the disc.)
   Mackerras's arrangements are wonderful, a good blend of sacred and secular material, and unfamiliar songs like Humperdinck's "Weihnachten" and "In einem kuhlen Grunde" are performed impeccably by madame Schwarzkopf.



3. If you are a fan of Madame Schwarzkopf, you will not be dissuaded from buying this dismal CD. The arrangements are fine, Charles Mackerras' conducting uniformly competent, the sound OK for an album originally recorded in 1957.
   
   The only thing missing is a great voice as the centerpiece. Schwarzkopf is one of history's most overrated singers and this album demonstrates her monumental shortcomings. Her voice is small, uniformly poorly supported, and lacking in any exceptional beauty. She resorts to straight tone and scooping to reach and maintain any note near the top of the staff or beyond mezzo piano. Her high note at the end of "Vom Himmel hoch" is truly excruciating.
   
   There is a real "Florence Foster Jenkins" element to her singing that shows up in every cut. I feel certain that if you played a few excerpts from this album for someone who had a good ear for singing, but was unfamiliar with Schwarzkopf, their reaction would be one of indifference. Schwarzkopf sounds like the best singer in a small local choir, but the idea that she was a world famous singer, applauded by millions, is an alarming testament to the art of selling an artist to the masses whose fame far outreached her talent.



4. I'm not write very well in english, but I'll try to share my opinion of this great cd, especially, about the Schwarzkopf's performance.
   Some people think that the voice is small, but I'm not agree with that opinion because Schwarzkopf -with her stylish art- sings diferent, for example, in "Stille Nacht", sweetly and all most in piano, than "Panis Angelicus", piece singing with more power and intensity.
   Her performance is in armony with the text, caracter and style of each song. Also, her voice is clear and full. In 1957, she was in perfectly form. In a few words, her colocation is perfect, her sounds are beauty, the dinamics are used with inteligence, the respiration is amazing, the articulacion is excellente, the vibrato is used with moderation -not like other singers, and after all, the colour of her voice is rich.

4 comments about A Very Special Christmas.

1. While some of these videos are great (and some decidedly mediocre), it is notable that the audio is in mono. The special olympics website about the DVD has artists' names spelled incorrectly.
   
   While it is a worthy cause, this is NOT a great product and my suggestion is to avoid it until something better is available. Stereo tracks for all the audio is clearly available, so to release this collection in mono is baffling.
   
   I plan to try to return my copy to Amazon, as this is clearly subpar.



2. I know this was a compilation for a charity, but it was too varied for me. My suggestion would be to do one in a mild version and one in the hip-hop, wilder version. I could not show this at my Christmas party because of the wilder nature of some of the video!! After all, it is Christmas, not Spring Break!!



3. hey guys,
   I love it.For any Jon fan it's a must have.I really enjoyed the U2 video too.GO OUT AND,GET THIS FOR NEXT CHRISTMAS!!
   Thank you,
   Sheila Lance



4. a very interesting dvd - but i think there a too less songs. there are so much more xmas songs and a dvd would offer more place.

5 comments about Merry Christmas.

1. I can't even begin to be rational about this cd. I first heard it as a child when my parents would play it every year at christmas. Yes, I'm old enough to talk about a classic - it was an album that my parents played for me. In fact, I still expect to hear a skip in "I'll be home for Christmas". Since then, I've owned this "album" as a tape and now a CD.

   For many of these Christmas songs on this album, Johnny Mathis's version is the standard. I can enjoy and appreciate the new versions of these songs, but this CD is the cornerstone of my Christmas collection.




2. ...in order to really feel any affection for this recording, in my opinion. Otherwise, this Christmas classic definitely shows its age. The young Mathis voice was nasal, not as high as some like to mention, but not yet rich, either. But, this was the first Christmas recording for the venerable Mathis, the people who are old enough to have bought the first one on vinyl love it. And it's true enough, the more familiar songs are here, although "Deck The Halls" remains sadly absent.

   To experience the voice of a more mature Mathis, buy Give Me Your Love For Christmas, with great Ernie Freeman arrangements, or listen to a couple of the songs on this recording get a fresh touch on the new Mathis recording, The Christmas Album.




3. I first heard this album on 8-track. I remember hearing it for the first time while decorating a tree over 25 years ago. I have not had a Christmas to date without it. The entire album has the feeling of Christmases long ago. The orchestra along with Johnny's voice makes you feel comfy and warm. You can count on hearing at least one of the songs on this album while your doing your christmas shopping. Everyone loves this album, and I am buying 2 for my children to have when they leave home.



4. This is my favorite Christmas CD of all time. It is the one I pull out and play above all others. It is Christmas to me. I like all the songs on it which isn't likely on most Christmas CD's. I hope they keep releasing it as I will keep buying it for others to enjoy.



5. What more can I say but this is a wonderful Christmas CD that has stood the test of time with Johnny Mathis. He is certainly one of the best in the industry. I especially enjoyed his rendition of 'Winter Wonderland" with the Percy Faith Orchestra. Good listening in time for the holidays!

5 comments about These Are Special Times.

1. I like the CD. Celine is nice and mellow for Christmas. I didn't know there was also a DVD included. I was surprised to see that there are different songs on the DVD. They are not the same ones as on the Christmas CD.



2. One of the best Xmas CD there are. Beautiful. Awesome. Great. I bought it a number of years ago but I wanted to see the DVD that goes with it. Great. Really good.



3. This is a must-have collection specialy for Celine's fans.Great Christmas music and the holiday performance live in this DVD.I like the part where Celine visited Charlemagne and recalled her humble beginnings.The only thing is suggest/wished that the DVD covers from the entire concert and there was no cuts,although the highlights were there.If we watch any of Celine's performance,it should be to the max.Otherwise,DO NOT miss this collection.



4. This is the most excellent album specially for holiday.
   
   I love Celine so much!



5. This album is so cozy and it's so family oriented. She actually has her family members sing with her. The Prayer became one of my favorite songs of all time as a result of Celine's duet with Andrea Bocelli. This album can be enjoyed year round.

5 comments about Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas [Original Movie Soundtrack].

1. Compliments to Gordon and the Big Phat Band. They never cease to amaze. I especially love the bonus disc with the characters singing the Christmas songs. My daughter has been hooked on it for three straight days now. Thanks Gordon for another great piece of music. I'm sending copies to my friends for their kids.



2. I'm a Jazz fan and love Gordon's previous albums. The first disc in this package, the actual soundtrack music to "Bah Humduck," is in the tradition of the old Looney Tunes scores except with a slight Phat Band twist. The additional three Phat Band takes on traditional Xmas songs are magnificent! They should consider a full album of these for next year.
   
   Disc Two is a childrens Xmas singalong CD that features a kids chorus and the voices of the Looney Tunes characters. I played this for my kids dreading that I'd have to hear this over and over throughout the holidays. Guess what? I love it!!! This is as well arranged, humorous and entertaining as any kids music I've ever heard. The kids LOVE to sing along with this in the car and (blushes) so do I!!!
   
   There's something for everyone to enjoy in this package and I can't recommend it more highly.



3. For something completely different, check out Bah HumDuck! A Looney Tunes Christmas. This is a two-disc set that features the complete score to the Cartoon Network special of the same name performed by Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, plus a "bonus" disc of Looney Tunes characters singing Christmas songs.
   
   Disc one is a whacky big band outing that probably works better as the soundtrack to a film than as a stand-alone CD, but the playing is impeccable and the music fun. Disc two features Porky Pig stuttering through "Little Drummer Boy," Speedy Gonzales on what is probably a politically incorrect "Felice Navidad," Pepe Le Pew stinking up "Jingle Bell Rock" and Bugs Bunny's tender rendition of "O Christmas Tree." Sylvester the Cat leads an all-star "12 Days of Christmas" that's a gas to figure out who's who as the days roll by (poor Elmer Fudd with his "dwummahs dwumming"), and Foghorn Leghorn, I say, Foghorn Leghorn pops up all over the place.
   
   originally published in Port Folio Weekly, 12/12/06
   copyright © 2006 Port Folio Weekly. Used by Permission



4. Warner Brothers has put out a direct-to-video Looney Tunes Christmas movie, which I have not yet watched. I love the Looney Tunes more than many men love their wives, but I'm really worried the movie will... well... suck. But even if the movie does stink, the soundtrack album is actually really good. Performed by Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, "Bah, Humduck!" is a really wonderful mix of a classic Looney Tunes score with Christmas tunes. This is the sort of stuff Carl Stalling was composing for Chuck Jones and Bob Clampett back in the Golden Days of Animation, blended together with Christmas traditionals and performed by a really swingin' jazz band. I fear I may never attempt the movie, but the soundtrack is already in heavy rotation.



5. This cd is terrific. It is composed by award winner Gordon Goodwin who won an award for his work on The Incredibles. It comes with a fun sing-a-long bonus cd as well! I enjoyed this as much or more than my kids. It's a great birthday or Christmas present for young kids. The Warner Bros. characters are hilarious on the bonus cd. I recommend this one!

5 comments about Christmas.

1. Great Christmas album. Also highly recommend his instrumental album Freedom. It's one of my all-time favorite recordings.



2. Spectacular. Still.
   I look forward to listening to this CD every Christmas season and it hasn't let me down yet. It stands virtually unparalleled for its scope and sequence.
   In a clear departure from his previous Contemporary Christian sound, which itself had been ratcheted up a notch with _The Big Picture_ and _i2eye_, Smith delivers a thoughtful, introspective, and diverse set of songs--majestic one moment, intimate the next. He steps aside and lets his arranging and songwriting do the work: choral, instrumental, duet--it's all here.
   The choral "Overture" is a grand affair, "Lux Venit"continues that choral feel (with gorgeous lyrics), "Anthem for Christmas" is, well, "anthemic." "First Snowfall" is a beautiful instrumental piano piece that recalls some of his earlier instrumental numbers. "Christ the Messiah" returns to the epic sound from the first couple of tracks, "No Eye Had Seen" is a duet with Amy Grant that previews "All is Well," a stunning boy's choir number with an equally stunning solo by one of the choir's members. It is simply chilling (in a good way). Another instrumental medley of carols shows Smith's composing and arranging skills, "Gloria" confirms those arranging skills, with a take on "Angels We Have Heard on High." The disc concludes with quite possibly the most striking song on the CD: "Silent Night." It is a stunningly simple arrangement, brief, not cluttered up with sappy vocals or the cliched lyrics.. Smith brings out the profound simplicity of the season with this solo piano arrangement, brief though it is. Longer and/or louder would have been too much--it is the perfect closing to a near-perfect effort.
   It just doesn't get any better than this for Christmas CDs, and only two or three others are in the conversation for me.



3. An excellent CD that captures the feeling of adoration that should be present during every Christmas season. Very estimulating arrangements make of this album one of fresh celebration that you will cherish for years to come. If you're looking for the obvious, you won't find it here (rudolph, chestnuts, let it snow - thank God!) but you will certainly be propelled into a reflective, delectably worshipful time... much like Christmas should always be!



4. I like my Michael W. Smith "Christmas" CD. In fact, I also have his "Christmastime" CD, which I forgot to mention by name. Michael W. Smith is one of my favorite Christian artists. I want to thank the seller and amazon.com.



5. The BEST music! I listen to it all the time; just not during Christmas. The message is timeless.

1 comments about Ultimate Jewish Music Collection.

1. This is a reissue of material recorded and available in the 1960s. It features the London Festival Orchestra under the leadership of the wonderful Stanley Black, and includes several additional tracks not on the original album. Also liner notes are provided by the comedian Alan King.
   
   The music is symphonic in style and just beautiful. It is hard to imagine anyone who loves Jewish music not being thrilled by this CD. And it would be a wonderful introduction for anyone who wants to introduce themselves to the same. The song Rumania, Rumania is especially good and the version of Yussel, Yussel (Joseph, Joseph) is as good as I have ever heard. While mostly orchestral in form, there are some limited vocal portions as well. I highly recommend this CD and dare you to stand still while listening.

5 comments about Christmas Album.

1. Nat King Cole's voice and song rendition is synonymous with a traditional Christmas atmosphere, especially if you are trying to relax yet be in the spirit.



2. this CD always brings back memories of my childhood. Every Christmas we would listen to these songs of Nat's. A must for anyone who enjoys traditional Christmas Music. Add it to your collection!



3. 'This is the classical Christmas music that you and your family will treasure forever. It definately puts you in the Christmas spirit and brings to mind all the joys of the holidays past and future.



4. Nat King Cole was way before his time. Too bad he passed away so soon. We could have had a lot more beautiful music from him. I'm just sorry the generations since his passing probably don't know what they're missing by not listening to his beautiful voice. It's here to be purchased (at great prices) and listened to. One can't help but be touched by it and just love it. I agree with everyone else, you can't have Christmas without some of our generations' singers, and Nat King Cole is surely one of them.
   And by the way, is ANYONE out there recording any Christmas Music these days? I haven't heard any, but then again I don't listen to the popular music of today. They would probably botch it all up so that I wouldn't even recognize it as Christmas music.
   Thanks again Amazon for allowing us to replace our LPs and 78's (and even some 45's) with CDs. I'm not a music expert, I just know what I like and when I hear it, and it does not bother me if the people who made it possible to hear this music again after all these years didn't get it as "sharp" or less this or more of that. I'm just not that interested in all of that. So long as it sounds just as good as it did back then, and one must understand that all of that technology wasn't available back then, so one cannot expect that music to sound like it was recorded yesterday. I just want to hear Nat King Cole singing however I can get him. And Andy Williams, And Frank Sinatra, And Perry Como, And Bing Crosby, and Tony Bennett and others who slip my mind right now. I've been shopping for them all on CDs to replace my old worn out things.



5. i waited for this to go on sale and it did ,i had it on a lp years ago by far my favorit xmas cd..

3 comments about Heavenly Peace.

1. A few seconds into my initial listening to its first track, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," I sensed that Heavenly Peace was not going to be a typical Christmas album, and as the rest of the album unfolded, that first impression became ever more deliciously validated. The multi-layered vocals on the song, in their interplay with the violin solo, alert listeners that they are in for some groundbreaking music, period, let alone a singular contribution to the seasonal literature.

   As the album continues to cast its spell, one quickly develops an appreciation for all the unique ways that Koldenhoven informs the holiday musical legacy, making new even the most familiar tunes and, simultaneously, the wonder of the Christmas story. Even more remarkable than her crystal-clear five-octave instrument (from below second alto to up, up, and away) is the fact that she manages to exploit its full range without showy, gimmick-laden histrionics.

   Several original compositions, including the wordless "Angels' Pastorale," add depth to the listening experience, and the sensitive lyrics (especially on "Joseph's Question") are worthy of the delicate settings that cradle them. Even the best-known tunes are so imaginatively delivered that one may be more tempted to wonder where one has heard the song before than to (attempt to) sing along. "Silent Night," packaged a bit like The Manhattan Transfer's version, comes the closest to sounding like something I can use as a basis of comparison, although if you're a Sarah Brightman fan, this collection will surely appeal to you, as it mines similarly etheric stylistic territory. It even closes with Koldenhoven's heartfelt (and superior) take on one of Brightman's signature tunes, "Pie Jesu" from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem.

   Although hers isn't a household name, you may know the artist for her work with Yanni (she sang "Aria" on his Live at the Acropolis video and his In the Mirror CD), 2+2 (a jazz group with whom she earned three Grammy nominations and one award), or Inner Voices. The latter all-female quartet's 1990 Christmas Harmony is one of those very few holiday releases that have made my playlist every year since its release. I know that Heavenly Peace will join that special group of discs next year, and every year from then on.




2. The tonal quality of Darlene's voice is simply superb. Both rich and delicate. I would estimate at least a four octave range of superb, stylish aural splendor. Her talent goes well beyond just being a superb singer. She also arranged many of the "Heavenly Peace" songs, and produced this CD. Do I have a favorite song? Not really, they are all great for listening. But if I have to select a favorite, it would be "Emmanuel" ... a pure, ethereal song of magical beauty. I play this song over and over and over. The CD is my Christmas morning music while opening gifts. Highly recommended.



3. Although parts of this recording are sung in a vocal range that the Modern Listener isn't comfortable with, I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys extreme talent. Listening to this CD is an experience: I was soaring on Pie Jesu. Koldenhaven is the most exciting female singer since discovering Loreena McKennitt.

No comments about The Holiday Collection.