2 comments about Swingin' Christmas.

1. This Christmas CD by Michael Bolton is much better than the first one he did. I really like it.



2. If I could give this 6 stars I would, this is a wonderful CD and I'm so glad I got it.

1 comments about America the Beautiful.

1. I bought this for the Kate Smith tune, but soon realized, I had Much more ! Many songs I've heard all My Life at Parades and at Church. In this day and age We live in, this certainly lifts your spirits. I think this would be a very good basic "CD" for everyone to have in their collection, who is America minded !

5 comments about Casey Kasem: All Time Christmas Favorites.

1. This cd is simply the greatest Christmas cd ever made. It has all famous Christmas songs, sang by the people who made them famous. I don't understand why there are not more enthousiastic people out there!



2. This album is great! I have been searching and searching for a "compete" Chrsitmas album with all the old favorites. Growing up, these songs were always played as we decorated the tree and wrapped presents. Finally, I've found a CD that resembles and I can now enjoy the "trimming the tree" tradition with my husband and little girl, listening tothe Christmas songs I love!



3. Save time and money and just buy this CD set...no need to go looking for other CD's that have only one or two of these great classics!



4. I bought this cd because it has many of the songs and singers that I listened to growing up. We had a two-record album of songs that had the pictures of all the singers in a circle on the front. I've often looked for a replacement for that and ran across this. Several of the songs are exactly the same. For example, Andy Williams "Most Wonderful Time" is just one that I really wanted to recapture on a compilation cd.
   
   The best thing about this two cd set is that it contains many of the definitive versions of most traditional holiday songs. Nat King Cole's version of The Christmas Song is by far the most tender and careful rendition of this classic. And who else could do "Holly Jolly Christmas" other than Burl Ives? Elvis has several good Christmas songs, but none better than "Blue Christmas." And its so fun to hear Boston Pops doing Sleigh Ride. These are true Christmas classics that I want my family to hear each year. The collection even includes a contemporary classic, McBride's stunning version of "Do You Hear What I Hear?"
   
   I could quibble with some of the selections. For example, I would much rather have Lou Rawls' "Christmas Is." Then this collection could have included Tony Bennett's essential take on "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas." Having no Tony Bennett is the cds one glaring oversight.
   
   If Casey Kasem really chose this selections, then why no liner notes? I would like to have had his input on the tracks. In this regard the cds that Starbucks puts out each year do a much better job. Still for what it is, I'm glad to have this one. If I'm going to play "Twelve Days of Christmas" over and over again for my kids, you better believe it's going to be Harry Belafonte's take! 4 stars.



5. This has got all the old standards on it from when I was young, with a few of the newer artists, like Vanessa Williams, Martina McBride and Amy Grant. The only one missing is Bing Crosby's White Christmas.

4 comments about A Baroque Christmas.

1. This is a gem of an album, containing not only some glorious and seldom heard pieces, but also the only available recorded version of "Soberana Maria" (anon.), a piece of heart-breaking beauty, sung exquisitely a capella.



2. This album is perfect for keeping Christmas sacred. The combination of glory and joy in the music is overwhelming. It is also a great exposure to chorale works in German, Spanish, Latin and English. I would buy it for track 3 alone-the hauntingly beautiful "Soberana Maria" will send chills up your spine.



3. I bought this cd over ten years ago, and I love it. All of the pieces are beautiful; I especially like "Christe Redemptor" and "Alleluja" - gorgeous! Highly recommended, nontraditional holiday sounds.



4. If I had to pick one of my many Christmas CD's as an all-time favorite, it would probably be this one. The works here span the 1600's and include such masters as Gabrieli, Purcell and Monteverdi. The choir is so pure and joyous, it really gives a sense of what Christmas is all about. It's also a beautiful representation of the early Baroque period. If you need a break from the more popular holiday music, this is a great choice, and you could probably enjoy it any time of year. Most people would never know it's a Christmas CD! It's good to see that it's still available.

5 comments about The Winter Album.

1. First of all let me say this, I LUV *N SYNC and this CD is really amazing! The first half(6 songs) of this German released CD are anytime and New Year's songs while the other 6 are Christmas songs. Some of the first songs are different versions of the US releases. Scroll down for a quick synopsis of each song. Stay *N SYNC everybody!

   U Drive Me Crazy(Radio Edit)- fast song with solo verses by Justin and JC. Kind of like a cross between "I Want You Back" and "Tearin' Up My Heart"

   (God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time On You- REALLY sweet ballad about how precious your loved one is. Amazing harmonies in this song.

   Thinking of You(I Drive Myself Crazy)- Very different from the US release. JC sings the first verse instead of Chris. Really beautiful ballad about missing your love.

   Everything I Own- Sorta-slow song, not a ballad, but with ballad type lyrics. Really sweet and about wanting someone back who you let go cause you weren't really thinking. Lance has a speaking part and a little solo part, kinda like in a stack.

   I Just Wanna Be With You- Basically the same as the US version, maybe a little longer. Fast song with JC and Justin on the verses.

   Kiss Me At Midnight- Fast, party song for New Year's Eve. This song is probably my favorite cause of the great dance beats and the great improv and vocals.

   Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays- The first of the Christmas songs. Fast, cute song about celebrating Christmas. It's cute cause Justin starts laughing while doing improv. In the end you hear all the guys laughing and talking at once to eachother.

   All I Want Is You (This Christmas)- Sweet, slow song about not wanting any gifts, just your girlfriend/boyfriend on Christmas. Chris actually sings one of the verses.

   Under My Tree- Sweet, not really slow or fast song about just about being with the one you love.

   Love's In Our Hearts On Christmas Day- Really sweet, slow song about being away from the one you love on Christmas, but knowing that you will still make it through. Justin and JC do main vocals, mostly Justin though.

   In Love On Christmas- Starts out with a cool version of "Jingle Bells." A little different, it might take you a while to get used to. JC and Justin do main vocals with a little harmony by Joey(?) or Chris. This is the longest song on the album at over 4 minutes.

   The First Noel- The familer tune with *N SYNC's trademark harmonies that just give you chills. This song is so incredible it made me cry the first few times I heard it. JC and Justin sing the verses. The haromines in this song will supprise you with their beauty even if you are already a huge *N SYNC fan because they are so amazing.




2. This is an absolutely great Winter Album. It's got terrific Christmas songs and non-Christmas songs. The non-Christmas songs aren't on the import version of the debut album. U Drive Me Crazy isn't available on any other album. If you want some terrific Christmas music & non-Christmas music, GET THIS CD! (Especially if you're an *NSYNC fan.) You'll never regret it.



3. First of all I love *nsync and all their music...they are truely amazing! This import CD is well worth it...trust me. "You Drive Me Crazy" is such a hot song and makes you wonder why they never released it here! And "Thinking of you (*I drive myself crazy*)" sounds so great! The way the guitar is in the beging and this version is awesome!

   So the moral of the story is....get this CD...it's worth it :-)




4. ok, i bought this cd somewhere else today (I still love you Amazon!) I had seen this cd before in stores, and i remember having seen family affair right after "I just wanna be with you" in print on the back. The one i just bought has nothing after that song on the back, it just has another song. Since it's really "hidden" does that mean they took it off but it's still there? I have read the replies and it seems it's a musical interlude of some sort. I don't know, I haven't opened the cd yet. If anyone knows what's up, post. :)



5. THIS CD IS HALF REGULAR NSYNC MUSIC AND HALF CHRISTMAS MUSIC. I JUST GOT THIS CD AND IT WAS KINDA WEIRD LISTENING TO CHRISTMAS MUSIC IN MAY. THE SONG "I DRIVE MYSELF CRAZY" IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS CD IS AN IMPORT. IT ALSO HAS
   "GOD MUST HAVE SPENT A LITLLE MORE TIME ON YOU", AND "I JUST WANNA BE WITH YOU" FROM THERE FIRST CD. THERE'S A FEW SONGS ON THERE NOT RELEASED ON THERE FIRST CD BUT ONCE AGAIN ITS AN IMPORT. ON THE CHRISTMAS END IT HAS THERE SMASH HIT "MERRY CHRISTMAS HAPPY HOLIDAYS". I LOVE THAT SONG ONE OF MY FAVORITES. ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE BAND WROTE IT TOGETHER AND SHOWED THERE FAMILY THERE TRUE HOLIDAY MEANINING. WELL ENOUGH SAID BUY THE CD.

5 comments about Holiday Concert.

1. I'd like it to be available on video or Cd too because it's truly one of the best holiday concerts ever by the superb talented trio with all the singers and the children on stage. I always try and watch it on PBS every year and hopefully I'll see it this year.



2. I want more than a video, I want to see the schedule for tours come out sooner than they do. Last summer a date was performed about two hours away from my home, and I didn't know about it until it was over. I have seen the concert in Branson, MO, and I loved it, the days have changed so much since I was a teen in the sixties, and the memories are so good, to hear the songs, and remember all we went through in those years. Our young people today are reaching for the same things we had, but lets hope we don't have to have the same events that made our years so memorable, for them to have what we have had. Please put the tour dates on very soon. Thanks



3. This concert was done in 1988. And was recently show on channel 11 during the pledgement drive they do, I think for every season of the year. So you have Peter, Paul & Mary performing on a stage with fake snow. And performing Christmas songs and other Hoilday songs in the month of December. And they aslo sing non-holiday songs like Puff The Magic Dragon, and Blowin In The Wind. This is a must own if you are a fan of Peter, Paul & Mary.



4. This Holiday Concert is a tradition in our family. Peter, Paul and Mary are such animated PERFORMERS, not just singers. Their tenderness and humor singing for children makes me feel like a child. The singing is excellent, and includes Christian and Jewish music (which I love). The audience are a part of this beautiful concert, because they are shown listening to old favorites and its as if you can see the memories going through their minds. And the children love it all just as much, even without the nostalgia. It is a joyful gathering, and you become a part of the joy.



5. This wonderful holiday concert is hard to find. Used copies are presently available at $50 and up on Amazon Marketplace. It is also available in some libraries. It is a high quality VHS production. It will be loved by both Peter,Paul & Mary fans and by those who appreciate an excellent live holiday concert. The concert runs for 90 minutes of non-stop happiness. Peter, Paul & Mary perform both holdiday songs and non-holiday songs. Some of the songs featured are:
   
   1. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
   2. Puff, The Magic Dragon
   3. O Come All Ye Faithful
   4. Blowin' In The Wind
   5. Silent Night
   6. 'Twas The Night Before Christmas
   
   This video is great for the whole family including young children and children from Mary's elementary school perform as part of the concert. The concert can be fully enjoyed at any time of the year. Don't just wait until the holiday period.
   
   For this live concert Peter wrote a special song "Light One Candle" which is just terrific. Don't let the light go out for justice in the world. Somehow justice will prevail. Don't miss this very inspirational and hopeful song.
   
   (Wallingford)
   
   Feedback to:
   
   George Reid
   knowledgebooks@snet.net

4 comments about Christmas With the Trapp Family Singers.

1. The first 18 tracks on this CD are from an LP of the same name that was a family favorite of ours since the 60s. The vocals are very precise, with noticeable German accents (especially on "Jesus Rest Your Head"). The Trapps, directed by Fr. Wasner, perform songs from their native Austria, including the hauntingly beautiful Scheibendudler (a kind of solemn jodler). Some listeners may not much like their rendition of traditional English or American songs (Deck the Halls, Jesus Rest Your Head). The less familiar Latin and foreign songs are a real treat. Favorites are "A la Nanita" (Spanish), Nu ar de Jul Igen (Swedish), and "Zu Bethlehem Geboren" (German). Most songs are done a capella, although there is recorder accompaniment on one or two. A songbook containing the first 18 songs with music is available from Amazon. All in all, a fine recording and great change of pace from the more usual Christmas music.



2. This recording was my first experience with the Trapp Family Singers (other than knowing the story from The Sound of Music). I cannot state how pleasently surprised I was.
   
   First of all, the technical quality of the recording is extraordinary. The selections were originally mastered between 1951 - 1953 by Deutsche Grammophon. Yet, despite the early dates, they sound like they were recorded yesterday.
   
   The performances are even more extraordinary. The a capella settings of these traditional Christmas songs are rich in harmony and performed with a clarity rarely heard today. Of particular interest is the Michael Praetorius setting of Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen (Lo how a rose err blooming), Deck the hall with boughs of holly, and the Bach setting of Lobt Gott, ihr Christen alle gleich.
   
   The family is conducted by Dr. Franz Wasner and the enclosed booklet offers a wonderful history of the family by writer Steven Ledbetter.
   
   Overall, this recording has quickly become a new Christmas favorite of mine. I cannot recommend it highly enough.



3. I have the original lp's from which this collection is based. Originally, this was released on two volumes on vinyl. My editions were made in England. Side Two of the second volume is completey missing on this cd. They really should have made this a double cd set or released it in the separate volumes it was originally in. What is missing: Ava Maria-Canon; I Sing of a Maiden; El Rorro (The Rocking of the Child).
   
   The recording is still as beautiful as ever on cd, but I do hate that they butchered this release and did not give us the full monty.



4. The item was exactly as discribed and arrived in good condition. I would gladly buy from this seller again...anytime!

2 comments about Worship Jamz Christmas.

1. I brought this CD a few days after it came out.
   Worship Jamz Christmas does a good job of remaking traditional Christmas/holiday songs on this CD. Some of the best tracks are Angels We Have Heard on High, The First Noel, and Joy to the World. This album is appropiate for all ages!



2. We just got this CD and like it. It has upbeat music that both kids and adults can enjoy. This CD has no "Santa" songs on it. It has a nice selection of songs and they are arranged nicely.

4 comments about Film Music of Sir Malcolm Arnold, Vol. 1.

1. This album will be a delight to baby boomers like me who were taken to the movies during the late fifties and sixties to see these films. The films seem a little dated now but the scores of Arnold bring out tear jerking emotion, nostalgic pangs and jolly japes, all in the blink of an eye. The heavyweight David Lean 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' item is probably the movie you are most likely to see repeated on TV; who can forget the defiant and physically broken Alec Guiness standing up to the Japanese Camp Commander? Yet, paradoxically, although the Colonel Bogey March was very popular when the movie was relaeased, it probably will not be the most played item on the CD if you buy it. Arnold's fecund imagination comes into its own with the 'Hobson's choice' with the brilliant orchestral character sketches of the grumpy and drunken Charles Laughton character on the deep brass, or the thrilling optimism as our hero sudenly realises he can make it. The 'Whistle Down the Wind' offerings are sheer musical poetry that underline the pathos we all feel of our lost childhood vision of Jesus and the haunting theme stays in your head a long while afterwards. The 'Inn of the Sixth Happiness' and 'Sound Barrier' items are wonderful and will be enjoyed again and again as Arnold's imagination jumps around the orchestra in its different tones. A brilliant buy!



2. Malcolm Arnold's film scores stand on a par with his concert music; they are of equally high quality. Of the five films represented on this CD, the most prominent would have to be the 1957 best picture Oscar winner, The Bridge on the River Kwai. But, having said that, it would at most have to be considered as first among equals, as the other scores represented are also well-done and well-performed. For film score buffs, this CD should be a keeper.



3. This music is amazing! I gotta admit that I bought this Cd mainly because of the tracks from "The Bridge on the River Kwai", but all the other tracks are also very good. My personal favorites are "The Bridge on the River Kwai March"( last track of the Bridge on the River Kwai section of this Cd), the Overture/Shoe Ballet from "Hobson's Choice", and the last track on this Cd, the "Happy Ending: Mountain Crossing-the children". That track is one of my favorite pieces of music ever. One comment on the orchestra that is playing it all: They are great. They play really clean, stay on the beat, and I am sure that they play the music just like Sir Malcolm Arnold intended it to sound. The London Symphony Orchestra is doing a great job on this Cd. This Cd rocks and well deserves five stars!



4. I purchased this CD about three years ago primarily for the Bridge on the River Kwai music. I had bought the original soundtrack album very soon after seeing the film (in 1957). The thought of having another copy recorded with modern-day technology made the purchase irresistable. One slightly negative (for me) comment about the music is that this is not a re-recording of the original soundtrack. This is a concert suite arranged by Christopher Palmer. The music is "basically" the same. Mr. Palmer has re-arranged much of it and the sequences of events are out of sync with the original. Apart from these differences the music is still awsome sounding! The other pieces on the disk are all well worth listening to for Arnold enthusiasts. Whistle Down the Wind is charming. The Sound Barrier has that Arnold juxtapositioning of the stern and dramatic with the bubbling and warm-and-fuzzy tunes that he is known for. The Hobson's Choice music has a lot of Arnold's humor in it. Upon first hearing, I thought the music was rather "corny" but repeated listenings have allowed me to find the deeper things in it. The Inn of the Sixth Happiness is pure Arnold from beginning to end. The grandiose London Prelude opening, the tender Romantic Interlude section, the stirring and ominous Mountain Crossing, and the "This Old Man" tune at the end make this piece, as well as the entire album, a joy to listen to. If you are a Malcom Arnold fan and would like a sampling of his film music, this CD should meet your needs very well. Five stars!

No comments about A Night Before Christmas.