No comments about Christmas Through the Years.

No comments about The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

No comments about Homemade Holiday: Colors of Christmas / Var.

No comments about Child's Christmas.

1 comments about Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Gift to You.

1. Well cats and dogs, all i have to say is WOW!!!!!! if you don't get this cd as soon as you get the money, then i pity you. this is a very inspiring thing for any person. i was feeling so lonely and hopeless. my boyfriend broke up with me, my mom disowned me, and my cat died, but this can always brighten my day. If there is only 1 cd you buy in your entire life, then it should be Ben FOlds, but if there's 2, then buy another Ben Folds, if there's 3, for goodness sakes, get this one. I can't recommend it enough.....wait, yes i can. I just did...

3 comments about Handel's Messiah.

1. The previous review, written in Spanish, is not a review of this item!! The Spanish reviewer is reviewing the Madacy label edition featuring the Orlando Orchestra. This item is on a different label and features the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra! Before you blast away at a product, you may want to make sure to post the comments in the right place... otherwise people need to ignore your comments.



2. La versión del Mesías de la Orquesta Filarmónica de Orlando bajo el sello Madacy es una verdadera decepción en varios aspectos. El principal de ellos es sin duda el hecho de que, contra lo que dice la portada del disco ("The complete messiah"), no se trata de la versión completa de esta obra. Faltan segmentos tan bellos e importantes como los coros "And He shall purify", "His Yoke is easy", "All we like sheep", etc., lo que resta continuidad a quien está acostumbrado a la obra en su totalidad. Y en verdad que no se explica el por qué no se incluyó la obra completa, dado que este título ya viene en dos CD (donde entran perfectamente todos los coros, arias, recitativos, etc.) Seguramente no faltará quien diga "¿qué esperaba por ese precio?"; sin embargo, existen versiones completas, bellamente interpretadas, y que tienen un precio muy reducido (y que son infinitamente más recomendables que esta versión); por ejemplo, podría comprar la de Pople y la Orquesta Festival de Londres, o la dirigida por Dorati con el Concerto Grosso Smithsoniano; la primera tiene la leve desventaja de interpretarse con instrumentos modernos (pero aún así resulta muy superior al disco de Madacy), pero la de Dorati sí utiliza instrumentos de la época, así que incluso en ese aspecto resultaría una perfecta introducción a esta obra para quien desee escucharla en una interpretación lo más cercana a lo que Handel compuso y ejecutó. Por todo lo anterior, realmente le recomiendo que se mantenga alejado de esta interpretación, y mejor busque entre las ya mencionadas, ya que para empeorar las cosas, esta versión no incluye ningún folleto con comentarios sobre la obra, ya no digamos los textos bíblicos empleados, que le permitieran seguir en detalle toda la obra. Ahora que si desea una versión realmente fenomenal, bien podría optar por la de Pinnock y The English Concert; la de Christie y Les Arts Florisants o la que considero la mejor de las versiones que poseo, la de Harnoncourt y el Concentus Musicus Wien; que aunque tienen el inconveniente de ser un poco (o un mucho) más costosas, realmente justifican su precio.



3. This 2 CD set is a great buy. For me Messiah must have a harpsichord, Baroque orchestration, expressive soloists (including a real deep bass), and a chorus that you can understand the words. This recording has all of this and more. The soprano, tenor and alto are also excellent. The orchestration is great and the recording is crisp. The balance between voices and orchestra is well done. I can't believe the quality of this set for such a low price. I am throughly enjoying listening to it (and singing along).

   This would make a fine gift.

2 comments about All-Star Merry Christmas.

1. Another craptacular selection from LaserLight DIGITAL.
   
   First: My cd had 15 tracks instead of 10.
   
   11. Carrol - Have yourself a merry little christmas
   12. Damone - The bells of st. mary
   13. Jones - o come all ye faithful (track 10. is Jones - white christmas)
   14. Page - it came upon a midnight clear
   15. Williams - joy to the world
   
   I found this in the campus bookstore and snapped it up for the 3 Joe Williams tracks. If you're not familiar with Joe Williams, check out his version of "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"(it's not on this cd). He's nailed that song, in my opinion, and everytime I can't help but chuckle at the end. No reason for anyone else to cover "Let It Snow!" as it's been mastered now by the best. Others need not apply.
   
   The review preceding mine describes this cd as being played by a junior high band so no need to repeat that (although I just did).
   
   The singers all sound far past their prime and I can only guess they came in and sang it cold.
   
   On the back of the cd: "recorded live to two-track digital at Sage & Sound.... March and April, 1991.
   
   I personally don't like or dislike the other stars "showcased" here, but "well-aged" seems an apt description. I've definitely heard better from them on more reputable labels. I hope they were paid well for their time and trouble. Mr. Williams if you need money.. please don't debase yourself like this in the future.
   
   Two track, indeed...
   
   I would give this zero stars if allowed.



2. I first heard this CD when my roommate received it in a care package. We had never heard of any of these merry "all stars" before, but that did not stop us from giving it a chance. The musicians sound like they were recruited from the local junior high and high school, and to put it nicely, the vocals sounded unpolished.

   I happened to live with this same roommate for four years, and we eagerly looked forward to the Yule season so we could get a good jolly laugh from this album. The song that really sends us into hysterics is "Oh Holy Night" in which the vocalist's voice does not reach the high notes, (not for lack of trying, mind you) as the junior high brass section swells out from the background.

   I do not recommend this CD to anyone who is looking for serious enjoyment of their favorite cherished Christmas tunes. However, if you are giving someone with a good sense of humor a gift, it might be just the right thing.

   This All-Star Merry Christmas has certainly become one of my fond memories, (thus the 3 whole stars) and I think of it each year with a smile.

1 comments about All Time Christmas Favorites.

1. THREE DISC SET - 44 SONGS!
   
   (MADACY / EXCELSIOR EXC12-1204) UPC 056775120429
   
   DISC 1 : Various artists (Ray Conniff, Robert Goulet, Johnny Mathis, Julie Andrews, et al)
   
   DISCS 2 & 3: The Starlite Orchestra And Choir

No comments about Christmas Party Pack.

1 comments about Christmas in Europe.

1. 1. Deck the Halls - Von Trapp Family
   2. Es Ist Ein Ros' Entsprungen - Von Trapp Family
   3. Hirten, Wachet Auf! - Von Trapp Family
   4. Zu Bethlehem Geboren - Von Trapp Family
   5. Nanita Nana - Von Trapp Family
   6. Il Est Né, Le Divin Enfant - Von Trapp Family
   7. Canzone Di Natale - Von Trapp Family
   8. Es Hat Sich Heut Eröffnet - Von Trapp Family
   9. Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head - Von Trapp Family
   10. Shepherds Come A-Running - Von Trapp Family
   11. Lobt Gott Ihr Christen Alle Gleich - Von Trapp Family
   12. Es Wird Scho Glei Dumpa - Von Trapp Family
   13. Nu Är Det Jul Igen - Von Trapp Family
   14. Ihr Kinderlein Kommet - Von Trapp Family
   15. Der Scheibendudler - Von Trapp Family
   16. Carol of the Drum - Von Trapp Family
   17. Deine Wangelen - Von Trapp Family
   18. Weihnachtslied (Silent Night) - Von Trapp Family