Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

    There's the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas album (AGCD-1984).
    You should be warned that it comes in a cardboard cover, but it
    is a great CD!

                Here's a few:
                
                Merry Christmas . Vienna Boys' Choir
                        Philips 412 551-2
                
                We Wish You A Merry Christmas  - John Williams & the
                boston Pops
                        Philips 416 287-2
                
                Christmas Carols  -  Choir of Westminster Abbey
                        Deutsche Grammophon 413 590-2
                
                Christmas with the Canadian Brass and the Great Organ of
                St. Patricks Cathederal
                        RCA   RCD1-4132
                
                A canadian Brass Christmas
                        CBS   MK 39740
                
                Christmas Caroling  -   Ray Conniff
                        Columbia   CK 40167
                
                The Many Moods of Christmas  -  Robert Shaw  - Atlanta
                Symphony Orchestra ans Chorus
                        Telarc   CD-80087
                
                Enchanted Carols  
                        Saydisc  CD-SDL 327
                
                
                There. That ought to keep you busy for a while.
                
                        /s/     Bob
                

    re .-1: I have the following, all of which are quite good: John
    Williams and the Boston Pops (Philips 416 287-2); Robert Shaw/Alanta
    Symphony and Chorus (Telarc CD-80087); Christmas with The Canadian
    Brass and the Great Organ of St. Patricks Cathedral (RCA RCD1-4132). 

    Charistmas Carols (DG 413 590-2) is DDD and is a classical selection
    and performance.  A Victorian Christmas by the Robert DeCormier
    Singers and Ensemble (Arabesque Z6525, DDD), is pretty good if you are
    into that kind of thing.  I always enjoy The Nutcracker, and an
    excellent versiion is done by the Academy of St.-Martin-in-the-Fields
    and Neville Marriner on Philips 411 471-2. 
    
    I would not gte Christmas by the Singers Unlimited (MPS 821 859-2), as
    the recording and performance leave a lot to be desired. Unless you are
    in Elvis fan I would stay away from Merry Charstmas-Elvis Presley (RCA
    PCD1-5301) although Blue Christmas and Merry Christmas Baby are solid
    Elvis tunes. 
    
    GAS

    On long as we're on this subject........
    
    Several years ago Greg Lake released a Christmas song, partially
    based on Prokofiev's "Troika".
    
    Does anyone know the album this was released on (ELP or otherise?) Is
    it on CD? Has anyone heard a CD with a recording of "Troika"?
     
THANKS!    
    

	BCD has "Reggae Christmas" which features well known Christmas
	type songs performed by various reggae artists, such as	
	Jacob ("Killer") Miller.

    
    I'm pretty sure Amy Grant's Christmas CD is out, and I think Sandi
    Patti has hers as well.  Expect othe Christian Musicians to have
    theirs out as soon as production catches up.
    
    						.dave.

    Keith Foley has a Christmas CD on the DMP (all digital) label. 
    Might not be for all tastes because it's all synthesizer work.
    
    Also, there's a Windham Hill collection called "A Winter's Solstice".
    Not exactly Christmas music but it does have a wintry feel.
    
    Re .0  BTW, when are you folks coming back down to Greenville SC
    to visit us?  :-)
    
    Gary

    In addition to the Mannheim Steamroller disc, the Robert Shaw and
    the Keith Foley, I also have:
    
    		Joy of Christmas
    		Pro Arte CDM 806
    		DDD, 65 minutes of music
    		(Even includes some Vaughan Williams!)
    
    		Second Hearing Christmas Album
    		Second Hearing GS 9003
    		DDD, Olde Englishe type musice
    
    The Keith Foley is a bit wierd, but not too bad.  I REALLY like
    the Mannheim Steamroller disc.  Note that it isn't strictly in
    a cardboard pack, but a "Digipack" that has a plastic insert for
    the disc.  It doesn't work as well as a jewel box, but is better
    than a straight cardboard package.
    					Steve

    George Winston, December (Windham Hill, WD-1025).

    -The Greg Lake song is "Father Christmas" and I believe it's on
    on of Emerson, Lake & Palmer's Works albums - Vol.2, I think.
    
    -Last year I saw a CD I'll certainly buy when the Christmas season
    is closer: "Jingle Bell Jazz."  It's a combination of two jazz
    Christmas albums (one of them is "Jingle Bell Jazz," which is very
    good).  Most of the tunes are from the '50s and '60s, including
    one song from just about every big name in jazz.  Believe me, the
    musicians breathe a very new vitality to the old carols.
    

And of course, there's always Handel's "Messiah" (Part I).  There are
umpteen versions of this available.  I recently got the Robert Shaw
version (Telarc disc, don't know the number) and I quite like it, except
I don't like the way they play the overture.

							-- Nina

    My personal perference is for version by The Academy of Ancient
    Music with Christopher Hogwood (from the Foundling Hospital autographed
    score) and the version by The English Baroque Soloists with John
    Elliot Gardner. Both performances are stirring and well engineered. 
                                         
    Nina, who are the soloists on the Shaw performance?
    
    			-Abdul-
    

    RE: 10
    
    BUT, the one on Works Vol 2 (Which is not on CD) is not the original.
    I Have the original that has the London Philharmonic playing in
    the background (released 1975).
    
    Jeff
    

RE: < Note 436.12 by KACIE::DEUFEL "Daniel Allen Deufel" >

I've heard the Hogwood CD of "Messiah" and I don't care for it,
though I liked his performance of it with the BSO (Boston Symphony
Orchestra) and Tanglewood Festival Chorus at Tanglewood last summer...

The soloists on the Robert Shaw/Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chamber
Chorus disc set (Telarc CD-80093-2) are:  Kaaren Erickson and Sylvia
McNair, sopranos; Alfreda Hodgson, mezzo-soprano; Jon Humphrey, tenor;
and Richard Stilwell, bass.  Some more info on this performance (probably
more than you want to know! :-) ) from the little CD booklet:

	"...the chorus heard here consists of but sixty voices.
	The orchestra includes twenty-eight strings, along with
	four oboes, three bassoons, contrabassoon, two trumpets,
	timpani, organ, and harpsichord.  The small 'positiv' organ
	is a one-manual, portative instrument...The artful harp-
	sichord part played by Layton James is his own realization 
	of Handel's figured-bass continuo part.

	One exception to the rule of fidelity to the original is 
	the extra bassoon part constructed by Robert Shaw.  Handel's
	oboes double the soprano and alto lines and the bass vocal
	line is doubled by two bassoons with added contrabassoon.
	Hence this added bassoon part largely follows the tenor line, 
	'since it was the only vocal line uncolored by double-reed
	plaintiveness.'

	The use of not one but two solo sopranos is in accordance
	with Handel's own practice on some occasions.  In the concert
	of May 15, 1754, the one after which this recorded performance
	is patterned, the first soprano refused to sing along during
	the choruses.  A second soprano agreed to do so, on the
	condition that certain arias be assigned to her."


							-- Nina

    Re the Canadian Brass w/ organ Christmas CD, has anyone actually
    seen it in stock anywhere in the southern NH area?  We have the
    album, but we'd really like to find it in CD.

    Last year I was looking for some new and different Christmas to
    listen to...you know something other then Andy Williams, The Mormon
    T. Choir, Boston Pops, etc.  I heard on the radio the song THREE
    SHIPS by Jon Anderson (ex lead singer of YES). The said it was from
    his *seasonal* album by the same name.  I bought the lp (didn't
    own a cd then) and was impressed with the freshness of the album.
    
    Did anyone out in cd land buy the disc...is it available...and what
    did you think?
    
    _stew-

You mean **current** lead singer of YES.  Jon is back with the group.

--PSW

	The CBS Compact disk club last month offered several christmas albums,
	including Johnny Mathis' Christmas Album and a Ray Conniff disk.

	This disks are great for playing on "repeat" at xmas time.

	- Mike

    For those whose hearing aides don't shut off at the mention of "Digital
    Audio...."  there is a list of "new" Christmas CD's in the November
    issue.   Forgive any repeats.
    
    Capitol Records
    Nat King Cole:  Christmas Story           CDP 46318
    Orchestra Manhattan:  Christmas           CDP 46334
    Anne Murray:  Christmas Wishes            CDP 46319
    
    CRD Records
    New College Choir, Cambridge:  Christmas Carols     CD 1143
    
    Deutsche Grammophon
    Regensburg Cathedral Choir:  Christmas Concert     413 724-2 GH
    
    London Records
    Kiri te Kanawa:   Christmas with Kiri     417 632-2 LH
    
    Maranatha Records
    The Gift Christmas Selections (Colours Series)       0166837
    
    MCA Records
    Barbara Mandrell:  Christmas at Our House            MCAD-5519
    Oak Ridge Boys:  Christmas                           MCAD-5365
    
    Motown Records
    Diana Ross & Supremes/Stevie Wonder:  Merry Christmas & Someday
       At Christmas  (Combination)          MOTD-8014
    The Temptations:  Christmas Card & Give Me Love at Christmas GORD-8017
    
    Nonesuch Records
    Boston Camerata:  Renaissance Christmas          79134-2    (DDD)
    
    Phillips Classics
    Vienna Choir Boys [sic?]:  Merry Christmas       412 551-2 PH
    John Williams and Boston Pops: We Wish You a Merry Christmas 
                                                     416 287-2 PH
    Zamfir:  Merry Christmas From Zamfir             822 571-2 EH
    
    PolyGram Special Imports
    James Last: At St. Patrick's Cathedral           823 669-2
    
    Sampler Records
    Mitzie Collins & Roxanne Ziegler:  Ornaments - Christmas Music for
        Hammer Dulcimer & Harp                       8505 CD
    
    
    
    Tired of typing "Christmas",
    Gary

 re.1, others...

>    There's the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas album (AGCD-1984).
>    You should be warned that it comes in a cardboard cover, but it
>    is a great CD!

This CD has been recommended several times. I was looking at the CD
over the weekend and the package didn't say anything about what was in
it (the salesman also recommended it) ! Can anyone fill me in as to
what kind of music it is and what specific Christmas tunes are on it ?
Is it close to normal (traditional) stuff ? I didn't really want to
spend $18.99 on an experiment ...

Thanks for any more info,

P.

    I don't have my disc handy, but the Mannheim Steamroller disc
    contains mostly traditional Christmas tunes, but played in their
    own fashion.  Mostly bouncy, with interesting arrangements,
    synthesizers and other odd instruments.  It does sound GOOD, and
    is a bit less off-beat than the Fresh Aire discs.
    
    BTW, that disc now comes with a jewel box.  And the price should
    be lower nowadays.  I picked up Fresh Aire IV at Rockit Records
    for $16.99, and they said that the price structure of most
    American Grammaphone CDs were following that.
    				Steve

	Here is the "tracking," as they call it:

	Mannheim Steamroller - Christmas

	1	Deck the Halls - 3:29 - Welsh Ayre
	2	We Three Kings - 3:40 - John Hopkins 1857
	3	Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella - 2:32 - 17th
			century French
	4	Coventry Carol - 2:38 - 16th Century English
	5	Good King Wenceslas - 3:29 - Traditional English Carol
   Christmas Sweet
	6	Wassail, Wassail - 2:20 - Ancient English Carol
	7	Carol of the Birds - 2:03 - Bas-Quercy
	8	I Saw Three Ships - 1:28 - 15th Century Legend
	9	God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - 1:37 - English Carol
   End of Christmas Sweet
	10	God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - 4:19 - English Carol
	11	Stille Nacht - 5:26 - Franz Gruber 1818

RE .21, .22

Thanks very much for the info. I think I'll check out Lechemere with
the 20% off sale. (BTW the $18.99 was at the record store in the
Burlington Mall, I forget the name).


Peter.

re .22

One more question. Is that really the entire CD ? Only 33 minutes for
the whole thing doesn't seem worth $17-19. Also, is this entirely
instrumental, if not how are the vocals ?

Thanks again,

Peter.

    Re .24:
    
    Yep - AG discs are SHORT!  It's mostly instrumental - a bit of
    background vocals on some tracks.  Sure, it's expensive, but
    it's worth it.
    				Steve

    
    I picked one up during the Christmas Album sale at Lechemere for
    $14.39.  Since they're having a 20% off sale the price should be
    about that price again.
    
    Go get 'em.
    
    Steve
    

re .25,.26

More yea votes ! Ok, I'll check it out.

Thanks again,

Peter.

    I love it too, but I picked it up last year and got that dorky
    cardboard cover. I'm still gonna buy the jewel box version and give
    the cardboard one away to a friend. I'm glad they finally got some
    sense in their heads out there in Omaha.
    
    Jeff
    

 re Mannheim Steamroller

I picked up a copy from Lechemere tonite ($17.99 - 20%). Definately not
traditional but really very good. Enough so to be able to listen to
all year round. Track 11, Stille Nacht, is truly touching.

 re .0

While there I picked up another CD - Digital Christmas by Orchestra
Manhattan (of Digital Broadway fame, according to them). This is a DDD
disc just recorded in July of '86. There are 17 tracks for over 66 minutes
of music. Mostly instrumental with vocals in Little Drummer Boy, O Come
All Ye Faithful, Silent Night and Twelve Days of Christmas. The sound
is absolutely incredible !  (note - $15.99 - 20%)


Another (unrelated?) question... Does a disc being American Gramaphone
imply DDD ? Mannheim Steamroller certainly sounds like it, but I couldn't
find any definate label...


Thanks again all for the suggestions and information,

Peter.

    Re .29:
    
    All American Grammaphone recordings I am aware of are analog source.
    Just shows those "DDD" snobs what careful attention to quality can
    produce.  In fact, my most favorite CDs are all analog source.
    
    				Steve

re .30

Can you explain why they don't print "DDD", "ADD" or "AAD" anywhere
on/around the disc (or have I missed it) ?

It sounds just as good as other DDD dics I have ...

P.

    
    Lot's of folks don't print the "DDD", "ADD" or "AAD" designation.
    (I love it when they include the description of the designation,
     in four languages no less, but don't include the designation.)
    
    The best sounding discs I own right now are probably three Stan
    Getz discs, all recorded almost 25 years ago.
    
				    				-mr. bill

    "A Renaissance Christmas," performed by the Boston Camerata.
    Sorry, I can't remember the label (will check at home if I
    think of it).  ~61 minutes of Renaissance music, with a couple
    readings thrown in.  Quite good.  DAD, for those who care.
    (DAD?  Yup.  Seems weird to me...)

						-- Nina

      John Fahey's Christmas Guitar is out on CD now.  64+ minutes of
    Fahey's unique interpretations of all the standards.  (Acoustic
    guitar, no vocals for anyone unfamiliar with his stuff...)
    

    
    I'd double the recommendation of "Jingle Bell Jazz".  It's a little
    less than the combination of two earlier Columbia records, "Jingle
    Bell Jazz" and "God Rest Ye Merry Jazzmen".  Over an hour of music
    (won't wear you out too bad on Repeat) by such jazz folks as:
    
    
    	Dexter Gordon, McCoy Tyner, Arthur Blythe, The Heath Brothers,
    	Paquiteo D'Rivera, Wynton Marsalis, Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton,
    	Carmen McCrae, Pony Poindexter, Dave Brubeck, Lambert Hendricks
    	and Ross, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock.
    
    Wheh.  Excellent disc, with some good flavor to the old standards.
    
    
    Another favorite (that I'm still looking for) is the Vince Guaraldi
    Trio (aka Schroeder [sp?]), A Charlie Brown Christmas.
    
		    						-mr. bill

re .36

Lechemere's in Cambridge Ma had several copies of A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Not sure how much it was and I think their 20% sale is gone...

P.

    The Manhattan Orchestra has a christmas album "created expressly for
    CD".  They also have done a "Digital Broadway" album.  I bought the
    Christmas album this week at Strawberries for $13.99.  It has 60+ min.
    of music and contains "the classics" from God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
    to White Christmas.  The arrangements vary from full orchestra with
    choir to chamber orchestra.  Very nice Christmas listening. 

    RE .38
    
    	I tend to shy away from discs that say "created expressly for
    CD" or headphones that are "digital ready".  It sounds like pure
    hype to me.
    
    						-Paul
    

    re .36
    
    I just came from lechmeres in Framingham and they have about thirty
    copies of "IT"S A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS". 

RE .34 --

    "A Renaissance Christmas" is on the Nonesuch label.

						-- Nina

    This topic hasn't been touched since last year, and only 27 days
    til X-mas!
    
    I just bought "Holiday Sing Along with Mitch" by Mitch Miller and
    the gang.  36 minutes of great x-mas music in 13 tracks.
    
    It cost me $10 on sale at Lechmere.  The tracks are:
    
    	1 - Santa Cluas is comin to town, 2 - frosty the snowman,
        3 - I saw mommy kissing santa claus, 4 - sleigh ride,
    	5 - must be santa, 6 - the christmas song (chestnuts roasting
    	    on an open fire), 7 - Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer,
    	8 - the twelve days of christmas, 9 - winter wonderland,
    	10 - let it snow! let it snow! let it snow!, 11 - silver bells
    	12 - jungle bells, 13 - white christmas
    
    I guess the lp came with lyrics 'cause it says "Song sheet lyrics
    enclosed".  Bumb deal, because they don't come with the CD (I'm
    thinking about calling the tele# on the back and asking why).

    I just received Time-Life's Treasury of Christmas (Vol 1) in the
    mail for $26.95 plus $1.50 shipping/handling.  It's excellent! 
    It's a 2 CD package with 45 tracks (50 songs).  Perry Como, Burl
    Ives, Beach Boys, Nat King Cole, and many more perform their favorite
    Christmas songs.  The sound quality is close to excellent, as they
    must've taken some care in transfering it to CD.  I was considering
    ordering Vol 2, but when I called they said it would NOT get to
    me by Christmas.  I guess I'll have to order it for next Christmas!

    Has anyone found "Snoopy's Christmas" on CD (or even LP)?
    
    We have had this album for years and I would like to get a fresh
    copy, preferably on CD.
    
    The manufactor appears to be "DIPLOMAT Christmas Records".  Upper
    left hand corner says "STEREO SX 1718".  The cover is a red sky
    with a big cartoon airplane.  The pilot is a Santa Claus wearing
    flying goggles.
    
    The tracks are:
    
    	Snoopy's Christmas
    	The Little Shepherd
    	Christmas Candy
    	Mary Christmas		(that's right, "Mary", not "Merry")
    	The Snowflake Song
    	Jingle, The Christmas Mouse
    	The Christmas Tree
    	Mr. Reindeer
    	Donner & Blitzen
    	Jack Frost's Christmas
    
    There is sort of an address on the record label:
    
    	"S. P. C., Newark, NJ, 07105, Made in USA"
    
    I'd really like to find this, it is a very "fun" album.  Thanks
    for any help.

    
    Oh my Lord.  I didn't think anyone else in the universe ever owned
    this album.  It was my second favorite Christmas record when I was
    small.
    
    I haven't seen it on CD.  I don't even remember seeing it in print
    after about 1972.
    
    DFW

    Just so you don't feel too lonely...
    
    I have a copy of it as well.  Wouldn't mind having it on CD either.
    
    Dave

    Does anybody know how to get the Time-Life Christmas CD?
    
    Thanks, Fran

    Re. .47
    
    I got the Time-Life christmas CD by calling the number listed in
    the magazine ads last month.  It took about three weeks to arrive.
    

    Re. .48
    
    Thanks!  Does anybody have the number?  I'll see if I can find it.
    
    Fran

    Peter, Paul, & Mary have a new album out of Christmas music,
    recorded live with the New York Choral Society -- A HOLIDAY
    CELEBRATION. Check out note 1325.8
    
    --- jerry

    Although not a regular "reader" of this notesfile, I "stopped in"
    to find out recommendations for Christmas CDs.  I noticed the lack
    of the following CD, bought this year from the CBS CD Club - in
    my opinion, excellent !
    
    	Warren Schatz presents...
    	   What if MOZART wrote "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
    		The Hampton String Quartet       
    	RCA 5625-2-RC
    
    No vocals, just instrumental renditions of traditional Christmas
    songs "...as Mozart might have written them..."  About 45 minutes
    worth of music.
    
    Merry Christmas !
    
    Todd
                

    I must put in a plug for the new GRP Records disc entitled "A GRP
    Christmas Collection".  This disc is basically a sampler, as
    15 talented musicians/groups from the GRP roster each contributed their
    own 'interpretation' of a familiar Christmas carol.  Although
    the disc is produced by a jazz label, I am certain that this disc
    is mellow enough, light enough, and just plain technically good enough 
    to appeal to GRP, Windham Hill, and even Mannheim Steamroller fans.
    There are songs highlighted by piano, electric guitar, acoustic
    guitar, sax, flute, electronic keyboard, voice, etc.  The quality
    of the recording, as would be expected from GRP, is excellent.  The
    disc runs over 57 minutes, and is remarkably consistent, given the
    number of musicians involved.
    
    Shawn

On the subject of Christmas CDs.....

Has anyone seen either 'A Motown Christmas' or 'Phil Spector's Christmas' 
on CD yet? I remember looking last year but couldn't find either one of them.

Thanx,
Alan S.

================================================================================
IND::NAEGELY "TPU 88"                                 3 lines  20-DEC-1988 08:58
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    If you want a really great sounding Christmas CD I would recommend
    the GRP Christmas Album. Its Digitally mastered so it sounds great
    and if you are a jazz fan you will enjoy it that much more.

================================================================================
ASABET::MCLAUGHLIN                                    3 lines  20-DEC-1988 11:02
                            -< DIR/TIT="CHRISTMAS" >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I agree in entry 436.52
    
    Shawn

RE: .53

I saw both the Spector and Motown XMAS CDs at Strawberry's in Nashua, NH 
yesterday.  There were several copies of each.

re: .56

Yeah!!!

Thanx for the info.....

Alan S.

    
    Re - ( A few Back )
    
         Excuse me for asking, but was does GRP stand for ? I've been
       looking for some X-Mas stuff on CD but can't decide. This sounds
       like what I'm looking for. Any idea of where in the Marlboro/
       Framingham area one could procure such a disc ?
    
    Thanks,
         George

    re: .58
    
    GRP stands for Grusin Rosen Production (The 2 founders of the label)
    

    
    Re - 1
    
        Thanks. Sorry I forgot to do dir/title. Went to Laser Land
      in Westboro for lunch. They were out of the GRP Christmas CD
      so I'll probably give Lechmere a shot tonight.
    
    George
    
    P.S. I did pick up GRP Jazz Sampler Vol. 1 though. Can't wait
         to get home !!!!!