Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. O Holy Night - Leontyne Price
2. Ave Maria - National Philharmonic Orchestra, Luciano Pavarotti
3. In the Bleak Midwinter - Academy and Chorus of St. Martin in the Fields, Ian Bostridge,
4. Coventry Carol - Choir of King's College
5. Away in a Manger - Choir of King's College, Mark Tinkler
6. Gabriel's Message - Clare College Choir & Orchestra, Cambridge
7. Pastoral Sinfonia (Christmas Oratorio) - Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner
8. Il S'en Va Loin de la Terre (Shepherds' Farewell) (L'Enfance du Christ) - Academy and Chorus of St. Martin in the Fields
9. Panis Angelicus - English Chamber Orchestra, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
10. Schlafe, Mein Liebster (Slumber Aria) (Christmas Oratorio) - Marilyn Horne,
11. Wiegenlied (Lullaby) - New Philharmonia Orchestra, , Renata Tebaldi
12. O Jesu So Meek - Choir of King's College, Simon Preston
13. While Shepherds Watched - Saint John's College Choir & Cambridge Choir, Stephen Cleobury
14. Süßer Trost, Mein Jesus Kommt (Excerpt) (Cantata, BWV 151)
15. Largo (Lute Concerto, RV 93) - English Chamber Orchestra, Eduardo Fernandez
16. Alma Redemptoris Mater - Monteverdi Choir,
17. O Magnum Mysterium - Monteverdi Choir
18. Zastupnitse Userdnaya (Zealous Protectress) - St. Petersburg Chamber Choir
19. Iubi-Te-Voi (I Will Love Thee, O Lord) - Angela Gheorghiu, London Philharmonic Orchestra,
20. Once in Royal David's City - Robin Barter, David Briggs, The Choir of Durham Cathedral
21. O Tannenbaum - Vienna Boys' Choir
22. O Little Town of Bethlehem - Choir of King's College

Disc 2:

1. Stille Nacht (Silent Night) - The Bach Choir
2. Gloria in Excelsis Deo - Elinor Carter, , , Monteverdi Choir,
3. Largo (Winter, RV 297) - Alan Loveday
4. First Nowell - Choir of King's College
5. In Dulci Jubilo - The Bach Choir
6. Three Kings - Academy and Chorus of St. Martin in the Fields, Gerald Finley
7. Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen - Monteverdi Choir
8. Still, Still, Still - Academy and Chorus of St. Martin in the Fields, Ian Bostridge
9. Crown of Roses - Clare College Choir & Orchestra, Cambridge
10. Largo Pastorale ("Christmas" Concerto, Op. 6, No. 8) - Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
11. Lamb - Monteverdi Choir
12. Balulalow (A Ceremony of Carols) - St. Paul's Cathedral Choir, , Anthony Way
13. Ave Maria - Leontyne Price
14. Mille Cherubini in Coro - National Philharmonic Orchestra, Luciano Pavarotti
15. Laudate Dominum (Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, K339) - London Theater Music, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
16. Infant King [Lullaby] - Choir of King's College
17. Lullaby My Jesus - Winchester Cathedral Choir
18. What Child Is This? (Greensleeves) - Tom Finucane, Anthony Way
19. Barcarolle (The Tales of Hoffmann) - L'Orchestre de La Suisse romande
20. See Amid the Winter's Snow - Choir of King's College
21. Blessed Son of God - Winchester Cathedral Choir
22. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Leontyne Price, , Wiener Großstadkinderchor,
23. White Christmas - London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, The Philharmonia Orchestra, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #83916 in Music
• Released on: 2001-10-09
• Number of discs: 2

Customer Reviews

180 Minutes of Blessed Seasonal Music
The spectacular pristine CD cover photo graphically portrays the richness and beauty of this Christmas collection. "Over 2 1/2 hours of peaceful seasonal music." The photo is of a shining white church in a pastoral setting with snow, lighted tree, stream and bridge. This is relaxing music!

Carol favorites (e.g. O holy night) to baroque favorites (selections from Bach's Christmas Oratorio) to offerings performed by such as Academy & Chorus of ST. Martin in the Fields, Bach Choir, Pavarotti, King's College Choir, Leontyne Price, Marilyn Horne, and Vienna Boys Choir.

What a treat and bargain, so well produced and collaborated! Well worth adding to one's collection and playing as it is this holiday season by the reviewer.

Serious but not solemn sacred classical works
This set of two CDs will appeal to those who are drawn to the #1 Christmas Album and, in fact, has some of the same cuts on it. However while I felt the other album had a tendency to get overly solemn and almost dreary at times, this overall has a lighter, more listenable quality to it. In fact, this could have some appeal to those who don't generally go for classical music, because there is a relaxing quality to the selection with little which is excessively operatic. There are operatic voices here such as Luciano Pavarotti, Kiri Te Kanawa, Placido Domingo and Leontyne Price, but the deliveries are low key and melodious.

If you have any taste at all for the classical sound of Christmas music, this is most highly recommended.

wonderful
Many, many classic recordings of favorite christmas carols and pieces. I must say that the reviewer who said that Leontyne Price's vibrato was "too wide" should have his ears examined. Leontyne Price recorded her classic Christmas album (which, by the way, any lover of Christmas music or anyone who wants to hear pristine singing, should own) in the 1960's when she was in her absolute prime. A fast spinning vibrato is indicative of a NATURAL, healthy sounding voice, which is quite the opposite of what most uninformed choral conductors ask for these days OK, I'll get off my soap box now!