Sings Traditional Christmas Carols

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Long a seasonal favorite, this collection of 13 charming Christmas carols from French, English, Italian, and African American traditions captures the Christmas spirit with wonderful universality. These international holiday favorites include Twelve Gates to the City, Mary Had a Baby, and The First Noel. "A real alternative to the wall of strings or the overly sweet sound of many Christmas collections." –Dirty Linen

Tracks:

The First Noel
O Come All Ye Faithful
Away In A Manger
We Three Kings Of Orient Are
O Little Town Of Bethlehem
Silent Night
Deck The Halls
Hark The Herald Angels Sing
God Rest Ye Merry
Joy To The World
O Christmas Tree
I Saw Three Ships
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
Guardian Angels

Customer Reviews:

Mario Lanza Sings Christmas Carols.......2007-01-12

Haven't heard these beautiful songs since I had the original RPM records. It was marvelous to be able to find and purchase this CD. Many Thanks

Missing a song.......2005-06-14

I have the original "Lanza Sings Christmas Carols" on LP. Strangely, the CD is missing "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" which is on the LP.

Stirring Christmas Carols.......2004-11-24

One of the best Christmas albums ever - Mario Lanza is amazing. Great songs, great singer - buy it, you won't regret it.

Contractual obligation spoken here.......2004-05-09

Mario Lanza was truly one of the greatest tenors of all time. No one before him or since has intrepreted Christmas music with the same religious fervor, the same passion, or the same touch that he brought to the most beloved hymns and carols. So why this poor excuse of a CD - recorded just months before his death- would ever be released when so many of his better recordings - made earlier in his career - are available, is a mystery. Those looking for the best Christmas offerings by Lanza need look no further than "Christmas Hymns and Carols," or the later, more available release, "Christmas with Mario Lanza," which contains all the same recordings plus a few other offerings as well (including "Deck the Halls" and "I'll Walk With God). The problem with "Lanza Sings Christmas Carols" is that, like another reviewer here notes, there is little passion in these recordings. It sounds like a collection of one-takers recorded in a single session. For example, in the recording of "God Bless Ye Merry Gentlemen," Lanza forgets the meter on the line "and unto certain she-e-perds.." and instead sings it "unto certain shep-errrds." It sounds clumsy. Later in the song, his emphasis on "how that in Bethlehem wazzzzz born" is misplaced and almost comical. I think he did add a few verses to some of the recordings (it's been a long while since I heard this CD), but for the most part, they're just re-hacked remakes that don't even come close to replicating the versions recorded before them. The worst ommision on this CD is Lanza's immortal recording of "Oh Holy Night," which, to my knowledge, has only one version available. My guess is that Mario knew he couldn't improve on perfection, so he opted to pass on an attempt to re-record what to many has become his signature song. I realize that even a bad Lanza is better-than-average by most people's standards. Even so, if you like this CD, you'll be pleased to know that there are better offerings out there to hear.

Why oh why?.......2001-09-12

BMG's decision to release this album is unfathomable. With the exception of the disastrous Lanza on Broadway LP (mercifully unavailable - at present - on CD), this was the tenor's worst album. Recorded around the time of his first heart attack, Lanza was in very poor spirits indeed when he recorded this, and it shows. Unlike the Broadway album, his singing is not downright bad; it's simply devoid of the tenor's trademark warmth and vitality. O Christmas Tree is, perhaps, the only exception on this otherwise gloomy offering.

Tracks:

'Twas On A Night Like This
Mary Had A Baby
Glory To That New Born King
What Child Is This?
Rise Up, Shepherd, And Follow
Carol Of The Beasts
Carol Of The Beasts (Instrumental)
The First Noel
Behold That Star
Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
Masters In The Hall
Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming (Instrumental)
Twelve Gates To The City

Album Description

Long a seasonal favorite, this collection of 13 charming Christmas carols from French, English, Italian, and African American traditions captures the Christmas spirit with wonderful universality. These international holiday favorites include Twelve Gates to the City, Mary Had a Baby, and The First Noel. "A real alternative to the wall of strings or the overly sweet sound of many Christmas collections." -Dirty Linen

Customer Reviews:

I don't sing atheist songs, Pete shouldn't sing Christian ones.......2007-04-23

Seeger has called himself an atheist all of his life... until recently. It's remarkable how impending death can change one's beliefs. Now he says he "sees God in all things". How convenient.

Listening to this unrepentant Stalinist singing songs about the birth of Jesus is as galling an experience as I have ever had. Similarly minded communists will buy this album, but only for political reasons.

The music is uniformly bland, spare and empty of spirit. One can always hear the echo of the Gulag in every note this villain sings. Skip it if Christmas means anything to you.

One of my All-Time Favorites!.......2000-01-29

This is just a gorgeous Christmas album. Seeger's folk style blends perfectly with both the traditional carols like "The First Noel" as well as the spirituals such as "Twelve Gates to the City." (Not to mention the upbeat "Masters in this Hall" - my personal favorite.) For Seeger fans or anyone looking for an old-fashioned alternative to the almost inescapable pop diva/boy band/insert-current-trend-here CDs out there, this is a must-have!

Banjo Christmas Classics..........1998-12-11

It's an odd experience to hear Pete Seeger--with his unrefined, though charming, voice and his trademark banjo accompaniment--belting out "Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming." Some of these songs sound gentle and vulnerable; others just don't work as well. It's not a bad album, especially for folk fans, but it's not one I'll keep in the CD player for more than a day out of the Christmas season, either.

Peter Schreier Singt Weihnachtslieder (Peter Schreier Sings Christmas Carols)

Average customer rating:

Peter Schreier Singt Weihnachtslieder (Peter Schreier Sings Christmas Carols)

Manufacturer: Berlin Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
ASIN: B0000035PV
Release Date: 1995-07-31

Tracks:

O Du Frohliche, O Du Selige, Gnadenbringende Weihnachtszeit
Maria Durch Ein' Dornwald Ging
Es Ist Ein Ros' Entsprungen
Vom Himmel Hoch, Da Komm' Ich Her
Kommet, Ihr Hirten
O Jesulein Zart
Schlaf Wohl, Du Himmelsknabe Du
Joseph, Lieber Joseph, Mein
In Dulci Jubilo
Herbei, O Ihr Glaubigen
Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht
Leise Rieselt Der Schnee
O Tannenbaum, Du Tragst Ein' Grunen Zweig
Susser Die Glocken Nie Klingen
Auf Dem Berge, Da Wehet Der Wind
Lieb' Nachtigall, Wach Auf
Kindelein Zart
Still, Still, Still
Nun Sei Willkommen, Herre Christ
Vom Himmel Hoch, O Englein Kommt

Average customer rating:

Nuances: Edwina Sings at Christmas

Manufacturer: Edwina Humphrey Flynn
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000CAFIL4
Release Date: 1997-01-01

Music:

Music

Music