Christmas to Remember

Jesus Christ Superstar: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Jesus Christ Superstar: Everything's Alright - Yvonne Elliman/Murray Head/Ian Gilllan
Jesus Christ Superstar: I Don't Know How To Love Him - Yvonne Elliman
Jesus Christ Superstar: Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say) - Steve Balsamo
Jesus Christ Superstar: Superstar - Murray Head
Evita: Oh What A Circus/Sing You Fools - Antonio Banderas
Evita: I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You - Elaine Paige/Joss Ackland
Evita: Another Suitcase In Another Hall - Barbara Dickson
Evita: Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
Evita: High Flying, Adored - Mandy Patinkin/Patti LuPone
Cats: The Jellicle Ball - Andrew Lloyd Weber
Cats: Memory - Elaine Paige
Cats: Gus: The Theatre Cat - Susan Jane Tanner/John Mills
Cats: Mr Mistoffelees - Paul Nicholas
Song And Dance: Take That Look Off Your Face - Marti Webb
Song And Dance: Tell Me On A Sunday - Marti Webb
Song And Dance: Unexpected Song - Sarah Brightman
Song And Dance: Nothing Like You've Ever Known - Sarah Brightman
Song And Dance: Introduction - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Song And Dance: Variations 1 -4 - Andrew Lloyd Webber

Tracks:

Starlight Express: Starlight Express - El Debarge
Starlight Express: Crazy - Greg Ellis/Reva Rice/Caron Cardelle/Samantha Lane/Voyd
Starlight Express: Next Time You Fall In Love - Reva Rice/Greg Ellis
Starlight Express: I Am The Starlight - Lon Satton/Ray Shell
Starlight Express: Light At The End Of The Tunnel - The Company
Requiem: Hosanna - Placido Domingo
Requiem: Pie jesu - Sarah Brightman/Paul Miles-Kingston
The Phantom Of The Opera: The Phantom Of The Opera - Michael Crawford/Sarah Brightman
The Phantom Of The Opera: The Music Of The Night - Michael Crawford
The Phantom Of The Opera: All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Steve Barton
The Phantom Of The Opera: Entr'acte - Andrew Lloyd Webber
The Phantom Of The Opera: Masquerade - The Company
The Phantom Of The Opera: Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again - Sarah Brightman
Aspects Of Love: Aspects Of Aspects - Orchester Der Vereinigten Buehnen Wien
Aspects Of Love: Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
Aspects Of Love: Seeing Is Believing - Michael Ball/Ann Crumb
Aspects Of Love: The First Man You Remember - Kevin Colson/Diana Morrison
Aspects Of Love: Anything But Lonely - Sarah Brightman
Aspects Of Love: Chanson D'Enfance - Sarah Brightman

Tracks:

Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Any Dream Will Do - Jason Donovan
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Joseph's Coat - Maria Friedman/Richard Attenborough/Donny Osmond
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Close Every Door - Donny Osmond
By Jeeves: Travel Hopefully - John Scherer/Martin Jarvis/Don Stephenson
By Jeeves: When Love Arrives - Steven Pacey/Diana Morrison
By Jeeves: Half A Moment - Sarah Brightman
Sunset Boulevard: With One Look - Glenn Close
Sunset Boulevard: New Ways To Dream - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: The Perfect Year - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: Sunser Boulevard - Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: As If We Never Said Goodbye - Glenn Close
Whistle Down The Wind: Whistle Down The Wind - James Graeme/Lottie Mayor
Whistle Down The Wind: Cold - Everly Brothers
Whistle Down The Wind: No Matter What - Children/Adult Chorus
Whistle Down The Wind: The Nature Of The Beast - Marcus Lovett/Lottie Mayor
The Beautiful Game: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
The Beautiful Game: The Beautiful Game - The Company
The Beautiful Game: Our Kind Of Love - Hannah Waddingham
The Beautiful Game: Dont Like You - Josie Walker/David Shannon
The Beautiful Game: Let Us Love In Peace - Josie Walker/Omagh Youth Community Choir

Tracks:

Oh What A Circus - David Essex
Memory - Betty Buckley
The Phantom Of The Opera - Sarah Brightman/Steve Harley
All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Cliff Richard
Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
Any Dream Will Do - Donny Osmond
Amigos Para Siempre (Friends For Life) - Sarah Brightman/Jose Carreras
As If We Never Said Goodbye - Barbra Streisand
The Perfect Year - Dina Carroll
With One Look - Petula Clark
You Must Love Me - Madonna
The Heart Is Slow To Learn - Kiri Te Kanawa
A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste - The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra
Whistle Down The Wind - Tina Arena
No Matter What - Boyzone
The Vaults Of Heaven - Tom Jones
Try Not To Be Afraid - Boy George
Pie Jesu - Charlotte Church

Tracks:

Make Believe Love - Wes Sands
Down Thru' Summer - Ross Hannaman
I'll Give All My Love To Southend - Ross Hannaman
Believe Me I Will - Sacha Distel
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1969 Radio Luxembourg Commercial) - Joseph Consortium/Pete Murray
Try It And See - Rita Pavone
Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You - Time Rice And The Webber Group
Goodbye Seattle - Paul Raven
John 19:41 - The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra
What A Line To Go Out On - Yvonne Elliman
Disillusion Me - Gary Band
The Ballad Of Robert And Peter - Tim Rice
Christmas Dream - Maynard Williams
It's Only Your Lover Returning/All Through My Crazy And Wild Days/Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
It's Easy For You (1977 Jungle Room Session Version) - Elvis Presley
Magdalena - Tony Christie
Buenos Aires - The Roja Rockers
Pollicle Dogs And Jellicle Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Mungojerrie And Rumpleteazer (Live At The Sydmonton Festival 1980) - Gemma Craven
I Could Have Given You More - Petula Clark
I've Been In Love Too Long - Marti Webb
Benedicite - The Stephen Hill Singers

Album Description

Disc 1: Selections from Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, and Song and Dance

Disc 2: Selections from Starlight Express, Requiem, Phantom of the Opera, and Aspects of Love

Disc 3: Selections from Joseph nad the Amaziong Technicolor Dreamcoat, By Jeeves, Sunset Boulevard, Whistle Down the Wind, and The Beautiful Game

CD 4: 1. "Oh What a Circus" --David Essex 2. "Memory" - Betty Buckleey 3. "The Phantom of the Opera" -Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley 4. "All I Ask of You" --Sarah Brightman, Cliff Richard 5. "Love Changes Everything"--Michael Ball 6. "Any Dream Will Do"--Donny Osmond 7. "Amigos Para Siempre (Friends for Life)"--Sarah Brightman, Jose Caerras 8. "As if We Never Said Goodbye"--Barbra Streisand 9. "The Perfect Year"--Dina Carroll 10. "With One Look" --Petula Clark 11. "You Must Love Me" 12. "The Heart Is Slow To Learn" --Kiri Te Kanawa 13. "Whistle Down the Wind"--Tina Arena 14. "A Kiss Is a Terrible Thing To Waste"--The Metal Philharmonic 15. "No Matter What"--Boyzone 16. "The Vaults of Heaven"--Tom Jones and Sounds of Blackness 17. "Try Not To Be Afraid"--Boy George 18. "Pie Jesu"--Charlotte Church

Disc 5: (All tracks available for the first time) 1. "Make Believe Love"--Wes Sands 2. "Down Thru' Summer"--Ross Hannaman 3. "I'll Give All My Love to Southend"--Ross Hannaman 4. "Believe Me I Will"--Sacha Distel 5. "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: 1969 Luxembourg Radio Commercial--The Jospeh Consortium, Pete Murray 6. "Try It and See"--Rita Pavone 7. "Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You"--Tim Rice and the Webber Group 8. "Goodbye Seattle"-- Paul Raven 9. "John 19:41"--The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra 10. "What a Line To Go Out On"--Yvonne Elliman 11. "Disillusion Me" --Gary Bond 12. "The Ballad of Robert and Peter"--Tim Rice 13. "Christmas Dream" --Maynard Williams 14. "It's Only Your Lover Returning/All through My Wild and Crazy Days/Don't Cry for Me Argentina--Julie Covington 15. "It's Easy for You" (1977 Jungle Room Session version)--Elvis Presley 16. "Magdalena"--Tony Christie 17. "Buenos Aires"--The Rioja Rockers 18. "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats"--Andrew Lloyd Webber original demo 19. "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" (Live at Sydmonton Festival 1980)-Gemma Craven 20. "I Could Have Given You More"--Petula Clark 21. "I've Been in Love Too Long"--Marti Webb 22. "Benedicte"-- Stephen Hill Singers

Customer Reviews:

I waited for this for five years.......2006-06-30

Between Amazone, Ebay and Napster, I don't usually buy CDs anymore, and I usually wait till I can buy them cheaper "new and used". When this set came out, I was excited, mainly by Disc 5, but wasn't going to spend $70 on it. I waited till it was cheap enough, and got it for Father's day this year.
It was worth the wait.

The concept is great. The packaging is great. The recording is great. Disc five is really cool for an ALW aficionado. There are a few real gems on it; my favorites are Petula Clark's "I Could Have Given You More" and "Benedicite."
I've always thought "Gus the Theatre Cat" made a great medley on the piano with "Unexpected Song" and "I DOn't Know How to Love Him," but wished there was an alternate lyric to match the other two songs. Now that I know there *is*, and it's a good lyric, it's a dream come true.
The melody of "Benedicite" is one of my favorites from _Sunset_ (the book mis-identifies it as "SUrrender"; it's actually "The Lady's Paying" and "Eternal Youth is Worth a Little Suffering"). The lyrics are the canticle from Daniel 3, which comes up every odd Sunday in the Divine Office, so it's nice to have cool music to sing it with.

I haven't bought _By Jeeves_ or _THe Beautiful Game_ yet, to it was great to sample them.

There are other parts of the CD taht aren't found in my collection. I like CD 4 "The Hits."

But the selections on CDs 1-3 don't make sense.

First, any self-respecting ALW fan has the Original London Cast of _Phantom_, so six tracks are totally useless. Why not draw from the Canadian cast with Colm Wilkinson? Or pull out some obscure recordings never published.

Why two different tracks with Michael Ball singing "Love Changes Everything", yet they're hardly any different?

On Disc 5 is "It's Only Your Lover Returning," sung by Julie Covington. It's an early draft of the song (Lloyd Webber and Rice went through several suggested titles) and quite nice. The very thing one expects on a Boxed Set.
So why have the Julie Covington "Don't Cry for Me" on disc 1?? The only difference is a few words, but it's otherwise identical. Why not Elaine Paige or Patti Lupone or Madonna?

The _Evita_ section is otherwise the best, choosing a sample from each major recording, though I'd have chosen slightly differently (as above).

There is a great selection of "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" from the Sydmonton festival, using the original music that was changed when _Cats_ went to Broadway_. It would have been nice if they'd included more recordings from Sydmonton, like the original lyric of "All I Ask of You" shown on the second DVD to the _Phantom_ movie.

With so many great actress-singers who've played Norma Desmond, why does the collection beat us over the head with Glenn Close?

Paul Miles Kingston must be set for life in royalties, for the number of albums the original recording of "Pie Jesu" has appeared on. "Amigos Para Siempre" is nice, but it reminds me of Shari Lewis's "The Song that Doesn't End," especially when it's been used on so many compilations.

In short, this is a great collection for the obscure material, if you can get it cheap. But for a boxed set, it's a poor sampling, drawn mostly from the most familiar recordings.

Excellent collection but BIG PUBLISHING MISTAKE! .......2006-01-10

Please beware they made a mistake on this. It's actually the shortened Ray Shell version of STARLIGHT EXPRESS from the original 1984 London cast - NOT the El Debarge single from 1987 like it says on the box. I don't know how they let that goof pass. Sorry to Ray Shell. Having said that, this is an outstanding compilation of Lloyd Webber's greatest hits.

ONE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S BEST COMPILATIONS, DESPITE A FEW FLAWS.......2005-03-21

Regardless of the fact that some of his latest efforts (most notably, The Woman in White) are disappointing, there can be little doubt that Andrew Lloyd Webber is one of the greatest composers ever to work in the musical theatre. Ever since his "Jesus Christ Superstar" hit the stage in the early 70-is, it was clear that the conception and perception of musicals are never going to be the same again. Many of his songs became standards not only in the theatre history, but also as tops on the charts. Even though he's British, his influence on the shape of the modern musical theatre expanded over the West End boundaries long ago and has thus made an enormous impact on Broadway. Two of his shows ("Cats" and "The phantom of the opera") hold the record as two the longest running shows in the history of Broadway. He has also been the only composer to have three of his shows running at Broadway concurrently. Some of his awards include three Grammies, a Golden Globe, an Oscar and a bunch of Tony awards. But perhaps most of all, Lloyd Webber is responsible for bringing the musicals and the theatre appealing to the wide audiences, who in different circumstances would not consider seeing a musical. The secret of his success is probably the mixture of beautiful and catchy melodies, interesting subject matter (though some, like Starlight Express, are too thin) and grandiose staging.

Over the years many compilations of his work have emerged. In the late 80-is and early 90-is it was the "Encore" series and lately the one-disc collection called "Gold". The one in question here can be considered one of the best currently on the market. First, it includes a 3-disc selections from all of his shows, minus the latest one, i.e., "The Woman in White", which, considering the triviality of the score, is no great lost. The fourth disc covers some of his most known songs sung by the famous artists. Then, there is the fifth disc with previously unreleased material, most of which are the songs ALW wrote with Tim Rice for various artists during the 70-is. The disks are all neatly packed in a hardcover book that features 67 pages of pictures and text with information about each of ALW's shows. One of the other assets here is the perfect sound quality, since all of the tracks have been digitally remastered.

Here are my basic impressions and comments regarding the material on the discs:

* Disc #1 has the selections from "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Evita", "Cats" and "Song & Dance". The Superstar material mostly comes from the Concept Recording. Although the songs sound beautiful as always, their orchestration is a bit dated now. Only Steve Balsamo's "Gethsemane" from the 1996 revival cast has a modern rock sound. "Evita" comes with the material from all of the major recordings: London, Broadway and the movie productions, as well as the Concept album. No objections here; since this is one of ALW's most satisfying works, every song is just perfect, although Patti LuPone, the Broadway and overall the best Evita, is left with only a couple of lines. With the selections from "Cats", however, I have some doubts. A plus to the choice of the "Jellicle ball" impressive orchestral sequence from the 1998 movie version and "Mister Mistoffelees" from the 1981 London cast. One of the best known ALW's songs, "Memory", also comes from that album. It's a pretty version and Elaine Paige's rendition cannot be matched, but why include this when the definite version, featuring an 80-piece orchestra and Elaine Paige with much better interpretation, can be found in the same movie version. Thusly, one has to buy Elaine Paige's latest 2-disc compilation "Centre Stage: The very best of Elaine Paige" to get that one. And "Gus the theatre cat" is more a recital than a song, so there was not much point in including that. Marti Webb brings her vocal charm to the "Song & Dance" sequence, Sarah Brightman sings "Unexpected song" with her famous soprano, but as much as I like her version, Bernadette Peters, who was in this show on Broadway is strangely left out here.

* Disc # 2 starts with "Starlight Express". This was never one of my favorite ALW's shows; the plot is even lighter than in "Cats" and the 1984 original cast recording is terribly dated. Yet, here we have one terrific duet, "I am starlight" from the original together with three songs from the later revivals and it seems that fresh orchestrations were just the thing Starlight needed. My favorite remains a touchy ballad, "Next time you fall in love". "Requiem" is the most solemn of all ALW's compositions, written in 1985 to commemorate the death of his father. Placido Domingo's tenor rides together with the chorus all the way through the strong "Hosanna", only to be joined by Sarah Brightman in the final moments of this song. She then gives an echoing deliverance of "Pie Jesu". What can be said of ALW's next show, "The Phantom of the Opera"? A phenomenon in its own right, it's easy to see from the six numbers included here why this is one of the best and most beloved musicals of all time. The cast, the music, the story - everything is perfect. Although "Aspects of love" was never a popular hit, it does have some of the most beautiful love melodies ALW has ever written. "Love changes everything" sung by Michael Ball is probably one of the best tunes ever about love. The rest of the selected material here has a dreamy love flavor and the melodies find their way into your brain in the best Lloyd Webber way.

* ALW's first musical, "Joseph and the amazing Technicolor dreamcoat" was more successful in its revival form than the original from the 70-is. The three songs included here are sung by the show stars, Jason Donovan and Donny Osmond. Maria Friedman was not a lucky choice to play the narrator, as the track from the 1998 movie version shows. "By Jeeves" was ALW's only big flop when it came to the stage in the 70-is. The 1995 revival sounds much better though, full of funny numbers in the best manner of the musical comedy. "Travel hopefully" remains one of the show's highlights on this compilation. "Sunset Boulevard" comes next. "Sunset" remains for me one of Webber's best scores; lush and beautiful. I listen to the original cast recording with Patti LuPone all the time. However, here most of the songs are performed by Glenn Close. A big mistake. If you've ever listened the American premiere recording with her, you'll know what I am talking about. She may have a strong stage presence, but her vocal abilities are too limited, and her aggressive approach to the role lacks any subtlety. Therefore, the two big numbers from this show, "With one look" and "As if we never said goodbye" are ruined by the fact she can't sing. The same goes for the American Joe Gillis, who was played by Alan Campbell. Luckily, Patti LuPone and Kevin Anderson, the original Norma and Joe from the London production, make their brief entrance here with the "Perfect year"; enough to show how better they are. The funny thing is, on the jacket and inside of it, Glenn Close and Alan Campbell are credited as performers in this song as well. If this was a mistake on ALW's part, it was a good one. The next ALW's show, "Whistle down the wind" was never a critic's dear and yet the audiences rushed in to see it in London. The score brings back ALW to his rock and roll roots of the seventies and the story is quite interesting. But the selections here are not the happiest, since the cast recording boasts with much better songs. And finally, "The Beautiful Game". Again, we have one of those ALW's shows that is worth in its individual parts rather than as a whole. "Our kind of love" and "Let us love in peace" are two catchy ballads. The latter is a nice amalgam version not available elsewhere. The two other tracks here I could live without.

* Disc # 4 has the songs from all the above shows performed by different artists. The assembled tracks have their pros and cons. For example, we have some previously unreleased stuff, like Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's operettic rendition of "The heart is slow to learn", or a stunning and epic "A kiss is a terrible thing to waste" from "Whistle down the wind", performed by The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra. Then again, what was the point in including almost identical tracks as the ones on the previous disks? So we have Michael Ball again singing "Love changes everything" with only a bit different orchestration; Sarah Brightman comes out again with the same Phantom duets, but only with the different male singers. It would be much more appropriate to include tracks from the Toronto Cast of the Phantom, with Colm Wilkinson. Other pop deliverances (Tina Arena's "Whistle down the wind", Barbra Streisand's "As if we never said goodbye", Boyzone's "No matter what" and many more) were wisely chosen. Patti LuPone is again nowhere to be found and Petula Clark's "With one look" sounds too worn-out.

* The last disc is probably the one that will be of most interest to Lloyd Webber aficionados. It consists of entirely previously unreleased material ALW for the most part wrote for various artists during his early years, with Tim Rice. Some of these tunes, not successful as a singles, were later used in his shows. Thus "Down thru' summer" became "Buenos Aires"in Evita, "Try it and see", an unsuccessful attempt for the Eurovision was used for "King Herod's song" in "Superstar" and so on. Some of these songs are nicely made pop songs: "Make believe love", ALW's first recorded composition, for which he provided the lyrics; "Goodbye Seattle", sung by Paul Raven, who later became Gary Glitter; "Come back Richard, your country needs you", from a never made musical, sung here by Tim Rice, or Latin flavored "Magdalena", with Tony Christie singing. My all time favorite here is a song called "It's easy for you", sung by none other than Elvis Presley himself. Lloyd Webber and Rice sent him a demo recording that he accepted and recorded this live version a couple of weeks before he died. It's amazing to hear how his voice remained in the perfect shape. Also, there is a track of Andrew Lloyd Webber singing "Policle dogs and Jellicle cats" while plying the piano. His voice doesn't sound bad at all.

Taken as a whole, this compilation makes a perfect birthday or Christmas present to any fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber shows, or just anybody interested in some of the best tunes from the modern era of the musical theatre; despite the flaws I mentioned above. To the former, it may just be the final addition for the Andrew Lloyd Webber collection.

SUCH MAGICAL MUSIC OF THE NIGHT!.......2003-01-19

"Evita." "Sunset Blvd." "Starlight Express." "Jesus Christ Superstar." "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." "Requiem." "Aspects of Love." The man who is the most recognized composer in the history of the musical theatre, the man who has won more Tonys than any other composer, the man who boasts the best-selling show of all time ("The Phantom of the
Opera") and the longest-running show of all time ("Cats"), the man whose homes are filled with three Grammys, five Oliviers, a Golden Globe, and Oscar and too many other honors and hosannas to mention, the man knighted in 1992 certainly doesn't need an introduction. Now Decca Broadway pays tribute to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with "Now and Forever," a spectacular 5-CD set compiled and produced by Sir Andy himself. It's cheaper than a
ticket to "The Producers" ... and more much exciting. This treasure trove contains highlights from all of Webber's shows, and a bonus disc of tunes sung by Betty Buckley, Barbara
Streisand, Jose Carreras, Boy George, Charlotte Church, Madonna, Tom Jones, Petula Clark, even Elvis! A must for lovers of theatre---and good music.

A Must Have for Sir Andrew fans.......2002-05-21

This five-CD collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber's career is fantastic. It leaves virtually no stone unturned. I have no doubt that diehard Webber fans will love this, especially for the 5th disc entitled "From the Vaults." This disc alone is worth the price as it contains tunes never before heard by the typical fan. Who knew Elvis did a Lloyd Webber tune?!? I didn't! Also the tune "Benedictine" which the composer wrote for his most recent marriage is not only pretty, but it has the same medley as "The Lady's Paying" from "Sunset Blvd." which I found highly enjoyable. Another great track is the composer himself singing a cut song from "Cats" entitled "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats" which has the same tune as "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats," but to hear Sir Andrew sing is a blast...he sounds a lot like Al "Year of the Cat" Stewart.
The cuts from the musicals are great but are likely owned by ALW fans as they are on the original cast albums. And I'm glad that there were tunes included from the composers most recent efforts which have yet to make it beyond London (Whistle Down the Wind, Beautiful Game).
My only complaint is the inclusion of way too many tracks by Sarah Brightman. She must've received a great divorce settlement that included having tunes on any ALW collection until the end of time!! Her interpretations of some of the tunes were limp and uninspired. I would've much rather heard casts from around the world rather than yet another song by this disdainful soprano! How about Colm Wilkinson's version of "Music of the Night" from the original Canadian cast of "Phantom"? Or Michael Crawford's version of "Unexpected Song"? What? No Betty Buckley from "Sunset Blvd."? And of course there are songs you KNOW are going to be on the collection before you even listen to it as they have been on EVERY ALW collection for the past decade or so.
A great collection but too much Sarah Brightman!

Average customer rating:

Wonderful CD, cheaper elsewhere
Perhaps my favorite Christmas albumn
A Wonderful Christmas Pageant
Personal and Universal
Beatiful choir

Story of Christmas

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Classical Instrumental | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Classical Instrumental | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
ASIN: B00000A1GK
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Tracks:

Prologue: Gloria in excelsis Deo (Robert Cowper)
The Annunciation: Ave Maria, gratia plena (Plainsong)
The Annunciation: Angelus ad Virginem (English Carol, 13th Century)
The Annunciation: Alma Redemptoris Mater (Pierluigi da Palestrina)
The Annunciation: Gabriel's message (arr. Edgar Pettman)
The Appearance of the Angles To The Shepherds: Hodie Christus natus est (Giovanni Bassano)
The Appearance of the Angles To The Shepherds: Jolly Shepherd (English Anonymous Round)
The Appearance of the Angles To The Shepherds: Hodie Christus natus est (Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck)
The Appearance of the Angles To The Shepherds: Past three a clock (arr. Charles Wood)
The Birth: Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen (Praetorius/Vulpius)
The Birth: There is no rose of such virtu (English Carol, 15th Century)
The Birth: Ave maris stella (Lajos Bardos)
The Birth: A spotless Rose (Herbert Howells)
The Birth: O magnum mysterium (William Byrd)
The Birth: Ach Herr, Du Schr (Heinrich Sch
The Angels Greet The New - Born Child: This endris night (arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams)
The Angels Greet The New - Born Child: Entre le boeuf (French Carol, 13th century)
Arrival Of The Shepherds At Bethlehem: Guillran ton tamborin (arr. Louis-Gaston Soublette)
Arrival Of The Shepherds At Bethlehem: Psallite (Michael Praetorius)
Arrival Of The Shepherds At Bethlehem: Quem vidistes pastores? (Richard Dering)
The Rocking Of The Cradle: The cradle (harm. Martin Shaw)
The Rocking Of The Cradle: Lullaby (William Byrd)
The Rocking Of The Cradle: El Rorro (Mexican traditional carol)
The Rocking Of The Cradle: Once as I remember (arr. R. Hammond)
The Rocking Of The Cradle: The Lamb (John Tavener)
The Rocking Of The Cradle: Joseph lieber, Joseph mein (Johannes Walther)
The Adoration Of The Magi: Entry of the Three Kings (John Gardner)
The Adoration Of The Magi: The King of all Kings (collected by Cecil Sharp)
The Adoration Of The Magi: Ring out ye crystal spheres (Robert Armstrong)
The Adoration Of The Magi: Gloria in excelsis deo (Thomas Weelkes)

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful CD, cheaper elsewhere.......2005-12-05

I first heard of this cd when I heard the glorious El Rorro on a mix of christmas music which I got with a copy of a magazine called Classic CD. I looked everywhere for the cd but had trouble finding it anywhere and even heard from one record store that the cd had been deleted. I checked here on Amazon and saw that it was only available used for $32.50. I seriously considered buying it even for that price.

I was therefore ecstatic when I found it on iTunes for $11.99 and instantly purchased it online. You can find it there, not under the US title but the original UK title which is Once as I Remember. For those who enjoy old English choral music, then this cd can become one of those you will have to listen to every christmas. This is one of mine.

Perhaps my favorite Christmas albumn.......2005-12-04

I originally bought this CD merely because it was on sale from a record club. I had no idea at the time how astonishingly good it was. It has quickly become perhaps my favorite albumn of Christmas music, and in fact it is one of the CDs that gives me most pleasure throughout the year. The range of selections is incredibly broad and extremely tasteful. The songs are alternately joyous, rousing, subtle, and very moving, and the perfomances are superb. It would be wonderful if this CD were reissued in an inexpensive format; I would love to be able to give this as a gift to many friends. I particularly recommend selections 5, 22, 23, and 27. The last two of these, especially, deserve to be much better known and more widely performed than is presently the case.

A Wonderful Christmas Pageant .......2005-10-24

John Elliot Gardiner has brought us a great deal of wonderful music and has been a leader in what used to be called early music performance practice (nowadays it is just the way the music is performed). Apparently, he came from a well to do family and for some period of time they had their own Christmas pageant that told the story of the Nativity with a mix of various musical numbers that ranged the ancient to the relatively modern.

This is a terrific album all on its own, but it may spark some ideas for your own Christmas celebrations and introduce you to some new pieces new approaches for the Holiday. The music is all excellently performed, I suspect far more professionally than when he was a child, but we always idealize our fond memories don't we?

The disk comes with all the texts for the pieces along with his explanation of how the pageant worked along with the spoken parts (not included on the disk) and that is a nice touch. If you wanted, you could simply use the disk for the musical portions and take turns in your family of just reading the spoken parts. Just a though.

Enjoy!

Personal and Universal.......2000-12-19

This recording is a personal memoir of John Eliot Gardiner's childhood. His family put on an annual Christmas pageant involving a large cast of family, friends, neighbors, etc. The selections on this CD are the selections that were used for the pageant, plus a few of Mr. Gardiner's new favorites added as well. (The readings that were part of the pageant are included on the liner notes.)

On my first listen to this recording the music was beautiful, but it seemed like an ad hoc collection. The cause for this seemed to be the variety of fairly diverse styles from one selection to the next. There are high Renaissance pieces, contemporary pieces, traditional carols, some Medieval selections, and a few other odds and ends. Most of the works are a cappella, but some are accompanied. All are executed with the flawlessness of the Monteverdi Choir. But the album didn't seem to have a flow or direction.

Then I read the readings that went between the selections as well as the liner notes about the pageant. Ever since then the CD "clicked." The flow of the selections made wonderful sense.

If you by this CD I suggest you read the liner notes first and the readings in the order they are intended. At least for me it made the CD a complete work of art.

This CD is a glimpse into what "made" the conductor John Eliot Gardiner. It is also a universal statement of Christmas.

Beatiful choir.......1999-12-10

The Monteverdi choir sounds very well and all the melodies are sweet. Listen the third theme or ONCE AS I REMEMBER.

Average customer rating:

Underappreciated gem
Worth the Price
Beautiful Music
Her bag of tricks is empty

A Christmas to Remember
Amy Grant
Manufacturer: Word Entertainment
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

Christian Contemporary Music | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

A Christmas Album
Home for Christmas
Home for Christmas
Breath Of Heaven: A Christmas Collection
Christmas Collection

ASIN: B00004D3IN
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Tracks:

A Christmas To Remember
Christmas Can't Be Very Far Away
Silent Night
Christmas Lullaby (I Will Lead You Home)
Highland Cathedral
Jingle Bell Rock
Mister Santa
'Til The Season Comes 'Round Again
Gabriel's Oboe
Welcome To Our World
Agnus Dei

Customer Reviews:

Underappreciated gem.......2006-12-12

To me, Christmas isn't Christmas without an Amy Grant CD being played. I wait impatiently for the holiday season to roll around so I can dig her holidays CDs out and play them incessantly. My favorite of hers is the now classic "Home For Christmas" which should be in every Christmas lover's CD collection. I place this offering, her third, right behind that one and before her first one, "The Christmas Album."(Which hasn't aged well). Heresy, you say? Not really. Granted, she doesn't really offer much here as a songwriter, but she still has an amazing gift for making a song her own. Her voice and delivery bring out so much emotion and is well suited to this, for the most part, well-chosen collection. There really isn't a bad track here, though as a few people have noted, the addition of "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Mr. Santa" stand out in a less than flattering way. They're not terrible, but they don't really belong here among such serious and thematic songs; they're more suited to a children's album. The best songs on the album are surprisingly the more melancoly and reflective ones, such as "Till The Season Comes Round Again" and "Christmas Lullaby (I Will Lead You Home)", which is my favorite off the album and never fails to tear me up! Her use of choir and strings on "Silent Night" give it an almost ethereal feeling and "Welcome To Our World" is simply stunning. If there's a downside to this album, it's simply that it's too short, clocking in just shy of 40 minutes. I highly recommend this often overlooked album by one of the best vocalists around. Merry Christmas!!

Worth the Price.......2006-11-18

While I am not a big Amy Grant fan, I heard Welcome to Our World on the radio,
and just fell in love with it. The clarity of her voice never ceases to amaze me,
and this one song is worth the price of the CD. There are many other tracks that make this
one of my favortite Christmas CD's. I agree that Mr. Santa and Jingle Bell Rock breaks
the continuity of this soft and amazing album, it is worth adding to your
Christmas music collection.

Beautiful Music.......2006-01-16

I must strongly disagree with the first reviewer about this CD! I do agree that the CD would have been better without "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Mister Santa." They are cute, but they don't seem to fit in very well with the other songs. That said, this CD is full of gems like the hauntingly beautiful "Christmas Lullaby" and "Welcome to Our World." There are two beautiful instrumentals, "Highland Cathedral" and "Gabriel's Oboe." "Til' The Season Comes Round Again" is tenderly sung, and "Christmas Can't Be Very Far Away" sets the right note at the beginning of the CD. I don't have a problem with the fact that these songs weren't written by Amy herself (Michael W. Smith, Chris Rice and others wrote many of them). Also, I don't think the fact that Amy is divorced should affect one's decision to buy this CD! While sad, her divorce in no way diminishes her talent and beautiful voice. I love this Christmas CD as much as the first two. Please do yourself a favor and give it a chance -- I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Her bag of tricks is empty.......2005-12-22

Great Christmas music evokes the spirit of the holiday through both sound and lyric. Grant's first two Christmas albums accomplished this in spades. I loved them, and play them every season. That said, I purchased this one without so much as a listen, confident that it would be chock full of more gems. First came the title track, which lists the playing of some other artist's music as being integral to having a memorable Christmas. Then came the jazzy Jingle Bell Rock, which sounded less like a Christmas tune and more like something they rushed through in order to flesh out the album. Then came the cutesy Mr. Santa, which was a nifty idea but once again had none of the magical stuff that made her earlier albums such perennial favorites. Then came the cash I got by trading the CD in at a second-hand shop.

There may very well have been some genuinely sweet moments hidden in there, but the intro left a sour taste, as did the knowledge that I would no longer be reading Gary Chapman's name among Ms. Grant's album credits. Seems he didn't love Vince Gill as much as she did.

Amy's a gifted musician, with plenty of worthwhile music. Check out Unguarded, The Collection, Lead Me On, or Behind the Eyes if you want to see what she's really capable of. Check out A Christmas Album or Home for Christmas. Avoid this one.

Average customer rating:

the ingredients

Christmas with King's Singers

Manufacturer: Signum UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
ASIN: B0000DDB84
Release Date: 2003-01-01

Tracks:

Veni, Veni Emmanuel
Angelus Ad Virginem
This Is the Truth Sent from Above
Wie Scheuchtet Der Morgenstern
Es Ist Ein Ros' Entsprunger
There Is No Rose
Coventry Carol
Nowell Sing We Now
Remember, O Thou Man
In Dulci Jubilo
Lullay My Liking
Bogoroditsye Dyevo
Lamb
Maria Durch Ein' Dornwald Ging
O Little One Sweet
Bethlehem Down
Crown of Roses
To Us in Bethlem City
Szczo to Za Prediwo
There Is a Flower
Peregrinan
Away in a Manger
NoNouvelet
Stille Nacht
Born on a New Day

Customer Reviews:

the ingredients.......2006-12-23

This is a perfect King's Singers recording filled with Christmas music. The sustained success of this group of six English gentlemen is legendary, but not surprising. The ingredients for that success have remained the same for many years, through varying personnel, and across a very wide-ranging repertory of a capella music. First and foremost, these men are true musicians - musicians first, singers and interpreters second. Musicianship consisting of equal parts learning and attentive transmission, the King's Singers are immaculate musicians - attuned, commited, ready, and fortunately blessed with musical intelligence to guide their choices of material. Second, and as important in my view, these men are comrades. In their recently released DVD, one finds abundant evidence of a committment not only to their art, but to each other. A capella singing by nature revealing, you'll find no seams in the singing of this mastergroup. Everything is seen to, raised up, compelling - and ever beautiful. This is authentic art of the gods. As fond as I am of Chanticleer, and of Harry Christopher's The Sixteen, the work of those fine ensembles pales when compared to the lingering beauty of the King's Singers. Constant invention is one of the hallmarks of their recorded legacy, and is bountiful on this disc - voicings, approaches, and a magical communion of voices. Check out Ariel Ramirez' instantly amenable 'La peregrinacion' and you'll never turn back. Big recommendation.

Average customer rating:

The Music of Irving Berlin

Manufacturer: Collectables
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Easy Listening | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Music of Cole Porter/Music of Vincent Youmans
Music of Jerome Kern
The Ultimate Collection
The Best Ever Mantovani Collection

ASIN: B0000507YQ
Release Date: 2000-11-14

Tracks:

Music Box Revue: Say It With Music/Remember/Blue Skies
Top Hat: Top Hat, White Tie And Tails/How Deep Is The Ocean (How High Is The Sky)
This Is The Army: This Is The Army/Oh, How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning/Face The Music: Soft...
What'll I Do/Always/The Song Is Ended (But The Melody Lingers On)
Top Hat: The Piccolino/Top Hat: Cheek To Cheek
Holiday Inn: White Christmas
Annie Get Your Gun: The Girl That I Marry/Say It Isn't So/Ziegfeld Follies: Mandy
Miss Liberty: Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor/God Bless America