# Favorite Christmas Carol Performances, Albums, and Arrangements



## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

There are many classical Christmas albums such as include many different choirs, soloists, or opera singers singing well-known Christmas songs. And there are even some instrumental arrangements and medleys that can be interesting. Every year I like to try different performances and compare to see what renditions I like. So I thought it would be fun to have a thread to discuss our favorites of such recordings. Which ones do you like?


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)




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## Posauner (Nov 8, 2020)

That Philadelphia Brass Ensemble album is awesome. I also love this one, very unique and interesting arrangements.


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## Simplicissimus (Feb 3, 2020)

My favorites are Morton Gould's _A Musical Christmas Tree_ album and the 3-CD set by Arturo Delmoni & Friends called _A String Quartet Christmas_. I am a big fan of M. Gould and Delmoni in non-Christmas music, so it's natural I like these Christmas offerings, I guess. Gould variously conducts the New Philharmonia Orchestra, "his" orchestra, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in these 16 favorites. Delmoni plays an incredibly sumptuous, Kreisler-like violin with some great friends, including cellist Nathaniel Rosen, with whom he recorded a very cool album called _A Glass Bead Game_.


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## trbl0001 (Sep 13, 2020)

Does anyone know Hely-Hutchinson's "Carol Symphony"? I saw it performed a couple of years ago. It's a symphony (not a choral one) with each movement based on a different carol. I'd never heard of it, but it was great. They performed it with Vaughan Williams's "Fantasia on Christmas Carols", a shorter work.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

trbl0001 said:


> Does anyone know Hely-Hutchinson's "Carol Symphony"? I saw it performed a couple of years ago. It's a symphony (not a choral one) with each movement based on a different carol. I'd never heard of it, but it was great. They performed it with Vaughan Williams's "Fantasia on Christmas Carols", a shorter work.


I have had this CD for several years and play it every Christmas season. It has the Carol Symphony and some other classical-style pastiches in the same vein as well. Excellent!


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

One of the most beautiful, relaxing disks I know of. Strings and harp - wonderful for a cold winter night.








For a fine, old fashioned and traditional arrangements, this old one from George Melachrino is excellent.








For something truly outrageous, over-the-top, tasteless and oh, so much fun, look to Andre Kostelantetz.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Both over the top but so pleasant


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## Anselmml (Nov 12, 2020)

I also love Christmas, I often use Christmas music as my phone ringtone, it makes life more beautiful.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Anselmml said:


> I also love Christmas, I often use Christmas music as my phone ringtone, it makes life more beautiful.


Now that is a entree, welcome, please tell us more.


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## Fabulin (Jun 10, 2019)




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## Anselmml (Nov 12, 2020)

Haha, what will you be, ZigTone will be there. I haven't studied them for so long.


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## Joe B (Aug 10, 2017)

I always play this CD on Christmas morning:










which has the incredible tune, "Mary's Lullaby":


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

I've never heard that Rutter piece - beautiful. Thanks for mentioning it; just ordered the disk.


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## Bella33 (Oct 22, 2020)

My favourite traditional Christmas music is Dance of the sugar plum fairy by Tchaikovsky


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

The _Fantasia on Christmas Carols_ serves as a warm-up for _Hodie_ on this disc. Both are well-matched, but the much shorter _Fantasia_ is great in its own right.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

I remain a sucker for Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride", a truly magical piece of music, Mozartian in every way except that it has no Köchel number.






Too, nearly any Percy Faith Christmas arrangement will put me in a jolly mood. A good one is:






But for some years now, my absolute favorite Christmas album is _The Spirit of Christmas_, featuring the Pittsburgh Symphony Brass (Four Winds Entertainment, Inc. ‎- FW 3022).









The Craig Carnelia, Marvin Hamlisch song "Take Me To Christmas Past", arranged by trumpeter George Vosburgh and sung by mezzo-soprano Tami Fire hangs as a glowing star on an otherwise well musically decorated holiday disc:






Still my number one GO TO disc for the Christmas season.


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## Fabulin (Jun 10, 2019)

As far as the choir is concerned: (here Tanglewood Festival Chorus)


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## Bella33 (Oct 22, 2020)

This traditional classics


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## Bella33 (Oct 22, 2020)

And I can listen to Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy for hours


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## Bella33 (Oct 22, 2020)

This Christmas Collection


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## Handelian (Nov 18, 2020)

We'll get this out this Christmas


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## Bella33 (Oct 22, 2020)

Love this album


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## trbl0001 (Sep 13, 2020)

His son's still alive - he used to do a blog, was good to read, now does a podcast if you're interested.


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## Bella33 (Oct 22, 2020)

Well, I just love this Collection!!! It's the best Relaxing Christmas Jazz Piano. Enjoy! And I wish everyone Joy, Happiness and Peace. Merry Christmas!!!


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

My choir at work made a recording in 2000 I listen to. Aside from that ...

















When I play these I realize how much I have missed singing in choir the past 9 months. And how much I miss worshipping in church. These are beautifully sung albums.

Of course it wouldn't be Christmas without hearing choruses from Messiah, especially No. 36:


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

Joe B said:


> I always play this CD on Christmas morning:
> 
> which has the incredible tune, "Mary's Lullaby":


I have the CD that this YouTube clip comes from. I'm not fan of Rutter's arrangements of traditional carols, but I like the original Christmas carols on the disc. My favorites are probably "Star Carol" and "The Very Best Time of Year".


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Being an old and rather solitary curmudgeon, a former singer whose voice can no longer manage "O Holy Night," and a man with no spouse or children around to insist that it really is Christmas and that there are things I'm expected to do, I find the day much like any other and am not likely to play much special music. But I never forget to play, and to recommend to others, the most perfectly sung rendition of the above carol that is likely ever to appear on this earth. Listen to the great Swedish tenor, Jussi Bjorling, singing "O Helga Natt" in Swedish, and if you (unlike me) can still do it without breaking any bones, fall on your knees and hear the angels singing "O night divine!"


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## annaw (May 4, 2019)

^ Thanks for sharing the video, Woodduck! Björling is absolutely stunning and his silvery tone is wonderous. He makes the song sound so immensely huuuge and great.

I hope you still get your share of Christmassy feeling, Woody, even if just from listening to Björling .


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

Wow! Björling's performance has to be one of the best I've heard!

"O Holy Night" is my favorite Christmas carol, and every year I like to find new recordings and enjoy my old favorites.

I think my favorite is Birgit Nilsson's performance. It's so simply yet powerfully sung, and the arrangement isn't overdone like many are.






Marilyn Horne is not a singer I like all that much, but her recording is one of the best I've heard. The arrangement has more going on without being silly.






Leontyne Price's recording is also really good.






Corelli also has a recording. He sings it so beautifully, but the arrangement is rather cheesy, especially the way they introduce it with "Silent Night". My goodness, someone was trying too hard.






And of course Enrico Caruso! Simply splendid!






Pavarotti also has a nice recording. It's good though I'm not crazy about it. 





Tebaldi sang it, but I find her recording bland. It was probably recorded too late in her career to be effective. 





Sutherland also has a recording. She sounds really pretty, but it just doesn't work for me for some reason.


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