As originally reported at The Yule Log, Guild Music in the UK has dropped what is likely to be this year's finest collection or reissue from Christmas music's golden age. "Christmas Celebration" contains a splendidly sweet dessert buffet of truly beautiful holiday music from artists like Percy Faith, Billy Vaughn, and George Melachrino, including half of Faith's long out-of-print "Music Of Christmas, Volume 2" (aka "Hallelujah") from 1958. 30 tracks in all (22 of them out-of-print) and an affordable price tag to boot. If you absolutely can't wait, "Christmas Celebration" is available today as an Import from Guild Music, but it should turn up at our domestic online retail sites in time for Christmas. With many labels dropping out of the seasonal reissue market altogether, this is a special holiday treat for Christmas music collectors everywhere. Our thanks, again, to The Yule Log and especially to Guild Music.
1. Jingle Bells......BILLY VAUGHN
2. We Three Kings Of Orient Are......PERCY FAITH
3. Hark The Herald Angels Sing......BILLY VAUGHN
4. Good King Wenceslas......GEORGE MELACHRINO PURCHASE FROM GUILD MUSIC
5. Snowfall......WALLY STOTT
6. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer......ARTHUR FIEDLER/BOSTON POPS
7. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus......GEORGE MELACHRINO
8. White Christmas......BILLY VAUGHN
9. The First Noel......PERCY FAITH
10. Joy To The World......BILLY VAUGHN
11. Nazareth......MANTOVANI
12. Adeste Fideles......BILLY VAUGHN
13. Deck The Hall With Boughs Of Holly......BILLY VAUGHN
14. Sleigh Ride......ARTHUR FIEDLER/BOSTON POPS
15. Fairy On The Christmas Tree......GEORGE MELACHRINO
16. Winter Wonderland......ARTHUR FIEDLER/BOSTON POPS
17. Christmas Sleigh Bells......WALLY STOTT
18. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town......ARTHUR FIEDLER/BOSTON POPS
19. Christmas Alphabet......GEORGE MELACHRINO
20. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen......GEORGE MELACHRINO
21. Carol Of The Bells......PERCY FAITH
22. Silent Night, Holy Night......PERCY FAITH
23. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear......BILLY VAUGHN
24. I Saw Three Ships......PERCY FAITH
25. O Little Town Of Bethlehem......BILLY VAUGHN
26. Angels From The Realms Of Glory......PERCY FAITH
27. Christians, Awake!......PERCY FAITH
28. O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree)......PERCY FAITH
29. The Skaters’ Waltz......MANTOVANI
30. Hallelujah Chorus......PERCY FAITH
Somehow Christmas isn’t the same without Festive Music, whether traditional carols or the appealing popular melodies dreamed up by composers who know how to tear at our nostalgic heartstrings. Both categories can be found in abundance in this collection, which offers tasteful orchestral settings of some of the best known carols from various countries alongside the catchy novelties that make Christmas such a happy time of the year. In the hands of the top arrangers and orchestras assembled on this CD, there is every chance that the discerning listener will discover some new sounds that add a welcome vibrancy to old, familiar friends. The six conductors performing the music for our enjoyment were among the most famous in the world towards the end of the 1950s, when these stereo recordings were made. Billy Vaughn, Percy Faith, George Melachrino, Mantovani, Angela Morley and Arthur Fiedler with his famous Boston 'Pops' combine to make this one of the finest orchestral Christmas collections ever.
2. We Three Kings Of Orient Are......PERCY FAITH
3. Hark The Herald Angels Sing......BILLY VAUGHN
4. Good King Wenceslas......GEORGE MELACHRINO PURCHASE FROM GUILD MUSIC
5. Snowfall......WALLY STOTT
6. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer......ARTHUR FIEDLER/BOSTON POPS
7. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus......GEORGE MELACHRINO
8. White Christmas......BILLY VAUGHN
9. The First Noel......PERCY FAITH
10. Joy To The World......BILLY VAUGHN
11. Nazareth......MANTOVANI
12. Adeste Fideles......BILLY VAUGHN
13. Deck The Hall With Boughs Of Holly......BILLY VAUGHN
14. Sleigh Ride......ARTHUR FIEDLER/BOSTON POPS
15. Fairy On The Christmas Tree......GEORGE MELACHRINO
16. Winter Wonderland......ARTHUR FIEDLER/BOSTON POPS
17. Christmas Sleigh Bells......WALLY STOTT
18. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town......ARTHUR FIEDLER/BOSTON POPS
19. Christmas Alphabet......GEORGE MELACHRINO
20. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen......GEORGE MELACHRINO
21. Carol Of The Bells......PERCY FAITH
22. Silent Night, Holy Night......PERCY FAITH
23. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear......BILLY VAUGHN
24. I Saw Three Ships......PERCY FAITH
25. O Little Town Of Bethlehem......BILLY VAUGHN
26. Angels From The Realms Of Glory......PERCY FAITH
27. Christians, Awake!......PERCY FAITH
28. O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree)......PERCY FAITH
29. The Skaters’ Waltz......MANTOVANI
30. Hallelujah Chorus......PERCY FAITH
Somehow Christmas isn’t the same without Festive Music, whether traditional carols or the appealing popular melodies dreamed up by composers who know how to tear at our nostalgic heartstrings. Both categories can be found in abundance in this collection, which offers tasteful orchestral settings of some of the best known carols from various countries alongside the catchy novelties that make Christmas such a happy time of the year. In the hands of the top arrangers and orchestras assembled on this CD, there is every chance that the discerning listener will discover some new sounds that add a welcome vibrancy to old, familiar friends. The six conductors performing the music for our enjoyment were among the most famous in the world towards the end of the 1950s, when these stereo recordings were made. Billy Vaughn, Percy Faith, George Melachrino, Mantovani, Angela Morley and Arthur Fiedler with his famous Boston 'Pops' combine to make this one of the finest orchestral Christmas collections ever.
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