My parents own this, I own it, if I had kids, they'd probably own it too
December 2, 2018 3:30 PM Subscribe
1962 saw the release of a truly classic Holiday album -- The Glorious Sound of Christmas, from the Philadelphia Orchestra [44m]. Lush playing under Eugene Ormandy and creative arrangements by Arthur Harris lift the familiar carols well above most holiday fare that has come before or since. With the Temple University Concert Choir. Side A: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, O Little Town Of Bethlehem, Joy To The World, Oh Holy Night, O Come O Come Emanuel, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Ave Maria
Side B: Oh Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles), The First Noel, Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly, O Sanctissima (O Du Frohliche), The Worship Of God, O Come Little Children, Silent Night Holy Night
Side B: Oh Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles), The First Noel, Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly, O Sanctissima (O Du Frohliche), The Worship Of God, O Come Little Children, Silent Night Holy Night
Yes! I've been listening to that album for 25 years or more! (Not non-stop, though.)
posted by moonmilk at 7:04 PM on December 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by moonmilk at 7:04 PM on December 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
Holiday music isn't on my top ten of things to listen to. But this collection? It's been a fav since I was in kindergarten. Reminds me a lot of the Leroy Anderson xmas arrangements (which we had in a large album of 78 rpm recordings). I can even remember my Grandmother buying it! It's followed me through life and has brought me great comfort.
There has never been a better sound than that made by the Fabulous Philadelphians!
posted by james33 at 3:25 AM on December 3, 2018
There has never been a better sound than that made by the Fabulous Philadelphians!
posted by james33 at 3:25 AM on December 3, 2018
What a dirge - sorry, but this is my Christmas nightmare music. There was an askme about singing happy birthday and how they uplifted it by singing it really cheerily I remember. This for me is the equivalent. Give me up tempo if I have to endure it.
posted by unliteral at 3:59 AM on December 3, 2018
posted by unliteral at 3:59 AM on December 3, 2018
My go-to has always been any of the various Firestone Christmas albums -- doesn't matter which color, just had to have a big bow on the sleeve. My parents and grandparents had them and we put them on when decorating the tree, so when I got out on my own in the 1990s I had to hit up a thrift shop and spend my 50¢ so I can accompany my tree-decorating as well. I never understood what tires had to do with Christmas music, though.
(My wife's tradition is the Elvis Christmas album, so we alternated, back when we had little kids in the house and actually put up a tree)
posted by AzraelBrown at 5:09 AM on December 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
(My wife's tradition is the Elvis Christmas album, so we alternated, back when we had little kids in the house and actually put up a tree)
posted by AzraelBrown at 5:09 AM on December 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
Oh, thank you.
I hate this time of year (hello darkness and cold, I do not like you and you make me lethargic and mournful), so I make a special effort to really get into Christmas, more so than ever as I age. I wear red lipstick, put on the Santa hat that I knitted, get the tree up, find that YouTube fireplace video (I'm allergic to something in wood smoke) and generally try to enjoy it in spite of myself.
I've been putting together a Spotify playlist of *my* favorite Christmas pieces, so again, thanks for the suggestion - (I'm playing it on Spotify now and will cherrypick the ones that call to me.
posted by Peach at 7:10 AM on December 3, 2018 [1 favorite]
I hate this time of year (hello darkness and cold, I do not like you and you make me lethargic and mournful), so I make a special effort to really get into Christmas, more so than ever as I age. I wear red lipstick, put on the Santa hat that I knitted, get the tree up, find that YouTube fireplace video (I'm allergic to something in wood smoke) and generally try to enjoy it in spite of myself.
I've been putting together a Spotify playlist of *my* favorite Christmas pieces, so again, thanks for the suggestion - (I'm playing it on Spotify now and will cherrypick the ones that call to me.
posted by Peach at 7:10 AM on December 3, 2018 [1 favorite]
okay this nice, very nice. Thank you.
But what I've been looking for and keep not finding in a Christmas record is:
A. a mostly instrumental package that,
B. is not afraid of the more traditional fair (ie: no Santa Babies) and,
C. (perhaps most important) is comparatively stripped down in terms of instrumentation (ie: not a big orchestra), but is mostly instrumental and played on traditional acoustic instruments, perhaps like something one might have heard at a house party in Victorian times, a little loose perhaps and folkie, but not too raucous. This is not a drunken Victorian house party ...
If I could post an example, I'd already have what I want. That said, some years ago John McDermott put out a Christmas album that had a few instrumental passages that are getting very close. But good luck finding any of them online.
this ended up turning into an ASK -- sorry hippybear
posted by philip-random at 9:15 AM on December 3, 2018
But what I've been looking for and keep not finding in a Christmas record is:
A. a mostly instrumental package that,
B. is not afraid of the more traditional fair (ie: no Santa Babies) and,
C. (perhaps most important) is comparatively stripped down in terms of instrumentation (ie: not a big orchestra), but is mostly instrumental and played on traditional acoustic instruments, perhaps like something one might have heard at a house party in Victorian times, a little loose perhaps and folkie, but not too raucous. This is not a drunken Victorian house party ...
If I could post an example, I'd already have what I want. That said, some years ago John McDermott put out a Christmas album that had a few instrumental passages that are getting very close. But good luck finding any of them online.
this ended up turning into an ASK -- sorry hippybear
posted by philip-random at 9:15 AM on December 3, 2018
philip-random, I have this CD which might come close?
posted by mefireader at 9:40 AM on December 3, 2018
posted by mefireader at 9:40 AM on December 3, 2018
I wasn't sure I recognized the cover, but the first three seconds were enough to remind me this was one of the standards in our house too!
posted by helpthebear at 11:21 AM on December 3, 2018
posted by helpthebear at 11:21 AM on December 3, 2018
> But what I've been looking for and keep not finding in a Christmas record is...
It may be too stripped down for your tastes, but for decades we've really enjoyed the Winter Solstice albums released by Windham Hill
posted by CheapB at 4:08 PM on December 3, 2018
It may be too stripped down for your tastes, but for decades we've really enjoyed the Winter Solstice albums released by Windham Hill
posted by CheapB at 4:08 PM on December 3, 2018
Great stuff hippybear, new to me; thanks for the pointer!
As for you, philip-random, might I suggest John Fahey's Christmas album, as well as the more recent collections by the multi-instrumentalist Greg Miner.
posted by Rash at 6:50 PM on December 3, 2018
As for you, philip-random, might I suggest John Fahey's Christmas album, as well as the more recent collections by the multi-instrumentalist Greg Miner.
posted by Rash at 6:50 PM on December 3, 2018
We had that LP, but the one we listened to the most was the Philadelphis Brass Ensemble's "A Festival of Carols in Brass".
posted by acrasis at 5:07 PM on December 4, 2018
posted by acrasis at 5:07 PM on December 4, 2018
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posted by SNACKeR at 4:09 PM on December 2, 2018 [2 favorites]