| Audio CD Release Date: | October 25, 1990 | | Studio: | RCA | | Composer: | Robert Shaw, Richard Storrs Willis, William Billings, John Henry, Jr. Hopkins, Mykola Dmytrovich Leontovych | | Conductor: | Robert Shaw | | Orchestra: | Robert Shaw, Richard Storrs Willis, Robert Shaw Orchestra | | Number Of Discs: | 1 | | Average Customer Rating: |  based on 18 reviews |
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| 1. | Medley: Good Christian Men - Rejoice - Silent Night - Patapan - O Come - All Ye Faithful | | 2. | It Came Upon The Midnight Clear | | 3. | O Come, O Come, Emmanuel | | 4. | Shepherd's Carol | | 5. | Go, Tell It On The Mountain | | 6. | Medley: O Sanctissima - Joy To The World - Away In A Manger - Fum, Fum, Fum - March Of The Kings | | 7. | I Wonder As I Wander | | 8. | We Three Kings | | 9. | My Dancing Day | | 10. | Medley: What Child Is This? - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Bring A Torch - Jeanette - Isabella - Angels We Have Heard On High | | 11. | Coventry Carol | | 12. | God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen | | 13. | Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming | | 14. | Carol Of The Bells | | 15. | Medley: Break Forth - O Beauteous Heavenly Light - The First Nowell - O Little Town Of Bethlehem - I Saw Three Ships - Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly | |
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Average Customer Review: ( 18 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
42 of 43 found the following review helpful:
The Voice of Christmas Dec 17, 1999
By John Parker Marmaro
"gilfaethwy"
I (as others reviewing this CD) remember these recordings as a child. They have included most (but not all) of the original LP "Joy to the World", which was entirely sung a-cappella. In this release, they have interspersed the a-cappella carols with big orchestrated numbers. But what stays in the mind, in the soul, are the beautiful a-capella hymns, and especially the less-known ones: the versions of "Pat-A-Pan" and The Carol of the Bells, to cite two examples, are exquisite. Some of the wonderful and rare carols included are "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella", "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day", "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" (one of the oldest carols in English), The Coventry Carol, and "I Wonder As I Wander (one of the earliest native American carols). Of all the albums we listened to while I was growing up, this is the one for which I have the deepest love. Even in its hybridized form, it's great to have it on CD!
25 of 25 found the following review helpful:
THE Carols for The Festival Oct 19, 2001
Compared to other collections of Christmas carols, this shines forth as the standard. It is as if Shaw tried not to "interpret" these classics, but rather perform them "as they were intended to be performed." I think you'll agree.In 1987, I bought the cassette of the re-release. I played it even as it was so worn it squeaked. It was years before I was able to find it on the Internet (thanks, Amazon.com) and replace my worn-out tape.
24 of 24 found the following review helpful:
Timeless Robert Shaw Aug 10, 2000
By Daniel G. Berk
There is such an immediacy and current feeling to these recordings that it seems hard to believe that they were made in 1957 and 1963. The reissue of 1987 was a welcome return of an old friend. Alas, it appears that that reissue is no longer available. One can only hope that that will not remain the situation for long. This is an excellent and varied selection of carols, and the CD provides an hour-plus of extremely enjoyable listening.
17 of 17 found the following review helpful:
The best Jan 02, 2004
By Yvonne Smith
I own approximately 35 Christmas choral CDs - including choirs and groups such as the Cambridge Singers and the King Singers. I also own two Christmas albums with Robert Shaw and the Atlantic symphony. This performance with the Robert Shaw Chorale is old but it is still my favorite. The arrangements are magnificent, the sound is brilliant, and the choir and orchestra are precise with wonderful volume control. Buy and enjoy!
12 of 12 found the following review helpful:
How do you describe perfection? Dec 14, 2003
By Don Meek
This is my favorite Christmas CD. Nothing comes close. I thoroughly enjoyed learning much of the music in high school choir over 30 years ago. The music has never left me. The four medleys are the arrangements of Robert Russell Bennett titled "The Many Moods of Christmas". The arrangements seem to have a freshness about them even after listening numerous times. Interspersed with the medleys are a cappella carols. All of this music is wonderfully performed by the Robert Shaw Chorale, the a cappella selections recorded in 1957 and the medleys in 1963. Four decades have proven that this is the standard in choral music. The clarity of text, the richness of tone, the beauty of harmony combine to present the message of Christmas in the manner that only music can do. These words are no surprise to those familiar with choral music in the United States. If you are not so familiar, but would like to enjoy Christmas music at its most beautiful, you can do no better than acquiring this CD.
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