Christmas In July 2012-Part 25

Warning, only 5 months 'til Christmas!  I'd better get started recording the Christmas albums, but first I've got to finish up Christmas in July.  Here are another 15 tracks to get you through the long hot summer.

1 & 2. When Icicles Hang (AKA When Icicles Hang By The Wall) & Lawn As White As Driven Snow by The Elizabethan Consort Of Viols, The Taylor Consort Of Recorders, Leslie Pearson-Conductor With Paul Whitman Jones, Et. Al., from the LP Songs From The Plays Of Shakespeare (The Shakespeare Recording Society/A Caedmon Production 3xLP SRS 242-S, Stereo, 1964).  There are actually four or five more artists listed for this and the other songs on this 3 LP set, but I could only fit so much in there.  I grabbed this set a few months ago when I spotted several winter-themed tracks and thought it could make for interesting Christmas in July material.  I'll let you be the judge of that. (Not sure how I wound up with two tracks from this album in the same share.  I've tried to avoid that all month, but I did it tonight...)

3. Waltz Of The Flowers (From "The Nutcracker") by Hal Mooney And His Orchestra from Ballet With A Beat (Mercury PPS 6017, Stereo, 1961).  Another track from this great LP, a rerun, but still great.  Dig those bongos!

4. Snowbird, the Anne Murray hit, performed on the organ by Chris Anderson from his LP Delicate Balance (Anco Music Company ANC 6616, Stereo, c. 1974).  I say this is from 1974 because that's the date on the inscription from the front cover.  Well, the earliest inscription.  There's a second inscription from 11 years later talking about how good it is to see someone again.  There were also a handful of clippings in the sleeve.  Someone had a fan...  Oh, and that weird noise on just one channel at the end, that's at the end of a couple of the songs.  Seems to be on the vinyl that way.  No idea why...

5. The Nutcracker, explained to you by Norman Rose from the LP The Story Of Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky In Words And Music (Parents' Magazine Music Appreciation Library Vol. 4/Colpix CP 443, Stereo).  For those of you who wonder what all the fuss is about.

6. My Favorite Things by pianist Peter Nero from The Screen Scene Starring Peter Nero (RCA Victor LSP-3496, Stereo, 1966).

7. March Of The Toys by Frederick Fennell And Orchestra from Frederick Fennell Conducts Victor Herbert (Mercury SR 60954, Stereo, 1964).  I think this is a rerun.

8. The Little Red Drum by The Harry Simeone Chorale from The Magic Of Their Singing (20th Century Fox 2xLP TCF 108-2S, Stereo, 1961).  Didn't I share another drum song from these guys with you this month, but not Little Drummer Boy?

9. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm Cha Cha Cha from Joe Cain And His Orchestra and the album Irving Berlin Goes Latin (Seeco CELP 4330, Stereo, 1959).  Now that's what I'm talking about!

10. Hosanna by The Moravian Trombone Choir Of Downey, Jeffrey Reynolds, Conductor, from the LP Music For Two Seasons: Advent And Christmas, Lent And Easter (Crystal S225, Stereo, 1981).  Hope you're enjoying the cuts from this LP.

11. Hallelujah (The Messiah) by Gordon MacRae-Orchestra Conducted By Van Alexander from Hallowed Be Thy Name (Capitol (EMI) ST 1466, Stereo, 1960).  Another piece of music I've tried to avoid this season, but some versions are worth the trouble.

12. Greensleeves-A Foggy day, a medley by The Melachrino Strings And Orchestra from Our Man In London (RCA Victor LSP-2608, Stereo, 1963).  Someday I need to see if I can put together all of these "Our Man In..." albums.  I think I have most of them, but not all in a single big stack somewhere.

13. Christmas Day, a rerun by Edward Winter, Kay Oslin, Rita O'Conner, Julane Stites, Neil Jones, from the soundtrack Promises, Promises-Original Broadway Cast Album (United Artists UAS 9902, Stereo, 1968).  One of only a couple Christmas songs written by Bacharach-David.

14. Baby, It's Cold Outside by Henry Mancini, His Orchestra And Chorus, from The Academy Award Songs-31 "Oscar" Winners (RCA Victor 2xLP LSP-6013, Stereo, 1966).  Another rerun.

15. Dancing Doll by Pauline Alpert from 18 Favorite Piano Moods AKA Moonlight Piano (Brigade P1314S, Stereo).  This is almost certainly a reissue of an LP from Grand Award, but I couldn't figure out exactly which one.  The cover is a crappy painting by the same guy who did all those Grand Award covers.  And once again, the sleeve doesn't match the vinyl when it comes to the title of the album.  Shocking!

That's it.  15 more tracks, and it's all down to the last week around here.  Stick around for more!

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