Christmas In July 2020-13

Good morning! Back to work after a long weekend.  It's rough.  Here's a little something to help get you through your day.  Some real good stuff in here today, I'm sure you'll find a few keepers.

1. I Will Carol In The Morning by an unknown artist from Jenson Publications' Choral Celebration Vol. 5 (Jenson Publications JP-4000 w/ Book, Stereo, 1983).  Getting the demo stuff out of the way first today.

2. O Holy Night by Helen Harbourt Zingg, Soprano-Male Chorus Of Union Congregational Church-Julius C. Zingg, F.A.G.O., Organist And Director-Helen Harbourt Zingg, Soprano from Union Choir Sings (Mirrosonic Custom CM 7135, Mono). That's gotta be one of the longest artist names I've shared with you.  Not just the Helen part, but the whole list of names involved with this one.  It just goes on and on and on.

3. Westminster Carol by The Handbell Choir Of St. James Methodist Church, Olney, Philadelphia-Eleanor C. Thompson, Director from Sacred And Secular Music (Magnetic Recorder And Reproducer Corp. MRR-397, Mono, 1963). Yes! More handbells!

4. Icicle Bells (Allegro) by Moe Koffman from The Four Seasons (GRT Of Canada 2xLP 9230-1022, Stereo, 1972).  Interesting, very interesting.

5. Hallelujah Chorus (From "The Messiah") by John Klein At The Schulmerich "Carillon Americana" Bells from The Call Of The Carillon (RCA Victor LSP-2255, Stereo, 1961). I'm not sure this is how Handel heard it in his head.

6. Narodil Sa Kristus V Betleheme by The Slovakaires, Organ Accompaniment By Sr. M. Eugene Prolop, O.S.F. from Christmas With The Slovakaires (Pav Records PAV 666, Stereo). I'm afraid I don't have much in the way of international Christmas music for you this month.  You're going to have to make do with this stuff from Slovakia. Could be worse...

7. Snowflake Polka by Johnny Pecon And His Orchestra With Lou Trebar from Jukebox Polka Favorites (Delta International DI-7024-LPS (Previously released as Dana 1282, 1960), Stereo, 1972).  Gotta love the polka Christmas music!

8. Puer Natus Est by Kenneth Wilson, Organist, from Christmas At The Castle/Kenneth Wilson Celebrates (AFKA HCM101/S-4665, Stereo, 1981). I don't think the LP jacket told us where the Castle in question was. If it did, I didn't make a note of it.

9. Holiday For Percussion by West York Area High School Percussion Ensemble-Alan Wyand, Director-Dick Schory, Guest Conductor from Sound Of Percussion (Frank Taylor Sound Service No Number, Mono, 1965).  How about that? It's a private recording of a high school performance, guest conducted by the composer of the song, who turns out to be the great Dick Schory! Pretty impressive!

10. The Bells Of St. Mary's by Neal Hefti And His Orchestra from Concert Miniatures (Vik (RCA) LX-1092, Mono, 1957). Some sorta-Christmas music by the great Neal Hefti, on a tiny subsuduary of RCA. Nice.

11. Saturnian Sleigh Ride by Shorty Rogers And His Giants from Portrait Of Shorty (RCA Victor LPM-1561, Mono, 1958). Shorty was a pretty big deal at the time, so I was excited to find something from him that I could include here. I knew that Christmas was celebrated on Mars, but I didn't know about Saturn until I found this.

12. Prelude On Greensleeves by Richard Ellsasser from Richard Ellsasser At The Conn Organ (Sacred LPS-4039, Stereo, 1964). I believe there are a couple of full Christmas albums by Mr. Ellsasser in the archives (here and here).

13. Sleigh Ride by Dick Marx, Piano, And Johnny Frigo, Bass from Piano Solos With Bass Accompaniment (Coral CRL 57088, Mono, 1957).  This is the sort of thing I love to find. Good Christmas music, right in the middle of a normal album. Great!

14. Moonlight In Vermont by Brook Benton from Songs I Love To Sing (Mercury SR 60602, Stereo, 1960). I know some of you don't count this as a Christmas song, but in the hands of the right artist, playing up the wintery bits, it fits in just fine.

15. Jingle Bells by Paul Anka from Diana (ABC-Paramount ABC-420, Mono, 1962). A little bit of a ringer here, because the track is taken from Paul's early Christmas album, but still legal, because I pulled it from a different album filled with his best tracks to that stage in his career.

And that's it.  A good mix today, I think.  Something for everyone in there.  Here's the download link, see you later.

MEGA