I've still got plenty of these church-based Christmas records to share with you, so don't think you're out of the woods just yet. For some reason, the name on this one reminds me of that old Disney move, The Lavender Hill Mob. Is that the name of it? Maybe it was The Lavender Hill Gang. I think Cloris Leachman was in it. I have vague memories of seeing it at a drive-in when I was a wee one. (I just looked it up and I am way off base in my memories. The movie it looks like I am thinking of is called The North Avenue Irregulars. How did I get the title so wrong?) Anyhow, none of that has anything to do with the share at hand, but lately I've been having a hard time coming up with anything to say about these old records, so that'll have to do as an introduction. This is
The Cherry Hill Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir And Festival Orchestra-
The Boar's Head Festival (The Cherry Hill Presbyterian Church AR 3375 (Dearborn, Michigan), Stereo). Oh, looking at the cover again, I think I was under the impression this was a high school production, but it's not. I think many high schools have a madrigal concert around Christmas and The Boar's Head Carol seems to be a popular song and theme. I've been to a few of those things, sometimes they're OK, sometimes they are not. I'll let you decide what you think of this one.
1. Prelude
2. Deck The Halls
3. The Holly And The Ivy
4. Here We Come A-Wassailing
5. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
6. The Boar's Head Carol
7. I Sing Of A Maiden; Be Not Afraid; Gloria In Excelsis Deo
8. O Come, O Come Emmanuel
9. Kings To Thy Rising
10. What Child Is This
11. Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence; Postlude
MEGA
That is one ALARMING rendering of a roasted pigs head. The shock of it's demise, frozen in time. Merry Christmas, y'all! -Organ
ReplyDeletelet all mortal flesh keep silence.
DeletePerhaps I should have put a trigger warning on this one?
DeleteThere was a film called The Lavender Hill Mob, with Alec Guinness. I've seen it.
ReplyDeleteThat IS a gruesome cover.
Yeah, there is a Lavender Hill Mob movie, but I don't think I've seen it. Need to though.
DeleteWhile I have not listened to this album yet, the illustration on the album cover represents what the Boar Head Tradition stands for. Although, it could have been designed in a more pleasent representation, it fully depicts what the Tradition is about.
DeleteYeah, well, truth in advertising. :)
DeleteReleased 1983. https://www.discogs.com/release/22378030-Cherry-Hill-United-Presbyterian-Church-Choir-And-Festival-Orchestra-C-Steven-Errante-The-Boars-Head-?srsltid=AfmBOorlFAJHOxaQaw40VMlT4TIjzx_YP6BzY5OSpNau96e9FYFgGt-s
ReplyDeleteI'm not convinced those are the same recordings. I'd want to listen to both of them, not just compare the tracklists. Anybody got the other version?
DeleteFrankly, I'd have to be extremely, massively hungry to be willing to eat a boar's head. I can't imagine there's much edible there; all the "food" is in the body. The head is just a braincase and I'm not hungry enough for that, lemme tell ya!
ReplyDeleteI don't think there's much food value in the head, but they're happy to have something, I suspect that may be the point. Or maybe the head is all that's left after feasting on the body?
DeleteThe cheeks are like butter, the best part. But the eyes (which usually get replaced with fruits or vegetables) I don't recommend the eyes. -Organ
DeleteCouldn't they make head cheese or something?
DeleteEww. -Organ
DeleteI Love these Church albums. Can't wait to give it a listen. Thanks, Ernie :)
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting one, what with having an actual theme and all. :)
DeleteThe Boar’s Head Concert and Celebration has been an annual event at Oglethorpe University for decades, maybe over a century.
ReplyDeletehttps://oglethorpe.edu/news/celebrate-the-season-at-the-annual-boars-head-concert/
I think a lot of places do this. Not everyone, but lots.
DeleteShould have added "Go Stormy Petrels!" to my note, being that I am a proud Oglethorpe alumnus.
DeleteStormy Petrels? That's right up there with the UCSB Banana Slugs. Well, not quite, but close. :)
DeleteWell Ernie, I have said it for a few others, but this was a Great album. A strong 9+.
ReplyDeleteI have spent a number of Christmas' with one of my best friends in England, or he has spent them with me. He was the one I mentioned on an earlier post that we were Alpine dancing to one of the albums you shared.
Anyway, we met at the C&C store in London, and have been friends every since. We both were 21, he looked 21, and I looked about 15, if that.
That being said, we have visited many Christmas Festival's in England over the years. I am sure we had been to one of these. They say it is held at, Queen’s College, Oxford. This sounds about right. But it would be 25 years ago that I saw it.
Once again, you are sharing some really good-great stuff after January 6th.
Still, the album cover, is quite represenative of this Festival.
As far as I can remember, the Boars head itself, is not eaten, but what it stands for.
I need to re-read about it again.
Can't speak to how popular it is there in Germany, but there are plenty here in the States. Glad you liked it. :)
DeleteWell, I do not know if it is popular here in Germany or not. I doubt it. As I said, almost everyone I know is not religious.
ReplyDeleteI can only think back to when I was in my 20s. While visiting Tim or whomever, I/we visited Oxford, Cambridge, London cathedrals etc. So, I/we got to hear and see various Choirs and church services. Just a plain service in a majestic edifice was something to behold. Their steep heritage and grander was impressive. Old world verses new world.
I don't know that it's a religious thing. I tend to think it's more secular since it doesn't seem to have much to do with the birth of Jesus. Unless I'm misunderstanding it completely...
Delete