Christmas In July 2026-Part 5

Well, now that the holiday is out of the way, we can jump in with earnest. Not that I'm going to do anything interesting that I wasn't doing before, it just sounds good. Here's another ten Christmas songs from non-Christmas albums for you. Enjoy!

1. Hope Publishing Company, Somerset Press, Agape-Tambourine Noel (The Very Best Sacred Choral Music, 1979)

We start out with a demo song from an arrangement publisher. Yawn.

2. Richard Maltby And His Orchestra-Shepherd's Song (Brilliant Big Band Ballads And Blues, 1962)

Not strictly a Christmas song, but it will do in a pinch. I think I've shared this one before.

3. Poldi Zeitlin, Pianist-The Wooden Soldiers' March (Tchaikovsky 24 Pieces For The Piano-Masterwork Series For The Young Musician, 1952)

Another short song from this collection of short Tchaikovsky piano pieces.

4. Stanley Black Conducting The London Festival Orchestra AKA The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra-Arab Dance (Tchaikovsky-Nutcracker Suite/Serenade For Strings, 1967)

I grabbed a bunch of tracks from this one so you'll see it a few times this season, as you have in others. Only this time I noticed that the name of the orchestra is different on the cover than what's shown on the label. Very odd...

5. The Yoder Families-The Friendly Beasts (Come Let Us Join Our Cheerful Songs)

Lots of families named Yoder around here, seems to be a popular name in the Amish and Mennonite communities. I found this record in a small thrift store run by a Mennonite charity, so I wasn't surprised at all.

6. Ted Alan Worth-San Francisco Civic Chorale Chamber Chorus-Carol Of The Bamboo Flute (Great Hymns Of Faith-Praise To The Lord)

I feel like I've shared some organ tracks by this guy before, but this album featured a chorus on many of the tracks. Makes for a much more listenable experience.

7. Tuskegee Institute Choir-William L. Lawson, Director-Mary Had A Baby (Spirituals, 1971)

This track is from the record highlighted up top. Of course I've shared it out before at which time I came up with a very different date for it of 1955. So I guess this is a reissue. Good stuff whatever the date.

8. The Mennonite Hour Male Quartet-O Come, O Come Immanuel (Hymns That Live 10" 33 RPM)

More of those Mennonites!

9. Stuttgart Festival Band-William Harrison, Conductor-God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (Have Band Will Travel-Music Minus One Trombone)

Music that's missing the trombone part, though I'm not sure you'll notice.

10. Jenson Publications-Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Jenson Publications Presents...Warner Bros. Finest For Concert Band, 1983)

And we end where we began, with a track trying to sell you an arrangement. It's like commercials on Amazon Prime, they just keep coming... 

MEGA