Christmas In July 2020-22
Wasn't sure I was going to be able to get this up for you tonight, but I've got a few minutes here and I'm going to post tonight's share for you. As usual, I hope there's something in here you'll enjoy.
1. Christmas In The Air by an unknown artist from Superior New Works For Concert Band-Advanced Edition-Volume 23 (Jenson Publications 2xLP CB23A88AD, Stereo, 1988). Starting (and ending) again tonight with demo recordings. Hope they're not the same song again...
2. Were You There On That Christmas Night? by Senior Choir-Mildred Karpinen, Organ from Grace (No Label NR8513 (Calumet, Michigan), Stereo, 1977). I didn't know there was a Calumet in Michigan. I'm only aware of Calumet City outside Chicago, and that's only from The Blues Brothers.
3. Snowflakes by Skitch Henderson, His Piano And The Stereosonic Strings from Autumn In New York (Mount Vernon Music MVS 107, Stereo). For my money, the best track from this LP. I've shared it before, but never in stereo. Though listening to it, I think it's just a re-write of Holiday for Strings.
4. Chilly Winds by Nancy Ames-Arranged And Conducted By Joseph Scianni from I Never Will Marry (Liberty LST-7329 Audition Record, Stereo, 1963). What is this, the fourth version I've shared of this song this year?
5. The Childhood Of Christ-Repose Of The Holy Family by The Stockholm Concert Orchestra-Conducted By Hugh Ross from The Majesty Of Sacred Music (Word W-4027-LP, Mono, 1966). I wonder if this was recorded in Stockholm, or if it just used their orchestra? I don't remember what the liner notes had to say about it. That's a big drawback of recording all this stuff ahead of time, I can't remember details about some of the stuff.
6. Bells Ring by some unknown folks from Making Music Your Own-Kindergarten Record IV (Silver Burdett Records 75 180 4, Mono, 1966). Whoops, this one is labelled as a New Year's song, so I should have saved it for the end of the month. My bad, I got in a hurry.
7. Gloria by Brookside Jr. High School Music Department-Concert Chorus-William Bent, Conductor from Winter Concert-Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 1971 (United Sound USR 4026, Stereo, 1972). I don't think this is the hit by Them...
8. Joseph by John Ylvisaker from A Love Song (Avant Garde AV-112, Stereo, 1968). Like this one, I don't remember much about the record at all...
9. Interlude For Harp by The Texas Boys Choir-George Bragg, Conductor-Sydney Laudenslager, Harp from Britten: A Ceremony Of Carols-Gregg Smith: Bible Songs For Young Voices (Vox Turnabout TV-S 34544, Stereo, 1973). You need more harp in your holiday.
10. E Is For The East, Where A Bright Star Shone by Anita Bryant-Arranged And Conducted By Robert Mersey from The ABC Stories Of Jesus (Columbia CS 8675, Stereo, 1962). How much of the alphabet do they devote to the birth of Jesus? Quite a bit, it turns out.
11. The Penguin by Dave Harris And The Powerhouse Five from Dinner Music For A Pack Of Hungry Cannibals (Decca DL 4113, Mono, 1961). I know penguins are from the opposite pole as Santa Claus, but I'll take any chance to share another Raymond Scott tune.
12. I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day by The Women's Ensemble Of Bethany Lutheran Church, Melodie Bollman-Director, Eleanor Peura-Accompanist from The Ensemble Sings (Century Advent Recording LRS-RT-6062 (Astabula, Ohio), Stereo). For whatever reason, they appear to have credited this song to Irving Berlin instead of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I get those two confused all the time, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.
13. The Skaters Waltz by Arturo Toscanini And The NBC Symphony Orchestra from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite (RCA Victor Red Seal LRY 9000, mono, 1953). This may be the only instance this season where a share a selection from a record that I've also shared a complete version of The Nutcracker Suite. That doesn't seem to be a common occurrence.
14. The Star And The Wisemen by The Mennonite Hour A Cappella Men's Choir; Audrey Shank, Contralto from The Stranger Of Galilee-A Musical Portrait Of The Life Of Christ (Word WST-8436-LP, Stereo, 1968). Those Mennonites sure do like to sing. And pies, they like pies too. Lots of Mennonite restaurants around here are noted for their pies.
15. The Holly And The Ivy by an unknown artist from New Vistas For Concert Band Vol. VII (Jenson Publications 2xLP JP-1100, Stereo, 1980). As promised, another demo track.
That's the end. Enjoy the music!
Skitch, Raymond Scott and Toscanini - very nice!
ReplyDeleteThree great tastes that taste great together...sorta.
ReplyDeleteNice observation about the Skitch Henderson track. It does look very similar indeed. I know I shouldn't admit this, but the Bells Ring track is quite fun (for kindergarteners, of course!!). Joseph doesn't really get much attention during the Christmas season, so it was nice to hear this track even though it almost sounded a bit too much like it belonged in the Halloween season. Weird. Finally, too bad that the last demo was cut short. The Holly and the Ivy is another one of my favourite Christmas songs.
ReplyDeleteI thought the Joseph track was a nice surprise, not at all what I was expecting, but then I don't know what I was expecting. I guess I was surprised that it was actually about the Christmas story, and not just the name. I put it in the best-of pile. :)
ReplyDelete