Christmas In July 2020-27
Hello again. Are you ready for another dose of Christmas in July? I hope so, because I've got fifteen more tracks for your enjoyment. Let's jump right in, shall we?
1. Away In A Manger by The Mennonite Hour A Cappella Choir, Children's Choir from The Stranger Of Galilee-A Musical Portrait Of The Life Of Christ (Word WST-8436-LP, Stereo, 1968). Featuring a bunch of Mennonite kiddies.
2. The Virgin Mary by Tabooz from Tabooz 1962 (No Label CO 4038 (Bradford Junior College), Mono, 1962). Not much info about this one, but from the front cover photograph it's an all-woman choir. Not sure if it's an all-girls school though.
3. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm by Robert Maxwell, His Harp And Orchestra from The Magic Of Robert Maxwell His Harp And Orchestra (Vocalion (Decca, MCA) VL 73858, Stereo, 1965). There's harp in there somewhere, but it's not too prominent.
4. Joyous Season, the first track tonight by an unknown artist, this one from Warner Bros. Finest For Concert Band (Jenson Publications JP-3900, Stereo, 1983). Demo music for your own personal concert band.
5. A Scandinavian Christmas Rhapsody, also by an unknown performer, this time from Superior New Works For Concert Band Vol. XV-Advanced Edition (Jenson Publications JP-5100, Stereo, 1984). More music for your concert band to try.
6. Go Tell It On The Mountain by American Christian College Choir from An Evening With Billy James Hargis And His Kids (Christian Crusade Recordings LP30002, Stereo, 1971). Not really sure what's up with this one. Is Billy James Hargis a member of the band? A director? Supporter? Just a guy who liked releasing albums? I hope somebody chimes in with some answers some day.
7. My Favorite Things by The Mitchell-Ruff Duo from The Sound of Music By Rodgers & Hammerstein (Roulette Birdland R 52037, Mono, 1960). I'm telling you, every one and his brother did a recording of the songs from The Sound of Music. I could do with it what I'm doing with The Nutcracker Suite, a version a day for the whole month!
8. Winter Wonderland by The Murk Family With Accompanist Betty Bowman from Holiday Musicale (Sacred Knof Recordings SKR-LP-1170, Mono). Lots of good ones on this LP. This may not be one of them.
9. Hanover Winter Song by The Dartmouth College Glee Club-Paul R. Zeller, Director from Reflections On Dartmouth (James Campion OSS-2382, Stereo). Pretty sure I've got another version of this same song by an earlier incarnation of this same group. Glad I didn't share them both out on the same day.
10. Exultate Deo by South Haven High School Choir from Sixth Annual Albion College Invitational Choral Festival (Delta DRS81-128, Stereo, 1981). This is pretty late for such a record to have been made. I suspect this was close to the time where such a thing would be put on cassette tape. But there are always holdouts.
11. Hymn Of The Nativity by The Cantata Singers In Quakertown, Ifor Jones Conducting, Bonnie Fix Keller At The Organ from A Service Of Lessons And Carols (CS CSQ1001, Stereo, 1975). No relation to Quaker Steak And Lube, I hope.
12. Il Est Né; Jesus Borned In Bethlea by Eleanor Newman, Soprano, With W. Lawrence Curry, Accompanist from Let's Sing Songs And Hymns For Primary Children (The Geneva Press 69-0031, Mono). Pretty sure this one originally came with a book and was used to teach you how the songs found in the book were supposed to sound.
13. Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers by Eddie Dunstedter from The Master Makes Melody-Eddie Dunstedter Reminisces (Foremost FML 1003, Mono, 1956). This guy had a really long career.
14. We'll Dress The House by Regina High School Chorus-Ms. Marianne Antonich, Director from Christmas & Spring Concerts 1977-1978 (Melody Recording KM 2623, Stereo, 1978). This is one of those songs I hear occasionally, but don't know anything about. I'd look it up, but I'm busy posting Christmas music. Funny how that happens.
15. Alleluia by The Frankford High School A Cappella Choir-Robert G. Hamilton, Director from The Frankford High School A Cappella Choir Sings '61-'62 (Acoustic Arts Recording Studios LP 126 (Philadelphia, PA), Mono, 1962).Frankford High School bringing up the rear today.
That's all she wrote for the day. Gotta be something in there your ears will appreciate.
Billy James Hargis was a segregationist preacher who had a radio show on a great many stations. He basically retired after being accused of sexual misconduct.
ReplyDeleteYour energy has no limits. You post 'em faster than I can read 'em.
Oh, I'd not heard of him. Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteIt's not so hard if all the recording is done ahead of time. :) That's the most time consuming phase. There's always a recalcitrant record that just doesn't want to give up it's sound...
ReplyDeleteI always confused Billy James Hargis with Billy Sol Estes, who was somehow connected to Lyndon Johnson. I think.
Yeah, Billy Sol was another con man. He had ties to Lyndon Johnson.
ReplyDeleteHaven't heard of him either. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing...
ReplyDeleteYou weren't around to remember him, so it's not a bad thing. I remember all these folks because I lived through the era.
ReplyDeleteQuite a lively version of I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm. Still doesn't sound like the Robert Maxwell Christmas album I have, but it was enjoyable. Have to say that the jazz version of My Favorite Things was a nice surprise! Eddie sure gave it his all on that interpretation of Parade of the Wooden Soldiers. We'll Dress Up This House is an Alfred Burt carol that I really enjoy, but that we don't hear very often. This was a pretty good share! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteMeant to write "We'll Dress The House."
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's just me, but I've never been super impressed with the Alfred Burt carols as a whole. There are some good ones, but it's not like the collected works of Johnny Marks or anything.
ReplyDelete