The loose theme for the day is records that were produced for record clubs. You remember when you were just coming of age and you wanted to start growing your record or CD or tape collection. You'd see those ads in the magazines advertising twelve records for a penny. Of course you ignored the fine print that told you about the monthly new releases that were automatically shipped to you and how many of those you were obligated to purchase before you could quite. I joined quite a few times and probably still owe somebody somewhere a few bucks, though I haven't seen a letter from them in quite a while. (If you've never heard of such a scheme then you're just too young!) Anyhow, many of these clubs existed and they would often put together special records just for members. You couldn't buy these at the store so if you wanted what the had to offer, you had to be a member of their club. Sometimes these special records were just compilations of tracks from other records, similar to a greatest hits collection, but sometimes it was exclusive music recorded (or at least sold) exclusively by the club. This first club exclusive is from the mighty RCA and consists of two side-long medleys of Christmas favorites. I think it's very well done and sounds nice, but you have to carve out a lot of time to listen to such long medleys. This is
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra With Brass Bands, Organ, Bells-Beecham Choral Society-The Ambrosian Singers-Peter Knight, Conductor-John McCarthy, Chorus Master-
Joyful And Triumphant (RCA Victor CSC-305, Stereo, 1963). I suspect this was created in the UK for this American release, and it may even have seen a normal release over there, but I haven't been able to track that down if it exists.
1. Introduction; We Three Kings; Deck The Halls; Angels From The Realms Of Glory; The First Noël; Joy To The World; God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen; Away In A Manger; Good King Wenceslas; O Come, All Ye Faithful
2. Introduction; Angels We Have Heard On High; Lo! How A Rose E'er Blooming; I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day; O Little Town Of Bethlehem; Patapan; Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; It Came Upon The Midnight Clear; The Twelve Days Of Christmas; Silent Night
MEGA
There was one
earlier remastered share of a record for the RCA Record Club this season. I had thought about saving it for today's theme, but I thought it fit better into the pile of harp records I was sharing that day. Go check it out if you missed it.
Well Ernie you've done it again - and on Christmas Eve!! As is so often the case this album is one from my tender youth. Guess Mom was an RCA member - but we had this one, and it created some memories. Transferred that copy full of skips and blemishes enough to interfere. Wanted a clean copy and looked and searched and looked and search. No deal. Then on this Christmas Eve - BAM - there it is brought to you by Ernie. You create Christmas gifts the likes of which you can only imagine. Thank you, thank you and Merry Christmas!!!!
ReplyDeleteGlad you're able to recover something from your youth here on this Christmas Eve! :)
DeleteGREAT!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's good stuff!
DeleteThis is one of the few Christmas records posted to the blog this year that I actually found a copy of myself! Haven't taken the time to listen to it yet; been a very busy Christmas season.
ReplyDeleteYou're telling me... And it ain't over yet. :)
DeleteErnie! With all the holiday bustle, I didn't give you my thanks for this LP. I was the one who requested this after your 2022 share of the 1970 Paul Freeman RPO album. For years, this was my Holy Grail Christmas LP, a record that only existed in theory on Discogs, and now I can finally hear it. It's real now, and it's incredible. I can't understand how this music is not commercially available—it's really that good—but I'm grateful to get it from you.
ReplyDeleteThis must have been recorded in conjunction with the RPO material on the very first Reader's Digest Christmas box set, Joyous Music For Christmas Time (also from 1963), a 4-LP package that was in print for a decade and eventually sold over a million copies! The 2 RPO LP sides there plus these 2 RPO LP sides comprise some of the most imaginative orchestral/choral Christmas arrangements you can find anywhere.
Anyway, Side Two of your share appears to have been reissued as Side One of the 1970 VA 2xLP A Christmas Festival (RCA Record Club CCS-0145), but as far as I know Side One of this share is something that most people on Earth today have never heard.
So once again, thank you so much for everything you do to keep this music alive.
It's good stuff. Glad you'll finally be able to hear it, or at least finally hear the one side that hasn't been re-distributed elsewhere. :)
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