Harping On Christmas 8

Well, this is the end of the Christmas harp records. Eight is enough I once heard someone say. If I could find more, I'd keep going, but this was the end of the pile. I didn't even think the pile would be this big at first, I figured it would be three, maybe four records, but they just kept coming out of the woodwork. I bet there are more out there somewhere, I'm going to keep looking and eventually update this series. But for now, this is the end. I've save a good one for last, or at least not a boring one. Some of them just don't hold my attention for very long, they're meant as background music for your Christmas quiet time, but this one is a little better than that. Lots of songs on here you've never heard, I'll bet. Give it a listen and see how you like it. I'm going to drift off to sleep now after a long day of hard harp work. I wonder what I can listen to that will lull me off to sleep? This is Dorothy Remsen, Harpist-Dorothy Remsen, Harpist (Avant AV 1000, Stereo, 1967). Enjoy!

1. Variations Pastorales Sur Un Vieux Noël
2. Les Enfants À La Crêche De Noël (From Images, 2e Suite)
3. On An Old Christmas Song (Silent Night)
4. The Psalmist
5. Six Noels
6. Revery
7. Noël Provençal
8. La Bôite À Musique
9. Concert Variations On O Tannenbaum

MEGA

Before I put this project to bed, so to speak, I found a couple of harp-led albums in the archives I should link to. One of them is Robert Maxwell, the other is Dorothy Ashby. Both of them would be great additions to the harp pile. That makes ten harp records today!

Harping On Christmas 7

You're probably wondering how many more of these harp Christmas records I have up my sleeve, and you'll just have to wait and see. But in the meantime, here's yet another one. This one features a pair of harpists, and some bits of The Christmas Story on side one, then it's all carols on the flip side. Interesting cover on this one, it may have been the one that I've had in my collection the longest. Give it a listen and see what you think. This is Joe Longstreth And John Escosa-Harpists-Christmas With Joe Longstreth And John Escosa (Carriage CRLP 5031, Mono, 1963), Enjoy! Oh, almost forgot, there are some vocals on side one, courtesy of Harriet L. Whonsetler. I thought you might like to know.

1. The Christmas Story According To St. Luke-Part 1
2. Carol Of Love
3. The Christmas Story According To St. Luke-Part 2
4. There Was A Night
5. The Christmas Story According To St. Luke-Part 3
6. What Giveth You?
7. Oh, Come All Ye Faithful
8. Carol Of The Bells
9. Good King Wenceslas
10. What Child Is This?
11. Patapan (Willie, Take Your Drum)
12. Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
13. Away In A Manger
14. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
15. Silent Night, Holy Night
16. Go Tell It On De Mountain

MEGA

Harping On Christmas 6

I think the title on this one sums up the whole series, Christmas Loves A Harp. After putting all these records together in one place, I'm beginning to believe that's true. Some of these songs really hold your attention, but others are designed to be there in the background, just giving you the feeling of the season without intruding on your life. I took this one out of the shrinkwrap, and I have a second copy that's still in the shrinkwrap. Perhaps it was a popular gift, but the recipients never opened them. Who knows, but the sound is pretty good. This is Roberto Perera, Harp-Juan Areco, Guitar-Christmas Loves A Harp (Stanley Enterprises Records AR 4210, Stereo, 1979).

1. Silent Night
2. Jingle Bells
3. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
4. Little Drummer Boy
5. It's A Small World
6. Greensleeves
7. White Christmas
8. Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer
9. Silver Bells
10. The First Noel
11. Joy

MEGA

Harping On Christmas 5

Time passes, and I have another harp record for you. Did you ever imagine there were so many out there? I certainly didn't know it until I started pulling a few together this season while recording some shares. They just kept turning up from nooks and crannies of the collection. This next one might be the oldest I have here and I think I noticed arrangements from this one copied on some of the others. And this is on a major label, too!  Please download and enjoy Carlos Salzedo, Harp-Christmas Carols In Hi-Fi (Mercury MG50116, Mono, 1956). I automatically love records with Hi-Fi in the title!

1. Concert Variations On Adeste Fideles (Oh Come, All Ye Faithful)
2. Silent Night
3. Jingle Bells
4. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
5. Concert Variations On Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly
6. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
7. Angels We Have Heard On High
8. I Wonder As I Wander
9. Concert Variations On O Tannenbaum
10. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
11. Away In A Manger
12. The First Noël
13. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
14. Away In A Manger (To The Tune Of "Flow Gently, Sweet Afton")
15. Concert Variations On Good King Wenceslas
16. What Child Is This (To The Tune Of Greensleeves)
17. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
18. Fantasy On A Noël Provencal
19. Fantasy On A Neapolitan Carol
20. Fantasy On A Catalan Carol
21. Fantasy On A Basque Carol

MEGA

Harping On Christmas 4

Once more we move up into the Eighties (I think, there's no date on this one, but it looks and sounds Eighties) for more Christmas music from the harp. None of these harpists I'm sharing today are really big names, or at least I don't know much about any of them. Wait, are there any big-name harpists? I guess it's not my instrument of choice, but it makes for nice Christmas music. This is Greg Buchanan-A Harp For Christmas (Bread 'N Honey WBHR135, Stereo). Enjoy!

1. Angels We Have Heard On High
2. O Holy Night
3. Go Tell It On The Mountain
4. Concerto In Bᵇ
5. Silent Night
6. O Come, All Ye Faithful
7. Away In A Manger
8. Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
9. Little Drummer Boy
10. What Child Is This

MEGA

Harping On Christmas 3

Up next is worldwide superstar Adele playing harp for you for Christmas! Wait, maybe it's not the worldwide superstar Adele after all, but it's still someone named Adele. That has to count for something, right? This is Adele Girard-Merry Christmas (Totem 1024, Stereo, 1976). Nice album, and it's autographed on the back! Enjoy!

1. O Holy Night
2. Angels We Have Heard On High
3. Away In A Manger-We Three Kings
4. The First Noel
5. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
6. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
7. Do You Hear What I Hear?
8. O Christmas Tree
9. Sleigh Ride
10. Winter Wonderland
11. What Child Is This?
12. Silver Bells
13. Good King Wenceslaus
14. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
15. Carol Of The Bells
16. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
17. Jingle Bells
18. Silent Night

MEGA

Harping On Christmas 2

Up next is a much more modern harp record for Christmas, all the way up to 1985. So as you can see, the harp trend lasted for a good long while. Don't know much about this one but I'm sure you'll enjoy it. This is Sylvia Woods-3 Harps For Christmas-Traditional Carols Performed On Three Harps (Tonmeister TNLP 1225, Stereo, 1985). Enjoy! (Since this one features three different harps, does it count as three entries into today's series?)

1. Angelical Hymn; Twelfth Night Song
2. Coventry Carol; While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks; The First Noel
3. Lo, How A Rose; O Sanctissima
4. I Saw Three Ships; Christ Was Born; Gloucestershire Wassail
5. Angels We Have Heard On High; Ding Dong Merrily On High
6. Oxen & Sheep; O Come Emmanuel
7. Up On The House Top; Jingle Bells; We Wish You A Merry Christmas
8. Away In A Manger; O Come, Little Children
9. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; O Come All Ye Faithful; Joy To The World
10. He Is Born; Bring A Torch, Jeannette Isabella
11. Silent Night
12. What Child Is This?
13. Twelve Days Of Christmas; Deck The Halls

MEGA

Harping On Christmas

Early in the morning and time for the daily reshare. This is a great and somewhat lost album that RCA made for their record club. I've been sharing it regularly since 2005, my very first year of blogging. I guess it was mono back then, but I got hold of a fancy stereo version the very next year and kept it in rotation ever since. I used to think that Christmas records focused on the harp were rare, but that's not entirely true as we'll see today. But we start out with this oldie from Gene Bianco who's been a friend of the blog for a very, very long time. This is The Rainbow Sound Of Bianco, His Harp And Orchestra-Joy To The World-Everybody's Favorite Christmas Music (RCA Victor CSP-104, Stereo, 1962). Enjoy!

1. Medley: We Wish You A Merry Christmas; Silent Night
2. White Christmas
3. Jingle Bells
4. O Holy Night
5. Medley: Away In A Manger; The First Noel
6. Medley: Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful); Joy To The World
7. Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem
8. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
9. Silver Bells
10. Medley: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; Deck The Halls
11. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
12. Medley: Sleigh Ride; We Wish You A Merry Christmas

MEGA (Tracks)

MEGA (Uncut)

One thing I've done different this time around is offer a version as recorded on the vinyl where the tracks have very little gap in between them. It plays almost like a long medley on each side, though I think it's just edited that way. I've always shared out the tracks and was used to it that way, but when I went back to the original vinyl for the remaster this year, I thought it might be a good idea to offer it the other way for a change. Your choice!

A Little Of Everything

I keep looking for stuff to re-share that I've forgotten about, and stumbled across this nice little record I shared in 2012.  It's got a lot of organ on it, but there is also an accordion, harp, flute, sax, cello, calliope and I think a tuned kitchen sink if my ears don't deceive me.  How can you go wrong with all that?!?  So I figured after six years, it was time to bring this one back.  And I was able to re-encode it to a higher bitrate, too, for closer listening.  As I said the first time I shared this out, where else are you going to find music like this?  (And would you want to?)  This is Sharon Parker-Songs Of Christmas (Rev. Donald L. Parker 17813/17814 (Baxter, West Virginia), Mono, 1966).

1. Joy To The World
2. O Come All Ye Faithful
3. Hark The Herald Angels Sing
4. Ring, Merry Bells
5. Silent Night! Holy Night
6. Away In The Manger
7. Go Tell It On The Mountain
8. Oh! Little Town Of Bethlehem
9. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
10. Angels From The Realms Of Glory
11. The First Noel
12. Oh! Holy Night
13. We Three Kings Of Orient Are

MEGA

Harping On And On

An old share that I remember having to hunt after for a long time before I finally found the album.  I've always been a fan of Christmas music performed on the harp (Bianco was one of my earliest shares), but I'm afraid this one didn't do much for me.  I think maybe he was trying to squeeze in too many songs, and the arrangements aren't very engaging.  But it's worth a listen or two, and I've re-encoded it this year so it sounds a little better.  From the 2012 sharity season, this is Robert Maxwell And His Harp-40 All-Time Christmas Favorites (Lion (MGM) L70081, Mono, 1958).

1. Jingle Bells; Winter Wonderland; Santa Claus Is Coming To Town; Jolly Old St. Nicholas; White Christmas
2. The Christ Child Is Born; Dear Baby Jesus, Now Rest In Sleep; All Through The Night; O Sanctissima; Chanson De Noel
3. Here We Come A-Caroling; Lullaby Carol; Lullaby, Thy Little Tony Child; Masters In This Hall; Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
4. I Saw Three Ships; Born Is He, The Child Divine; Listen, Listen, Children Dear; Good King Wenceslas; O, Tannenbaum
5. Deck The Halls; It Came Upon A Midnight Clear; We Three Kings Of Orient Are; Angels We Have Heard On High; The First Noel
6. O Holy Night (Cantique De Noel); Away In A Manger; The Moon Shines Bright; The Holly And The Ivy; What Child Is This? (Greensleeves)
7. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen; Bring A Torch, Jeanette Isabella; I Wish You A Merry Christmas; O Little Town Of Bethlehem; Joy To The World
8. Christmas Eve Is Here; Sing We Now Of Christmas; O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles); Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; Silent Night

MEGA

Re-Maxwell

Here's another oldie from 2012 that hasn't been reshared since, one that I was pretty happy about when I found it back in the day.  I don't know why it's fairly rare, but it's not something you stumble across every day. If you like the harp, and you like Christmas, this may just be the album for you.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.  This is Robert Maxwell And His Harp-40 All-Time Christmas Favorites (Lion (MGM) L70081, Mono, 1958). Lest you think this is double or triple LP, it's not.  Those 40 tracks are crammed into 8 medleys as shown below.

1. Jingle Bells; Winter Wonderland; Santa Claus Is Coming To Town; Jolly Old St. Nicholas; White Christmas
2. The Christ Child Is Born; Dear Baby Jesus, Now Rest In Sleep; All Through The Night; O Sanctissima; Chanson De Noel
3. Here We Come A-Caroling; Lullaby Carol; Lullaby, Thy Little Tony Child; Masters In This Hall; Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
4. I Saw Three Ships; Born Is He, The Child Divine; Listen, Listen, Children Dear; Good King Wenceslas; O, Tannenbaum
5. Deck The Halls; It Came Upon A Midnight Clear; We Three Kings Of Orient Are; Angels We Have Heard On High; The First Noel
6. O Holy Night (Cantique De Noel); Away In A Manger; The Moon Shines Bright; The Holly And The Ivy; What Child Is This? (Greensleeves)
7. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen; Bring A Torch, Jeanette Isabella; I Wish You A Merry Christmas; O Little Town Of Bethlehem; Joy To The World
8. Christmas Eve Is Here; Sing We Now Of Christmas; O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles); Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; Silent Night

Zippyshare

Return Of The Harp

Long a favorite around here, or at least a favorite once I got my hands on a stereo copy, I finally decided to remaster this classic LP from Bianco.  This cover looks a little the worse for wear, but I think you'll find the music to be quite nice.  Bianco was one of the folks who popularized the harp as a lead instrument back in the late fifties and early sixties, along with Robert Maxwell and others.  This great Christmas record showcases some of his smoothest recordings, setting a great mood for your Christmas time.  Go ahead, download it, you know you want to.  This is The Rainbow Sound Of Bianco, His Harp And Orchestra-Joy To The World-Everybody's Favorite Christmas Music (RCA Victor Club Record CSP-104, Stereo, 1962), new and improved for 2011!


1. Medley: We Wish You A Merry Christmas Silent Night
2. White Christmas
3. Jingle Bells
4. O Holy Night
5. Medley: Away In A Manger; The First Noel
6. Medley: Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful); Joy To The World
7. Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem
8. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
9. Silver Bells
10. Medley: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; Deck The halls
11. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
12. Medley: Sleigh Ride; We Wish You A Merry Christmas


MediaFire

Christmas On The Harp

Thought I'd bring back another of my all-time biggest downloads.  Don't ask me why, but you folks have really downloaded this LP a lot since I fist shared a mono copy back in 2005. But this is the stereo version, and I've got to say it sounds a whole lot better.  I've found myself really enjoying it when it comes up in iTunes on random play.  I have to click over to it to see who's playing, and it turns out to be Bianco.  This was available only to members of RCA's record club back in 1962, but now it's available to anyone with an internet connection.  Please grab yourself a copy of  The Rainbow Sound Of Bianco, His Harp And Orchestra-Joy To The World-Everybody's Favorite Christmas Music (RCA Victor CSP-104, 1962, Stereo).

1. Medley: We Wish You A Merry Christmas Silent Night
2. White Christmas
3. Jingle Bells
4. O Holy Night
5. Medley: Away In A Manger; The First Noel
6. Medley: Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful); Joy To The World
7. Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem
8. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
9. Silver Bells
10. Medley: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; Deck The halls
11. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
12. Medley: Sleigh Ride; We Wish You A Merry Christmas

RapidShare
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MediaFire

Harping About Christmas

Since I promised you my old harp share, here it is. I first shared a mono copy of this LP way back in 2005, and brought out stereo version back in 2006. I felt that the stereo was quite a bit better then the mono copy for some reason. Usually, there's not that big of a difference, but for this one, I was pleasantly surprised. See what you think, download The Rainbow Sound Of Bianco, His Harp And Orchestra-Joy To The World-Everybody's Favorite Christmas Music (RCA Victor CSP-104, 1962, Stereo).

1. Medley: We Wish You A Merry Christmas Silent Night
2. White Christmas
3. Jingle Bells
4. O Holy Night
5. Medley: Away In A Manger; The First Noel
6. Medley: Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful); Joy To The World
7. Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem
8. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
9. Silver Bells
10. Medley: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; Deck The halls
11. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
12. Medley: Sleigh Ride; We Wish You A Merry Christmas

More Christmas Harp

Since my last contribution to 27 Days of Christmas was a track featuring the harp, I figured I should reshare out this LP featuring the harp. I first shared out a mono version of this in 2005, and found a stereo version for the 2006 season that I liked a lot better. If you like the harp, then you're going to love The Rainbow Sound Of Bianco, His Harp And Orchestra-Joy To The World-Everybody's Favorite Christmas Music (RCA Victor CSP-104, 1962).

1. Medley: We Wish You A Merry Christmas Silent Night
2. White Christmas
3. Jingle Bells
4. O Holy Night
5. Medley: Away In A Manger; The First Noel
6. Medley: Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful); Joy To The World
7. Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem
8. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
9. Silver Bells
10. Medley: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; Deck The halls
11. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
12. Medley: Sleigh Ride; We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Harp On This

I like to cover my bases around here, so I'm moving from the Moog on the previous share to the harp on this one. I shared this out last year for the first time in stereo, and it's a really great album to mellow out to while enjoying the Christmas tree. So go get yourself a copy of The Rainbow Sound Of Bianco, His Harp And Orchestra-Joy To The World-Everybody's Favorite Christmas Music (RCA Victor CSP-104, 1962). You really can't go wrong.