Jump to content

Favorite Christmas Music


bachanon

Recommended Posts

while pondering my least favorite christmas songs, i couldn't help but think of my favorite seasonal cd's or singles. so here goes.

nat king cole - the christmas song

jazz to the world

vince guaraldi trio - a charlie brown christmas

carpenters - christmas portrait

windham hill - celtic christmas series, a winter's solstice series, carol's of christmas,

george winston - december, piano solo

modern mandolin quartet - the nutcracker suite

squirrel nut zippers - christmas caravan

glenn miller orchestra - in the christmas mood I & II

there is also an ella fitzgerald christmas cd that i love. i can't remember the name of it right now. diana krall's christmas cd is on my latest wishlist.

anyone have more suggestions for "essential" christmas cds? i'd like to hear what you're listening to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't exactly listen to Christmas music now, but when I was a kid my parents had this Perry Como Christmas album that we all loved and played all the time during the Christmas season. It ended up as our family's sort of official Christmas music, so we would even play it during Christmas dinner. Boy, I haven't thought of that in eons. Anyway, for me that would be the essential Christmas CD. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love my George Winston CD, it's the one of all the Charlie Brown music and has "Skating" on it. Also, anything by the Ray Conniff singers ("Christmas With Conniff") or The Carpenters.

I also love all Christmas hymns, my faves are "O Holy Night" (I think Christian singer Sandi Patti sings it best, brings tears to my eyes) and "Messiah". I could listen to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's version all season! :)

I don't know who sings it, but there's a version of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" on the radio that sounds so folksy and a bit country, and I just love it. It's really neat!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have that Carpenters Christmas CD, too. I love the Carpenters.

My favorite Christmas CD is "The Sound of Christmas" by the Von Trapp Family (the family which "The Sound of Music" is based).

But this year, for no particular reason, I'm not feeling the Christmas spirit. I haven't been listening to that much Christmas music. I don't have much of a desire to do Christmas activities or anything.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of my favorites is a medley of several Christmas carols arranged for choir and orchestra by Gustav Holst entitled "Christmas Day." It incorporates "Good Christians All Rejoice," "The First Noel," and "Come, Ye Lofty." It's an incredible piece of music when performed by a technically skilled choir (it's rather difficult) and full orchestra. There's also a great adaptation for choir and organ with optional handbells which is nice as well.

In general, I'm with Parrothead on this one. I really enjoy Christmas hymns, love Handel's "Messiah" (even though much of it is not really Christmas music), and more classical type Christmas music. There are a few pop and jazz Christmas pieces I do love though, like the above mentioned Nat King Cole version of "The Christmas Song".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hate the Carpenters. They're admitted Canadians! They don't even have the decency to hide it like Alan Thicke or Alex Trebek.

Last Christmas I picked up a German choral CD full of Christmas music. It's my current favorite. I'll post the name when I get home.

I used to love Trans Siberian Orchestra a few years ago, but I eventually grew tired of the harsh tones.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...
I also love all Christmas hymns, my faves are "O Holy Night" (I think Christian singer Sandi Patti sings it best, brings tears to my eyes) and "Messiah". I could listen to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's version all season! :)

I don't know who sings it, but there's a version of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" on the radio that sounds so folksy and a bit country, and I just love it. It's really neat!

I love Christmas songs...My favorite is probably "The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole. "Do you Hear What I Hear, O Holy Night, etc. (Traditiional songs by Perry Como, Andy Williams, Any Symphony Orchestras). But I do like that folksy version of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". I believe it's by Bare Naked Ladies :o (you know, that Canadian group). :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of my guilty favorites is "All I Want For Christmas Is You." I think it's by (egads!) Mariah Carey. I started liking it after I saw some movie that it was in.

I used that for a Christmas video I made with my friend Helia for a party she threw in Austin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

nat king cole - the christmas song

vince guaraldi trio - a charlie brown christmas

carpenters - christmas portrait

george winston - december, piano solo

there is also an ella fitzgerald christmas cd that i love. i can't remember the name of it right now.

anyone have more suggestions for "essential" christmas cds? i'd like to hear what you're listening to.

i think you're talking ella wishes you a swingin christmas which is a great cd.

i do agree with the ones above but would add

Johnny Mathis - Merry Christmas - is probably my favorite off all time with percy faith arranging. very traditional.

some others that are worth a listen

andy williams - red album

peggy lee - christmas carousel

for the jazz fans

kenny burrell have yourself a soulful little christmas

ramsey lewis the sounds of christmas

jimmy smith christmas 64

the christmas cocktail albums by capital records are great if you like lounge type stuff.

EDIT: don't forget phil spector's a christmas gift for you. that is another classic.

Edited by musicman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, you're either going to laugh or spit up to read it, but my favorite Christmas album was this one by Perry Como that my parents had when I was a little nino. They always played it at holiday, and it kind of got burned into the brain.

Favorite Xmas songs that come to mind:

Silver Bells

Angels We Have Heard on High

Carol of the Bells

Adeste Fideles

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A Charlie Brown Christmas is a classic.

I got that a few years back. I don't know how you can't have it as part of any collection.

A recent favorite -- a duo called The Bird and the Bee did Carol of the Bells last year, and it's absolutely fantastic. It was a free iTune last year, but it's worth the 99

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jingle Cats. Terrible, but funny if you like cats. The Half Price Books on Westheimer by Montrose was playing this once and it was hard not to break out laughing. So tragically ludicrous.

Now that must be a riot!

I bought a snow ball globe that has Charlie Brown & Snoopy stnading in front of Snoopy's heavily decorated prize winning dog house. Plays about 12 classic Christmas standards. Just press the button music starts playing & snow starts swirling around. Wish I could climb inside it!

snoopy%20house.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This isn't the treat I promised all of you. I forgot to get on the 'puter last night. I did want to share this with everyone in the mean time.

61g2yQ01YPL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

....and NOW, the treat I promised everyone to spread a little Christmas CHEER !

name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="
type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>">
name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="
type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350">

Edited by TJones
Link to comment
Share on other sites

while pondering my least favorite christmas songs, i couldn't help but think of my favorite seasonal cd's or singles. so here goes.

nat king cole - the christmas song

jazz to the world

vince guaraldi trio - a charlie brown christmas

carpenters - christmas portrait

windham hill - celtic christmas series, a winter's solstice series, carol's of christmas,

george winston - december, piano solo

modern mandolin quartet - the nutcracker suite

squirrel nut zippers - christmas caravan

glenn miller orchestra - in the christmas mood I & II

there is also an ella fitzgerald christmas cd that i love. i can't remember the name of it right now. diana krall's christmas cd is on my latest wishlist.

anyone have more suggestions for "essential" christmas cds? i'd like to hear what you're listening to.

IF I were gonna listen to CM this year it would prolly be Nat Cole, Darlene Love, Mariah Carey, or something off the Very Special Christmas album by Ronnie Spector.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...