This CD is reissued by ArkivMusic.
Notes and Editorial Reviews
A CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL is that rarity when it comes to holiday music: an album driven by more than the common theme of the music. While it does feature a host of seasonal favorites, the show stars remarkable performances, making it a joy any time of year.
The album has been digitally remastered from original recordings made in the late 1960s. The first half of the album features the organ of St. Michael's Church in New York City, played by E. Power Biggs. The majesty of the room can be felt in both the rich organ tones as well as in the chorus' delivery. The second half of the album features the vocals of soprano Phyllis Curtin. In contrast to the all-male vocals of the St. Michael's performances, Curtin gives the album a refreshing female
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presence. Even when singing with full orchestra, her voice gives intimacy to the music. Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Noel Sing! by Traditional
Performer:
E. Power Biggs (Organ)
Conductor:
Gregg Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gregg Smith Singers,
Texas Boy's Choir Fort Worth,
New York Brass and Percussion Ensemble
Date of Recording: 06/1968
Venue: St. Michael's Church, New York City
Length: 5 Minutes 0 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: Robert de Cormier
2.
Joy to the World by Lowell Mason
Performer:
E. Power Biggs (Organ)
Conductor:
Gregg Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gregg Smith Singers,
Texas Boy's Choir Fort Worth,
New York Brass and Percussion Ensemble
Period: Romantic
Written: 19th Century; USA
Date of Recording: 06/1968
Venue: St. Michael's Church, New York City
Length: 1 Minutes 51 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: Robert de Cormier
3.
Silent Night by Franz Xaver Gruber
Performer:
E. Power Biggs (Organ)
Conductor:
Gregg Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gregg Smith Singers,
Texas Boy's Choir Fort Worth,
New York Brass and Percussion Ensemble
Period: Classical
Written: 1818; Austria
Date of Recording: 06/1968
Venue: St. Michael's Church, New York City
Length: 2 Minutes 57 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: Robert de Cormier
4.
Deck the Halls by Traditional
Conductor:
Andre Kostelanetz
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra
Written: Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 04/1965
Venue: New York City
Length: 2 Minutes 44 Secs.
Notes: Orchestrated: Dick Hyman
5.
O Tannenbaum by Traditional
Conductor:
Andre Kostelanetz
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra,
St. Kilian Boychoir
Written: Westphalia, Germany
Date of Recording: 04/1965
Venue: New York City
Length: 2 Minutes 16 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: Eddie Sauter
6.
It came upon the midnight clear by Richard Storrs Willis
Conductor:
Andre Kostelanetz
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Date of Recording: 04/1965
Venue: New York City
Length: 2 Minutes 28 Secs.
Notes: This selection is part of a medley which also incorporates "Away in a manger."
Orchestrated: Bill Stegmeyer
7.
Patapan by Bernard De La Monnoye
Performer:
E. Power Biggs (Organ)
Conductor:
Gregg Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gregg Smith Singers,
Texas Boy's Choir Fort Worth,
New York Brass and Percussion Ensemble
Period: Renaissance
Written: Burgundy, France
Date of Recording: 06/1968
Venue: St. Michael's Church, New York City
Length: 2 Minutes 25 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: Robert de Cormier
8.
What child is this? by Traditional
Performer:
E. Power Biggs (Organ)
Conductor:
Gregg Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gregg Smith Singers,
Texas Boy's Choir Fort Worth,
New York Brass and Percussion Ensemble
Period: Renaissance
Written: 16th Century; England
Date of Recording: 06/1968
Venue: St. Michael's Church, New York City
Length: 3 Minutes 14 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: Robert de Cormier
9.
The Holly and the Ivy by Traditional
Performer:
E. Power Biggs (Organ)
Conductor:
Gregg Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gregg Smith Singers,
Texas Boy's Choir Fort Worth,
New York Brass and Percussion Ensemble
Written: England
Date of Recording: 06/1968
Venue: St. Michael's Church, New York City
Length: 2 Minutes 10 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: Robert de Cormier
10.
Adeste fideles "O come, all ye faithful" by John Francis Wade
Conductor:
Andre Kostelanetz
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: by 1782; England
Date of Recording: 04/1965
Venue: New York City
Length: 1 Minutes 52 Secs.
Notes: Arranged: Bill Stegmeyer
11.
Lullay, my liking, Op. 34 no 2/H 129 by Gustav Holst
Performer:
E. Power Biggs (Organ)
Conductor:
Gregg Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gregg Smith Singers,
Texas Boy's Choir Fort Worth,
New York Brass and Percussion Ensemble
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1916; England
Date of Recording: 06/1968
Venue: St. Michael's Church, New York City
Length: 4 Minutes 26 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: Robert de Cormier
12.
Good King Wenceslas by Traditional
Performer:
E. Power Biggs (Organ)
Conductor:
Gregg Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gregg Smith Singers,
Texas Boy's Choir Fort Worth,
New York Brass and Percussion Ensemble
Written: England
Date of Recording: 06/1968
Venue: St. Michael's Church, New York City
Length: 2 Minutes 58 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: Robert de Cormier
13.
God rest ye merry, gentlemen by Traditional
Performer:
E. Power Biggs (Organ)
Conductor:
Gregg Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gregg Smith Singers,
Texas Boy's Choir Fort Worth,
New York Brass and Percussion Ensemble
Written: England
Date of Recording: 06/1968
Venue: St. Michael's Church, New York City
Length: 2 Minutes 7 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: Robert de Cormier
14.
Welcome Here by Traditional
Performer:
E. Power Biggs (Organ)
Conductor:
Gregg Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gregg Smith Singers,
Texas Boy's Choir Fort Worth,
New York Brass and Percussion Ensemble
Date of Recording: 06/1968
Venue: St. Michael's Church, New York City
Length: 5 Minutes 4 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: This selection is part of a medley which also includes "Merry Christmas," "Dame Get up and Bake Your Pies," and "Christmas Is Coming."
Arranged: Robert de Cormier
15.
Angels we have heard on high by Traditional
Conductor:
Andre Kostelanetz
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra,
St. Kilian Boychoir
Written: France
Date of Recording: 04/1965
Venue: New York City
Language: English
Notes: This selection is part of a medley which also incorporates "Festgesang Hark! The herald angels sing," by Felix Mendelssohn.
Arranged: Eddie Sauter
16.
We wish you a merry Christmas by Traditional
Performer:
Phyllis Curtin (Soprano)
Conductor:
Andre Kostelanetz
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra,
St. Kilian Boychoir
Written: England
Date of Recording: 04/1965
Venue: New York City
Length: 0 Minutes 29 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: Eddie Sauter
17.
The first nowell by Traditional
Conductor:
Andre Kostelanetz
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra
Written: England
Date of Recording: 04/1965
Venue: New York City
Length: 0 Minutes 48 Secs.
Notes: Orchestrated: Carroll Huxley
18.
Festgesang "Hark! The herald angels sing" by Felix Mendelssohn
Conductor:
Andre Kostelanetz
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra,
St. Kilian Boychoir
Period: Romantic
Written: 1840; Germany
Date of Recording: 04/1965
Venue: New York City
Length: 2 Minutes 28 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: This selection is part of a medley which also incorporates "Angels We Have Heard on High."
Arranged: Eddie Sauter
19.
Away in a manger by William J. Kirkpatrick
Conductor:
Andre Kostelanetz
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: USA
Date of Recording: 04/1965
Venue: New York City
Notes: This selection is part of a medley which also incorporates "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear."
Orchestrated: Eddie Sauter
20.
O little town of Bethlehem by Henry Walford Davies
Conductor:
Andre Kostelanetz
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra,
St. Kilian Boychoir
Period: 20th Century
Written: England
Date of Recording: 04/1965
Venue: New York City
Length: 2 Minutes 8 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: Eddie Sauter
21.
Minuit, Chrétiens "O holy night" by Adolphe Adam
Performer:
Phyllis Curtin (Soprano)
Conductor:
Andre Kostelanetz
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra,
St. Kilian Boychoir
Period: Romantic
Written: France
Date of Recording: 04/1965
Venue: New York City
Length: 3 Minutes 33 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: Earl Sheldon
22.
Merry Christmas by Traditional
Performer:
E. Power Biggs (Organ)
Conductor:
Gregg Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gregg Smith Singers,
Texas Boy's Choir Fort Worth,
New York Brass and Percussion Ensemble
Date of Recording: 06/1968
Venue: St. Michael's Church, New York City
Language: English
Notes: This selection is part of a medley which also incorporates "Welcome Here,"
"Dame Get up and Bake Your Pies," and "Christmas Is Coming."
Arranged: Robert de Cormier
23.
Dame Get Up and Bake Your Pies by Traditional
Performer:
E. Power Biggs (Organ)
Conductor:
Gregg Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gregg Smith Singers,
Texas Boy's Choir Fort Worth,
New York Brass and Percussion Ensemble
Written: England
Date of Recording: 06/1968
Venue: St. Michael's Church, New York City
Language: English
Notes: This selection is part of a medley which also incorporates "Welcome Here,"
"Merry Christmas," and "Christmas Is Coming."
Arranged: Robert de Cormier
24.
Christmas Is Coming by Traditional
Performer:
E. Power Biggs (Organ)
Conductor:
Gregg Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gregg Smith Singers,
Texas Boy's Choir Fort Worth,
New York Brass and Percussion Ensemble
Written: England
Date of Recording: 06/1968
Venue: St. Michael's Church, New York City
Language: English
Notes: This selection is part of a medley which also incorporates "Welcome Here,"
"Dame Get up and Bake Your Pies," and "Merry Christmas."
Arranged: Robert de Cormier
25.
Christmas Bells by Traditional
Conductor:
Andre Kostelanetz
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra
Date of Recording: 04/1965
Venue: New York City
Length: 2 Minutes 29 Secs.
Notes: Orchestrated: Dick Hyman
26.
We three kings by John Henry Hopkins Jr.
Conductor:
Andre Kostelanetz
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: England
Date of Recording: 04/1965
Venue: New York City
Length: 2 Minutes 4 Secs.
Notes: Orchestrated: Dick Hyman
27.
Jingle Bells by James Pierpont
Conductor:
Andre Kostelanetz
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1857; USA
Date of Recording: 04/1965
Venue: New York City
Notes: Orchestrated: Dick Hyman
28.
Musae Sioniae: Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen by Michael Praetorius
Performer:
E. Power Biggs (Organ)
Conductor:
Gregg Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gregg Smith Singers,
Texas Boy's Choir Fort Worth,
New York Brass and Percussion Ensemble
Period: Renaissance
Written: by 1609; Germany
Date of Recording: 06/1968
Venue: St. Michael's Church, New York City
Length: 2 Minutes 31 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: Robert de Cormier
Sound Samples
Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming
Adeste, fideles - O Come, All Ye Faithful
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
Angels We Have Heard On High
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Adeste, fideles - O Come, All Ye Faithful
O Little Town Of Bethlehem
We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Reprise)
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