The Bells of Bethlehem, 3-LP set, 1973

This is an interesting mashup from Columbia Special Products.

The three LPs fit into two discs.  The "Christmas in the Holy Land" is a Christmas service recorded in a Bethlehem church.

Then you have "Christmas in Europe," with some fine performances of some old stuff.

"Christmas in America" is a mixed bag of goodies and absolutely embarrassing cheese.  The aforementioned dairy byproduct is all courtesy of the Norman Luboff choir, which takes several Christmas songs and processes them into finely milled pap.

The Bells of Bethlehem

Disc 1 (70:45)

Christmas in the Holy Land, St Catherine's Latin Church

01. Matins - The Invitatory - Jesu, Redemptor omnium - Introit and Psalm - Te Deum laudamus (5:47)

02. Silet Nox (1:24)

03. Opening Prayers - Kyrie (4:18)

04. Kyrie (concluded) (2:54)

05. Gloria (9:08)

06. Alleluia-  Announcement of  the Gospel - Et incarnatus est - Amen (3:59)

07. Puer natus est in Bethlehem -  Prayers and Announcement of the Preface (3:59)

08. Sanctus (4:45)

09. Consecration - Pater noster - Exchange of the Signs of Peace - Agnus Dei - Communion (6:51)

10. Adeste fideles - Final Prayers and Blessing - Procession to the Grotto of the Nativity - Bells of Bethlehem (6:02)

Christmas in Europe

The Deller Consort:

11. The Holly and the Ivy (2:40)

12. I Saw Three Ships (2:01)

13. Nesciens Mater (Byttering) (1:57)

Vienna State Opera Orchestra:

14. O Tannenbaum  (1:43)

15. Josef lieber, Josef mein  (3:21)

16. Es wird scho glei dumpa  (2:41)

17. Stille Nacht  (2:38)

18. Zion Hears the Watchmen (Bach)  (4:37)

The Bells of Bethlehem

Disc 2 (64:02)

Christmas in Europe, continued

01. Noël!  Il Est Né, Le Divin Enfant - Ensemble Vocal de Beauvais (2:50)

02. Un Flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle - Martha Schlamme (1:58)

03. Et in terra pax (Ciconia) - Musica Antiqua of Vienna (2:45)

04. Pujdem spolu do Betlema - Nastal nam den vesely - Children’s Chorus of Radio Prague (2:11)

05. Przybiezeli do Betlejem - Bog sie rodzi - Children’s Chorus of Radio Prague (6:35)

06. Gymel of Guilelmus Monachus - Musica Antiqua of Vienna (1:06)

07. In die nativitas (Smert) - The Deller Consort (3:31)

08. Hodie Christus natus est (Palestrina) - The Deller Consort (1:29)

Christmas in America

09. Joy to the World - Philadelphia Brass Ensemble (1:10)

10. What Child Is This? - E Power Biggs, Gregg Smith Singers (3:09)

11. Far, Far Away on Judea's Plains - Mormon Tabernacle Choir (1:38)

12. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Philadelphia Brass Ensemble (1:34)

13. The Twelve Days of Christmas - Norman Luboff Choir (3:34)

14. Oh Come, All Ye Faithful - Norman Luboff Choir (1:47)

15. Silent Night - E Power Biggs, Gregg Smith Singers, Texas Boys Chorus (2:54)

16. Good King Wenceslas - E Power Biggs, Gregg Smith Singers, Texas Boys Chorus (2:55)

17. Silver Bells - Ray Coniff Singers  (2:26)

18. Go Tell It on the Mountain - Mahalia Jackson (2:44)

19. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Philadelphia Brass Ensemble (1:23)

20. The Little Drummer Boy - Ray Coniff Singers (3:22)

21. Away in a Manger - Mormon Tabernacle Choir (3:15)

22. The First Noël - Norman Luboff Choir (1:47)

23. We Three Kings of Orient Are - E Power Biggs, Columbia Chamber Orchestra (3:00)

24. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - E Power Biggs, Gregg Smith Singers, Texas Boys Chorus (2:04)

25. Here We Come A-Wassailing - Norman Luboff Choir (1:16)

26. O Little Town of Bethlehem - Norman Luboff Choir (1:40)

But judge for yourself!  Be advised that this is a fat file of the music and scans of the insert booklet.

The Bells of Bethlehem

 See you on Thursday with more Christmas music!

Don't Ask Me Where This Came From

I assume this is one of those compilations handed out by department stores or radio stations.

01. Sean Grissom - What Child Is This? (1:39)

02. The Swingle Singers - Gabriel's Message (1:44)

03. The Nashville Mandolin Ensemble - Christmas Is Coming (Around) (2:48)

04. Marilyn Horne & Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Columbia Symphony Orchestra - Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella (1:14)

05. Liona Boyd - A Canon for Christmas (2:43)

06. André Previn - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (2:04)

07. The Vienna Boys Choir - O Christmas Tree (2:19)

08. Ayako & Kazuko Shinozaki - Joy to the World (2:43)

09. Ed Sweeney - Silver and Gold (1:42)

10. Earl Rose - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (3:50)

It is certainly a mixed bag!

OCD

See you on Monday for some Christmas music which is more to my tastes.  Although surely you like this one, yes, dear reader?
 

Christmas Is a-Coming! MA-140 - Wondrous Christmas Time

For Christmas 2018, here's a new compilation of songs recent and not-so-new.  Some are reverent and some are more frisky.

01 - Joy to the World - Philadelphia Brass Ensemble - 1973  (1:10)

02 - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Kate Rusby - 2008  (4:26)

03 - Baloo Lammy - The Robert DeCormier Singers and Ensemble - 1986  (2:29)

04 - The Holly and the Ivy - The Mistletoe Orchestra & Singers - 1999  (2:26)

05 - Silent Night / Away in a Manger - Dallas Brass - 1994  (2:20)

06 - I Wonder as I Wander - Robert Shaw - 1957  (2:38)

07 - Christmas Time Again - Cartoon - 1981  (3:16)

08 - Sleigh Ride - Kenny Ball - 2002  (3:09)

09 - Blue Suede Santa - Hillbilly Casino - 2008  (3:13)

10 - Christmas All Over the World - Dana Countryman - 2015  (3:18)

11 - Happy Christmas (War Is Over) - The Fab Four with Ovation School for the Performing Arts Choir - 2014  (3:43)

12 - Away in a Manger - The Galliard Brass Ensemble - 1982  (2:12)

13 - Un Flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle - Martha Schlamme - 1973  (1:59)

14 - Improvisations on Christmas Carols - #2, Andante non troppo - Bryan Kelly - 1969  (2:46)

15 - Joy to the World - The Taverner Consort - 1993  (2:42)

16 - Lullay, lullow - I saw a sweete seemly sight - The St Margaret's All Boys Choir - 1976  (3:01)

17 - In the Manger - John Doan - 2011  (4:40)

18 - Silent Night - E Power Biggs, Gregg Smith Singers, Texas Boys Chorus - 1973  (2:54)

19 - Candlelight Carol - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Arts Educational School Chamber Choir - 1995  (4:01)

20 - I Saw Three Ships - The Deller Consort - 1973  (2:01)

21 - Merry Christmas - Judy Garland - 1949  (2:46)

22 - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - André Previn (arr Mendelssohn) - 1964  (2:03)

23 - Glory to God - Alexander St Charles / One Experience Choir - 1972  (2:25)

24 - Coventry Carol - Colorado State University Chamber Singers - 1980  (2:52)

25 - Jesus, Oh What a Wonderful Child - arr Mark Hayes - 1999  (3:20)

26 - The First Noel - The Fab Four - 2008  (4:08)

27 - Deck the Hall / What Child Is This - The Swingles - 2015  (3:07)

The attentive listener will note that the traditional Scottish melody of Track 3, "Baloo Lammy," provided some of the melody of Greg Lake's "I Believe in Father Christmas."

https://www.filefactory.com/file/60xh8z6me7cc/MA-140.rar

I hope this comp re-acquaints you with the wonderful truth of God-made-human.

See you on Thursday with our next installment of Spocky Christmas!

See You on Monday, December 3!

For the beginning of

Spocky Christmas!