What Are Your Top Five Christmas Albums From The Golden Age (1950's to the 1960's) ?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by RSteven, Nov 3, 2018.

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  1. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    Percy Faith's orchestral arrangements are really one of a kind and his use of counter melodies, particularly on his two iconic stereo albums from the 1950's, have never been equaled. His music just has a heavenly or dreamlike quality that gives the listener a feeling of peace and contentment. Percy's Music Of Christmas album is arguably the greatest instrumental Christmas album ever recorded. I highly recommend Real Gone Music's Expanded Edition from last year that features a stupendous and long overdue remastering of that fantastic album from Elvis restoration engineer Vic Anesini. A truly breathtaking remaster of a truly one of a kind holiday album.
     
  2. The first singer I think of when discussing Christmas music is Burl Ives. It's always the first Christmas album I play when I break out my stack of Christmas music. As a huge Rankin/Bass fan, I can't let their beloved animated specials' soundtracks go unmentioned.

    Rankin/Bass composer Maury Laws with the assistance of Jules Bass made indelible musical moments for the Rankin/Bass Christmas specials. I treasure Rhino's two-fer CD of Frosty The Snowman and Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town's entire soundtracks, taken from the original MGM master tapes.

    https://www.amazon.com/Santa-Claus-Comin-Frosty-Snowman/dp/B00006JOFN
     
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  3. shanebrown

    shanebrown Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norfolk, UK
    I have the regular version released a while back as part of the Reprise Sinatra reissue program. Just looked it up and it's selling for over £25 now on Amazon marketplce. I should have bought two while they were a fiver!
     
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  4. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    Here is a brand new reissue of one of the greatest Christmas albums of all time from Andre Kostelanetz, Wonderland Of Christmas, along with his other two fine Christmas albums from the Golden Age. Great remastering of all three of these albums from the Russian born maestro by Maria Triana at Battery Studios in New York. A fantastic 24 page booklet with some full cover shots of all the original albums and brand new commissioned artwork for the stellar front cover shot that replicates the vintage look from the Golden Age as well, makes this a must have two CD compilation. This and the John Klein twofer from Real Gone Music are my two favorite reissues for this year.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2018
  5. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    Real Gone Music is having a great sale on their back CD Christmas catalogue that includes a lot of these glorious albums from the Golden Age of Christmas. Up to 64% on some titles. I just ordered about half a dozen titles for about nine bucks a piece.
     
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  6. Christmas Music
     
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  7. Pierino

    Pierino Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canonsburg
    [​IMG]

    Snowfall: The Tony Bennett Christmas Album is a favorite Christmas album of mine. Because it is relatively short (29:07), I usually listen to the album in its entirety. But what I really wish is for is Sony to remaster and reissue the album with its original tracklist and original album cover/art work. Now I realize that the original album cover is not the most appealing (for some it might qualify for the ugliest album cover thread), but it was a product of its time. And as a quasi-purist, especially with Christmas albums, I would love to see Sony go back to the original art work. There is something...cool...about it.

    As for the tracklist, this is the original order:

    Side 1
    1. Snowfall
    2. My Favorite Things
    3. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
    4. The Christmas Song
    5. Medley: We Wish You A Merry Christmas/Silent Night/O Come All Ye Faithful/Jingle Bells/Where Is Love

    Side 2
    6. Christmasland
    7. White Christmas
    8. I Love The Winter Weather/I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
    9. Winter Wonderland
    10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

    I find this original tracklist a far superior sequence to the one used on the 1994 reissue. I eliminated "I'll Be Home For Christmas", a live version taken from a 1994 Jon Stewart TV show which was tacked on as a bonus track. I always thought it sounded out of place, and Tony recorded a better version for his 2008 A Swingin' Christmas album. Now, if you would like to substitute another bonus track and bring the album over the 30 minute mark, there is a song sitting out there that would fit nicely. Tony recorded "What Child Is This?" for a 1968 Goodyear Christmas album. That version would not sound out of place on Snowfall. For a newly reissued Snowfall CD, I might place "What Child Is This?" right after "Medley", closing Side 1. However, the purist in me is telling me to leave the album as is. It's strong enough.

    I'm sure Sony will eventually reissue everything Tony Bennett ever recorded. When they get around to Snowfall, I hope they consider the changes I listed above. Merry Christmas Tony Bennett!
     
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  8. Simon A

    Simon A Arrr!

    I also love this album.

    Sony has remastered (almost) all of Tony's oeuvre:

    Tony Bennett:The Complete Albums

    Snowfall is also available as a 96/24 download and it sounds amazing!
     
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  9. supermd

    supermd Senior Member

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    I got this for my parents and we all love it. Thanks for your work on it! :)
     
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  10. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    It was my honor and pleasure to get this beautiful album by John Klein remastered and released on CD for the very first time in its glorious Living Stereo version. I so appreciate you getting it for your parents and sharing it with them! It took us two years of pleading with Sony Music and without Chip Arcuri at the YuleLog.com and Gordon Anderson, President of Real Gone Music, it never would have happened and this truly iconic album would have been more or less lost for future generations to enjoy. We so appreciate your parents and your support for helping to make this twofer CD such a success already!
     
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  11. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    I got a chance to talk directly by email with the great remastering engineer Mike Piacentini at Battery Studios in New York regarding his stupendous work on the John Klein twofer CD release that just came out this year in November. It was exciting to hear how the Sony archieve team brought the first generation session tapes to his studio so he could remaster them directly from the best source possible. You never know exactly what source you are going to use until you get the news that Sony Music has located the original session tapes and are able to use them for remastering. Those original tapes for the first album were made in 1959, so you kind of hold your breath until you get the word that everything is good to go.

    Mike really did a fantastic job and I cannot be more thrilled with the dynamic range and sound on this amazing CD. I highly recommend buying this CD before it sells out as demand was high enough that additional copies were already ordered from Sony and judging by the strong sells that took place with the great Percy Faith Music Of Christmas Expanded Edition from last year, one never knows if this one will be around by Christmas. Hopefully there will be another printing, but one never knows for sure about these things.

    [​IMG]

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GW4MFDP/?tag=imwan-20
     
  12. Brian Mc

    Brian Mc Member

    Location:
    Denver, CO
    More or less in chronological order....

    Christmas Hymns and Carols, Volume 1 & 2
    The Robert Shaw Chorale 1952, 1958, RCA (Beautiful voices and singing done a cappella, great arrangements.)

    Music of Christmas
    Percy Faith, 1954 & 1959, Columbia (Say what you want, but I like both versions for different reasons. Percy knew how to squeeze the best out of the material.)

    Lanza Sings Christmas Carols
    Mario Lanza, 1956, RCA (Despite his poor health at the time, Lanzo is so good that he's still fantastic. Wonderful arrangements)

    Joy to the World The Roger Wagner Chorale, 1956, Capitol (What a great version of "O Holy Night/Cantique de Noel". Turn up the volume, begins as a beautiful group effort, but then the spotlight turns to Harve Presnell who delivers a prime performance. This chorale isn't afraid to fully display the full range of masculine and feminine voices, great arrangements. Follow up isn't bad either. Unlike Robert Shaw's chorale, Roger's chorale is backed by instruments)

    A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra, 1957, Capitol (Frank in the late '50s...can't really go wrong)

    A Yuletide Song Fest for the Entire Family Rosalind Elias, Mezzo-soprano and Giorgio Tozzi, Bass, Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Lehman Engel, 1959 RCA (Rosalind Elias is such a fantastic singer & incredible voice. Love her going back & forth with Giorgio on the songs. Wonderful album. Also, a few lesser heard gems.)

    Christmas Carols Mantovani, 1959 London Records (Beautiful music, indeed.)

    The Christmas Song Nat King Cole, 1963 reissue, Capitol (Very classy. Nat's so cool.)

    A Charlie Brown Christmas Vince Guaraldi, 1965, Fantasy (Best jazz piano Christmas album. Love every second & aspect.)

    Dean Martin...all of his Christmas songs...I love Dean!


    Honorable mention:
    Elvis (if only they hadn't stuck the gospel songs at the end!)
    Bing Crosby (drop the Hawaiian songs..I love Bing!)
    The Norman Luboff Choir
    Jim Reeves
    Ray Price
    Jo Stafford
    Kenny Burrell
    Johnny Mathis
    Patti Page
    Doris Day
    Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians (what innovative arrangements...gets more interesting with each listen)
    Frank DeVol and the Rainbow Strings
    The Brothers Four
    Julie Andrews
    John Klein
    The Ames Brothers
    Jack Jones
    John Gary
    Joni James
    Robert Goulet
    Mahalia Jackson
    Ward Singers
    Boston Pops (The original LP version of Pops Christmas Party, not the expanded CD version that goes on a bit too long)
    Harry Belafonte
    Chet Atkins
    Mitch Miller & Gang
    Goodyear series of albums
    Tennessee Ernie Ford
    Tony Bennett
     
  13. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    You have so many stellar picks here @Brian Mc that my mouth is watering. I think I have just about every artist on your list except the Rosalind Elias opera one and the Ward Singers' one. Oh I don't have the Goodyear series of albums either as Chip over at the YuleLog would love to get those remastered and released on CD someday.

    I love what I call your hidden gems on the list like Jo Stafford, Joni James, Roger Wagner Chorale as well as John Klein's masterpiece mentioned above. Oh, that John Gary Christmas Album is stupendous and I rank it right behind Johnny Mathis or Nat King Cole for the greatest vocal album ever on a holiday release. Jack Jones is right there as well with those other guys. You have fantastic taste in your holiday music, my friend!
     
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  14. Neil Anderson

    Neil Anderson Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    my christmas album collection consists of:

    1--Merry Christmas by the Sonics, Wailers, and Galaxies (incredibly underrated, should be back in print)
    2--Merry Christmas--Bing Crosby (most popular Christmas album of all time? there's a reason for that...)
    3--Memories of Christmas--Elvis Presley (a posthumous comp that has all of my favorites by him, including the extended version of "Merry Christmas, Baby")
    4--Voices of Christmas--the Minus 5 (hey, they're my avatar! and it's a very good album)
    5--Rocky Mountain Christmas--John Denver (essential for "Daddy, please don't get drunk this Christmas")
    6--We Yust Go Nuts at Christmas--Stan and Doug (inherited from my parents, a sentimental favorite
    7--the Beatles Christmas records (so glad these got an official release last year)

    currently waiting to receive Charles Brown Sings Christmas Songs ... and planning to buy the Monkees Christmas album when it comes out in vinyl!
     
  15. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    I love that extended version of Merry Christmas, Baby as well as the extended version of O Come All Ye Faithful with the great orchestral arrangement. I think this compilation is the only place that you can find the latter version of this chestnut.
     
  16. Brian Mc

    Brian Mc Member

    Location:
    Denver, CO
    You can still read about Mahalia Jackson sometimes these days, but Clara Ward and the Famous Ward Singers, like many, have seemingly just fallen off the radar, although I think that their Christmas album has held up remarkably well. Clara was a great talent. I hate that the CD doesn't use the original album artwork (not great, but better than the awful CD artwork).
    [​IMG]

    Rosalind Elias & Giorgio Tozzi are Grade A talents, yet their RCA Living Stereo Christmas album does have a slightly informal feel to it as they sing mostly classics, along with a couple of neglected gems. Their Christmas album may have virtually disappeared to time, however I'm glad to see that Rosalind has remained active and next April is set to receive another award. Rosalind Elias, Laurent Pelly, Ailyn Pérez, Luca Pisaroni and Ramón Vargas Named as Recipients of the 14th Annual OPERA NEWS Awards


    Good luck to Chip on getting those Goodyear albums released...I imagine it would take some work.
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2018
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  17. Pierino

    Pierino Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canonsburg
    Brian Mc, I love your list, especially the above entry. I just wanted to add that the 1956 Lanza Sings Christmas Carols is "the good one", consisting of earlier recordings when Mario was still in fine form. It's the 1959 Lanza Sings Christmas Carols where Mario was in declining health and his vocal performance reflects that. The compilation CD below contains the earlier, better versions IMO. It can be found easily and usually at a budget price:

    [​IMG]
     
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  18. Brian Mc

    Brian Mc Member

    Location:
    Denver, CO
    Thank you for the clarification!
     
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  19. rararabbits

    rararabbits Forum Resident

    Location:
    LA, CA, USA
    I rather like the original cover, though it does look a bit like Tony is beaming up to the Starship Enterprise. There's a Japanese release that uses it.
     
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  20. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    Yes indeed as much as Chip would like to get it done, he himself has said that it is a copyright nightmare because you have so many companies involved in the ownership of the brand names and recording material. I do not have high expectations, but the music world is changing rapidly so one never knows for sure about these prospects coming to fruition.
     
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  21. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    I definitely had to look Clara Ward and the Famous Ward singers up and I plan to order that CD as well. Darn, you right about the original album cover being superior to that new one as well. God, I wish these record labels would get the message that us collectors almost always want the original album cover, even when some think it is kind of cheesy at the time, but thats half or what makes it so great, and that original cover was actually pretty good in this case.
     
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  22. rararabbits

    rararabbits Forum Resident

    Location:
    LA, CA, USA
    Choosing 5 is hard. I feel almost like Spector and Guaraldi should be a given, rather like Desert Island Discs (UK radio show) asks guests to pick a favourite book but allows them the Bible and the Complete Works of Shakespeare already. So my additional 5 would be: Ella, June Christy, Kenny Burrell, Ventures and Doris Day.
     
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  23. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    I like your logic here and also love your stellar picks for the additional five. Both of Ella's holiday albums are stupendous, the early jazz one gets all the attention, but I really dig her later more sacred one. June Christy's album is the best all originals holiday album ever in my opinion. Doris Day's album is one sexy and beautiful album, maybe the greatest female vocalist holiday album from the Golden Age of Christmas.
     
  24. cgoodwin22

    cgoodwin22 Senior Member

    Location:
    Severna Park, MD
    Pulling out some of my favorites...
    [​IMG]
     
  25. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    Those are some fine looking albums and all quite fantastic picks as well. I think the Johnny Mathis Merry Christmas album is essential for any great holiday collection. Andy Williams and Bing are pretty darn necessary to have as well! The hidden gem is that underrated Glen Campbell album with some fantastic orchestral arrangements and Glen in rather sublime voice and probably at the peak of his vocal prowess.
     
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