Search - Alfred Burt, The Columbia Choir, Ralph Carmichael Brass Ensemble :: The Christmas Mood

OK performance, lousy recording

David A. Beamer | Clawson, MI United States | 01/17/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This recording has 12 of the 15 carols that jazz trumpeter Alfred Burt wrote in the early 50's and sent as Christmas cards. The main positive thing I can say about this recording is that the performers don't meddle with the carols very much. With a couple of minor exceptions, the carols are just as Burt wrote them. That alone makes this recording at least historically important.However, there are a number of negatives. The choir is mediocre. It sounds like a slightly-better-than-average church choir, that is, these are not professional voices, and they are not conducted well. The sopranos do a little screeching and the basses are hard to hear. Actually, everything is hard to hear -- there is an enormous amount of tape hiss that the producers of this CD did not bother to try to get rid of. And a couple of the performances are, to put it kindly, not very good musically. "Caroling, Caroling" and "This is Christmas" are done at extremely slow tempos. Instead of bouncing along on those familiar opening chords, "Caroling, Caroling" sounds like the carolers are trudging through knee-deep snow.But even with all the negatives, this is a better CD than "This is Christmas" done by the Jimmy Joyce Singers. (See my review there.) One last note, the "Instrumental Medley" is a nice little "fantasia" of sorts, using some of the Burt carols. Written well for brass and played by pros."

A Family Tradition

Reg | PA | 11/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My father purchased this recording in vinyl for $1.49 in 1959. It became our family's favorite album, and soon sounded the worse for wear. We scoured the Christmas bins in record stores every year for a replacement. but could only find the Jimmy Joyce version, which is ok, but not as good.

A few years ago it became available on CD. Unfortunately, Dad did not live to hear it. However, every year it is the first Christmas CD I play, for both its beauty and its nostalgia. The songs are beautiful, and are a quiet reminder of what Christmas should be about."

A Collection of Christmas Nostalgia

William Crump | Madison, Tennessee USA | 02/02/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This remastered edition of the original 1954 Columbia recording includes 12 of the 15 Alfred Burt Carols. Insufficient space on the original vinyl disc precluded recording the full set. Choral renditions comprise the first half of the program and an instrumental rendition of the same carols comprises the second half. The choral numbers are quite beautiful and performed a cappella as Alfred Burt intended, except for "Some Children See Him" and "Ah, Bleak and Chill," which have organ accompaniment. One disappointing number, "Caroling, Caroling," is sung much too slowly. It was intended as a carol of zest and spirit. Expect some tape hiss and other mild sound distortions inherent in reproductions of old, analog recordings. After all, the original recording was over 40 years old when it was remastered in 1995.The haunting melodies of the Alfred Burt Carols are truly original, manifesting deep reverence and often a quick-spirited, medieval flair. Such quality is sadly lacking in today's contemporary, "forgetable" music."