Leroy Anderson Christmas | Leroy Anderson, Arthur Fiedler, ...

Leroy Anderson Christmas | Leroy Anderson, Arthur Fiedler, ... | A Christmas Colelction With Both The Familiar and Unfamiliar

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Leroy Anderson Chr...

	Leroy Anderson Christmas Leroy Anderson, Arthur Fiedler, ... Decca, 2004 average customer review:based on 3 reviews view larger image
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THE LONG-AWAITED CHRISTMAS ALBUM

Finally, we North Americans have the great "A Christmas Festival" conducted by Leroy Anderson on CD. The whole collection, like the preceding LP of the 60's, is infectious and brilliantly played. The final sound is a little edgy... there seems to be a lack of sound space in the compressing. I would not hesitate to give this a 5-star rating. It will have you dancing for joy. The cackle and pop of the LP are gone. The sound is there, edgy as I said, but still quite musical. The next best version of "A Christmas Festival" is the one conducted by John Williams.

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A Christmas Colelction With Both The Familiar and Unfamiliar

Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride" is one of the best known holiday melodies and is included on numerous Christmas music collections. It is a piece that captures a listeners imagination conjuring up memories of an old fashioned sleigh ride even though most of us who listen have probably never traveled over the snow covered land in a sleigh. It's quite possible that Anderson himself, a city dweller most of his life, never traveled in a Currier and Ives like sleigh ride, but his gifts as a composer make us all feel as if we have vicariously experienced this winter pleasure.

"Sleigh Ride" is not Anderson's only contribution to the holiday season. As gifted as he was as a composer, he was a talented arranger as well. This collection, re-released by Decca includes "Sleigh Ride" but also three of his Christmas suites. His "Christmas Festival" was made famous by Arthur Fielder and the Boston Pops and was a staple of Pops Christmas concerts until a critic in the BOSTON GLOBE said it was old and stale. The disc also includes three other arrangements one for strings, one for woodwinds and one for brass. Each of the arrangements displays Anderson's gift for instrumentation.

The arrangements of the suites for woodwinds, brass, and strings will probably be something new for many listeners and will certainly be enjoyed. People familiar with "Christmas Festival" from Boston Pops recordings may find this recording somewhat lackluster. The magnificent organ of Boston's Symphony Hall gives the piece a flair that seems to be missing in this recording. Also the recording of "Sleigh Ride" which is performed by the Pops under the direction of Fiedler is not as exciting other performances. My guess is that most people will purchase this recording for the brass, string, and woodwind arrangements and will find this disc adds something to a good collection of holiday music.

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A Disappointment

This CD should be wonderful, after all, Leroy Anderson was a fine composer and arranger, and three of the pieces on the CD have been unavailable for decades. However, it's a disappointment. The three Suites of Carols are for orchestra sections (brass, strings, or woodwinds) and are undistinguished. The recorded sound is mostly thin and harsh. Even though the CD includes two recordings of "Sleigh Ride", the total time is only 50 minutes. Even at the bargain price, I can recommend this CD only to the most fervent Leroy Anderson fans.

Tracks
Sleigh Ride - Leroy Anderson, Anderson, Leroy | A Christmas Festival (Medley): Joy to the World/Deck the Halls With ... | While By My Sheep | In dulci jubilo | Lo, How A Rose E're Blooming | I Saw Three Ships | From Heaven High I Come To You | We Three Kings Of Orient Are | March Of The Kings | Pastores A Belén | It Came Upon A Midnight Clear | O Little Town Of Bethlehem | Bring A Troch Jeanette & Isabella | Away In A Manger | Wassail Song | Angels In Our Fields | O Sanctissima | O Come, O Come Emanuel | O Come Little Children | Coventry Carol | Patapan | Sleigh Ride (Reprise)

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