"Silent Night", by the Birchwood Pops Orchestra on the Pickwick label, was a very pleasant surprise. It has a 1980 date on the album, but to me it sounds of an earlier time. It's a very pleasant background Christmas music album, well performed, arranged to be very true to the essence of the classic carols, but still original enough to be interesting and ear catching.
It's a short album - 9 tracks and about 24 minutes. I like the song selection, with a few A-listers - "Silent Night", "White Christmas", "The Christmas Songs - but it also includes several still well-known but not as frequently recorded songs, such as "Toyland", "The Coventry Carol", and "The Bells of St. Mary's".
This is a really enjoyable album, arranged to really showcase the brass instruments. I think you'll like it. Oh, and please forgive the "Henton" written in black marker in the over - that was the telltale mark of belonging in my wife's classroom :-)
Enjoy "Silent Night" by the Birchwood Pops Orchestra
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Wonderful! Thank you. I've followed your posts for several years and always enjoy them!
ReplyDeleteThank you Mark!
DeleteNice. I have a different record from the Birchwood Pops that is also listed from 1980. It doesn't have any of the same songs as yours. It also includes chorus.
ReplyDeleteAlso, a couple of the tracks on this sound familiar to me. Maybe they were released under a different name (as so often happens).
Many thanks, Bingle. I had several BPO vinyl versions years ago, and I agree with you: not Grammy-winning products, but well-done and good to hear.Any chance you can dig up a copy of the "Siler Bells" LP? Thqat'll complete my trifecta.
ReplyDeleteHi Freddie - I don't have a copy of that right now, but will keep an eye out for it.
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