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Christmas Music Guru
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  • Register:09/07/2005 11:04:22

Date Posted:07/17/2011 02:50:16Copy HTML


***THIS IS A YULE LOG.COM EXCLUSIVE***


I got word today from my friend Alan Bunting in the U.K. that he has just completed remastering work on a brand new Christmas compilation CD that will be released in Europe by Guild Music in the next couple of weeks, and then here in the United States in the next couple of months.

The CD will be called Christmas Celebration, and the big news about this CD is that it will contain seven of the fourteen songs from Percy Faith's long out-of-print LP, Hallelujah (aka Music Of Christmas, Volume 2).

It will also contain songs from three other long out-of-print LPs: Billy Vaughn's Christmas Carols LP from 1958 (eight songs), George Melachrino's Christmas Joy LP from 1959 (five songs), and Wally Stott's Happy Holiday LP from 1959 (two songs).

The other songs on the CD are from albums that are currently in print: Percy Faith's Music Of Christmas LP from 1959 (two songs), Mantovani's Christmas Carols LP from 1958 (one song), Mantovani's Christmas Greetings LP from 1963 (one song) and Arthur Fiedler's Pops Christmas Party LP from 1959 (four songs).

Alan has personally done all the transfers, audio restoration and remastering for the music on this CD. The Guild Music catalog number will be #GLCD-5185, and it will available for purchase beginning on or around August 1st directly from Guild Music (Click here), or by early fall from other various online retailers. Alan sent me the artwork that will be used for the new CD, but asked me not to post it until it has been published on the Guild Music website. Therefore, I will file an update message later this month posting the CD cover artwork.


Christmas Celebration



Track Listing:

 

  1.  Jingle Bells

            BILLY VAUGHN AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (Dot DLP-25148 ~ 1958)

 

  2.  We Three Kings Of Orient Are

            PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (Columbia CS-8033 ~ 1958)

 

  3.  Hark The Herald Angels Sing

            BILLY VAUGHN AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (Dot DLP-25148 ~ 1958)

 

  4.  Good King Wenceslas

            GEORGE MELACHRINO AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (RCA LSP-2044 ~ 1959)

 

  5.  Snowfall

            WALLY STOTT AND HIS ORCHESTRA (aka Angela Morley)

            (Warner Bros. WS-1341 ~ 1959)

 

  6.  Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer

            ARTHUR FIEDLER AND THE BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA

            (RCA LSC-2329 ~ 1959)

 

  7.  I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

            GEORGE MELACHRINO AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (RCA LSP-2044 ~ 1959)

 

  8.  White Christmas

            BILLY VAUGHN AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (Dot DLP-25148 ~ 1958)

 

  9.  The First Noel

            PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            Columbia CS-8176 ~ 1959)

 

10.  Joy To The World

            BILLY VAUGHN AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (Dot DLP-25148 ~ 1958)

 

11.  Nazareth

            MANTOVANI AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (London PS-142 ~ 1958)

 

12.  Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful)

            BILLY VAUGHN AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (Dot DLP-25148 ~ 1958)

 

13.  Deck The Hall With Boughs Of Holly

            BILLY VAUGHN AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (Dot DLP-25148 ~ 1958)

 

14.  Sleigh Ride

            ARTHUR FIEDLER AND THE BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA

            (RCA LSC-2329 ~ 1959)

 

15.  Fairy On The Christmas Tree

            GEORGE MELACHRINO AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (RCA LSP-2044 ~ 1959)

 

16.  Winter Wonderland

            ARTHUR FIEDLER AND THE BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA

            (RCA LSC-2329 ~ 1959)

 

17.  Christmas Sleigh Bells

            WALLY STOTT AND HIS ORCHESTRA (aka Angela Morley)

            (Warner Bros. WS-1341 ~ 1959)

 

18.  Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town

            ARTHUR FIEDLER AND THE BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA

            (RCA LSC-2329 ~ 1959)

 

19.  Christmas Alphabet

            GEORGE MELACHRINO AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (RCA LSP-2044 ~ 1959)

 

20.  God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

            GEORGE MELACHRINO AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (RCA LSP-2044 ~ 1959)

 

21.  Carol Of The Bells

            PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (Columbia CS-8033 ~ 1958)

 

22.  Silent Night, Holy Night

            PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (Columbia CS-8176 ~ 1959)

 

23.  It Came Upon The Midnight Clear

            BILLY VAUGHN AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (DOT DLP-25148 ~ 1958)

 

24.  I Saw Three Ships

            PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (Columbia CS-8033 ~ 1958)

 

25.  O Little Town Of Bethlehem

            BILLY VAUGHN AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (Dot DLP-25148 ~ 1958)

 

26.  Angels From The Realms Of Glory

            PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (Columbia CS-8033 ~ 1958)

 

27.  Christians, Awake!

            PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (Columbia CS-8033 ~ 1958)

 

28.  O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree)

            PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (Columbia CS-8033 ~ 1958)

 

29.  The Skaters’ Waltz

            MANTOVANI AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (London PS-338 ~ 1958)

 

30.  Hallelujah Chorus

            PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA

            (Columbia CS-8033 ~ 1958)








*Message edited 08/11/11 to add the following update:

I posted the artwork for the new CD above. Also, Kaikoo Lalkaka, the owner of Guild Music, wanted me to let you know that they have an entire line of other Christmas CDs as well. To view their entire offering, Click here


Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:11/04/2011 05:56:49Copy HTML

Both Amazon and CD Universe now have "Christmas Celebration" on pre-order for November 8th release so, for those in the USA and Canada who were putting off buying it, there's no longer any excuse!   Enjoy!

Alan

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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:11/04/2011 10:12:11Copy HTML


Thanks for updating my board members, Alan.


Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:07/05/2014 06:10:30Copy HTML


***THIS IS ANOTHER YULE LOG.COM EXCLUSIVE***


My friend Alan Bunting in the U.K. has just completed remastering work on a second Christmas compilation CD for the Guild Music label. It will be released in Europe later this month;
and then here in the United States later this year.

The new CD will be called Christmas Lights and it will contain 13 songs from the King of Christmas Music, the great Percy Faith (8 songs from his first Christmas album, Music Of Christmas; and 5 songs from his second Christmas album, Hallelujah
).

In addition, the CD will also contain songs from 2 long out-of-print classic Christmas albums that I am still currently working on getting back into print: Stanley Black's album, Christmas Holiday For Romance (2 songs); and Frank Chacksfield's album, Music For A Merry Christmas
(3 songs).

As with the first CD, Alan has personally done all the transfers, audio restoration and remastering for the music on this new CD as well.

Christmas Lights



Track Listing:

 

 1. Joy To The World – PERCY FAITH & HIS ORCHESTRA

 2. White Christmas – FRANK CHACKSFIELD & HIS ORCHESTRA

 3. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen – BILLY VAUGHN & HIS ORCHESTRA

 4. Deck The Hall With Boughs Of Holly – PERCY FAITH & HIS ORCHESTRA

 5. Snowman’s Land – ZACK LAURENCE & KEN JONES & HIS ORCHESTRA

 6. Snowy Mountains – LUDO PHILIPP & THE SYMPHONIA ORCHESTRA

 7. Good Christian Men, Rejoice – PERCY FAITH & HIS ORCHESTRA

 8. Good King Wenceslas – PERCY FAITH & HIS ORCHESTRA

 9. Snow Ride – U.K. ORCHESTRA

10. Santo Natale – STANLEY BLACK & HIS ORCHESTRA

11. Hark The Herald Angels Sing – PERCY FAITH & HIS ORCHESTRA

12. Angels We Have Heard On High – PERCY FAITH & HIS ORCHESTRA

13. Away In A Manger – PERCY FAITH & HIS ORCHESTRA

14. Gesù Bambino – PERCY FAITH & HIS ORCHESTRA

15. I Wonder As I Wander – PERCY FAITH & HIS ORCHESTRA

16. Holiday On Ice – U.K. ORCHESTRA

17. Once More It’s Christmas – GEORGE MELACHRINO & HIS ORCHESTRA

18. Alpine Sleigh Ride – FRANK CHACKSFIELD & HIS ORCHESTRA

19. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear – PERCY FAITH & HIS ORCHESTRA

20. O Come All Ye Faithful – PERCY FAITH & HIS ORCHESTRA

21. Mozart's Sleigh Ride – ARTHUR FIEDLER & THE BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA

22. O Holy Night – PERCY FAITH & HIS ORCHESTRA

23. The Skaters’ Waltz – FRANK CHACKSFIELD & HIS ORCHESTRA

24. Mrs. Santa Claus – GEORGE MELACHRINO & HIS ORCHESTRA

25. By The Fireside – STANLEY BLACK & HIS ORCHESTRA

26. The Holly And The Ivy/Here We Go A-Caroling – PERCY FAITH & HIS ORCHESTRA

27. The First Noel – GEORGE MELACHRINO & HIS ORCHESTRA







Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:07/15/2014 03:36:17Copy HTML

That's great news, Chip. Will the eight Music of Christmas tracks be from the 1954 mono or 1959 stereo version of the album?
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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:07/15/2014 06:55:30Copy HTML


Mike,

As with the first Guild compilation CD in 2011, Alan took the tracks for Music Of Christmas from the 1959 stereo version of the album.



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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:08/16/2014 08:24:29Copy HTML

I see that the "Christmas Lights" CD is available from the Guild web site.

Have any of you ordered it? 

If so, how much did they tack on for shipping and tax?

Will it be available from domestic  retailers soon?
Will in Seattle a.k.a. "Clueless"
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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:08/27/2014 01:23:39Copy HTML

My friends at Guild tell me that "Christmas Lights" will be released in the USA by their distributors (Albany) in November.

If you want to order it now from Guild's WEB site here is what they told me:

"The price is GBP 5.10 per CD plus GBP 2.65 for postage. What it will cost them  in USD, depends on their credit card company, as they have their own rates and charges. Our indications for USD on the Website (8.95 excluding postage) is on the higher side."

They accept Visa and Master Card as well as PayPal.  All CDs are shipped from their warehouse here in the UK (not Switzerland) and I know many people who are very pleased with the service they receive.

The Guild shop is here:

http://www.guildmusic.com/shop/index.php    (scroll down to find Christmas Lights in the New releases)

While writing I must own up to an error on the front cover of the booklet.

Despite careful proof reading by at least 4 people including myself and David Ades we all missed the fact that Arthur Fiedler's name is shown as "Fielder" - a classic example of reading what you expect to read instead of what is actually there!  Fortunately it is spelled correctly everywhere else.  I wonder how many of you would have noticed if I hadn't mentioned it?

Alan Bunting



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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:08/27/2014 05:03:34Copy HTML

Thanks for that update, Alan!

I don't think I can manage to wait until November, so I just ordered the CD from the Guild website (which, amusingly, switched me to the German language when I selected "Paypal."  I'm afraid my high school German from over fifty years ago was too rusty for me to tease out what the prompts were so I just guessed and clicked.  But apparently my order went through).

For the last couple of decades I've been trying to reconstruct a CD version of one of my favorite holiday LPs, George Melachrinos' "Christmas Joy."

I was so pleased to see that one of my favorite tracks from that LP, Hill-Bowen's arrangement of "The First Noel," has  turned up on this new Guild CD.  I think that may leave me only one track short of completing this project: one of my all time favorites, Hill-Bowen's arrangement of "Joy to the World."   You wouldn't happen to know if that track might be slated for an upcoming release, would you?  I'm getting along in years, and had gotten to the point where I had resigned myself to the prospect of never being able to complete this project.  But seeing this latest Hill-Bowen track show up this year has rekindled my once fading hope that I may yet be able to hear that beloved LP in CD format from beginning to end before I croak.

I'm one of those old guys who wears an armband MP3 player wherever he goes.  Maybe something like the old folks in that new movie "Alive Inside."   Even  though I'm now in my seventies I still have a soft spot in my heart for those over-the-top orchestrations that thrilled me when I was an adolescent--what I've come to call "Cinematic" Christmas Music, because it reminded me of the big screen film sound tracks that I loved when I was a teen.



Will in Seattle a.k.a. "Clueless"
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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:08/28/2014 05:59:47Copy HTML


 Please note: Though technically the hyphen in his name is correct, Mr. Bowen's name was never billed as Hill-Bowen on any of his record releases. His full name was William Hill-Bowen, but everyone called him Hill, including my friend Ethel Gabriel (the legendary RCA Records producer), and his professional billing was always just Hill Bowen.

Mr. Bowen was the first conductor/arranger that Ethel hired to lead her new Living Strings orchestra that she formed in late 1959 for RCA's Camden Records subsidiary. Ethel was very fond of Hill, who died very suddenly, and very young, in 1964, after leading the Living Strings for eight of the group's albums from 1960-1964.

As far as a possible future release of George Melachrino's 1959 Christmas album Christmas Joy by Real Gone Music is concerned, I will not push for it, as Gordon is apprehensive since his previous release in 1998 with his first record company, Collectors' Choice Music, of Mr. Melachrino's first Christmas album, 1954's Christmas In High Fidelity, didn't do so well.

Even though the 1959 Christmas album is far superior to the 1954 Christmas album (both artistically and technologically) and I believe it will sell better, he is still understandably hesitant.



Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:09/02/2014 07:10:15Copy HTML

Thanks for that bit of trivia about Hill Bowen's name, Chip! 

I guess you could say that I've been a fan of Hill Bowen for over fifty years, although I didn't know his name until recently.  Back in the 60s I fell in love with the arrangements on the  "Music of the Sea" and "Christmas Joy" albums, but had no idea that they were the work of the same arranger.  It didn't occur to me as a teenager to look at the fine print on the LP labels.

So, since I've been a Hill Bowen fan all these years, it's high time that I learned how to spell his name, wouldn't you say?

I got that hyphenated spelling from the Guild Music web page for the Christmas Lights CD (that I'm looking forward to receiving in the mail any day now).  So from now on I'll try to remember to refer to "Bowen's" arrangement's" rather than "Hill-Bowen's" arrangements.

BTW, it turns out that I've got a long way to go before I come anywhere close to recreating the Christmas Joy LP on CD.  I'm afraid I misremembered how many tracks I'm still lacking.  But I'm close to having CD versions all of my "first tier" tracks from that album.  I still lack only "Joy to the  World" to round out my set of all time favorites from that album.  But I'd also love to have Bowen's arrangement of "Adeste Fideles" one of  these days.

Yeah, those arrangements and the production values on 1954's Christmas In High Fidelity album sure don't compare to the work on the 1959's Christmas Joy, do they?  I still remember how disappointed I was when I bought a copy of the Christmas in High Fidelity CD on eBay, thinking I would be getting the Christmas Joy versions of those tracks.  I played it once and it's sat collecting dust ever since 
Will in Seattle a.k.a. "Clueless"
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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:09/03/2014 01:06:46Copy HTML


Will,

Don't feel bad about this, but your memory has failed you, as the Music Of The Sea LP was actually arranged and conducted by Johnny Douglas, not Hill Bowen. The Music Of The Sea LP was the third Living Strings LP that Ethel produced and released for RCA Camden, and the first for which she hired Johnny Douglas to arrange and conduct.

Perhaps the Living Strings LP you're thinking of is Music For Romance? This album was the very first Living Strings LP that Ethel produced and released, and it was arranged and conducted by Hill Bowen.

And for the record (no pun intended), the album that was released in between the two aforementioned LPs was Music In The Night; and for this LP, Ethel hired Bob Sharples to arrange and conduct.

Posted below are the first five LPs that Ethel produced and released for her Living Strings orchestra:

Music For Romance ~ Arranged and Conducted by Hill Bowen (RCA Camden catalog #637)
Music In The Night ~
Arranged and Conducted by Bob Sharples (RCA Camden catalog #638)
Music Of The Sea ~ Arranged and Conducted by Johnny Douglas (RCA Camden catalog #639)
Music From Camelot ~ Arranged and Conducted by Hill Bowen (RCA Camden catalog #657)
Music Of Hawaii ~ Arranged and Conducted by Hill Bowen (RCA Camden catalog #661)


Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:09/03/2014 05:20:27Copy HTML

Yeah, Chip, my memory's not one of my strong points these days.   (But on the up side though, this means that I can watch my favorite movies over and over again, and each time it seems like I'm seeing them for the first time  ;)

BTW, I found that reference to Hill Bowen having arranged some of the music on Music of the Sea on a listing at CD Universe:

"MUSIC OF THE SEA: Personnel includes: Johnny Douglas (arranger, conductor). Arrangers: Hill Bowen; Johnny Douglas; Bob Sharples"

I should know better than to believe what I read on the Internet when we have in you,  right here at The Yule Log, the definitive source.  So let me add my voice to the chorus of requests begging you to publish a book of all your knowledge about the history of "Beautiful Music."





Will in Seattle a.k.a. "Clueless"
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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:09/03/2014 06:00:58Copy HTML


Thanks for the kind words, Will.

By the way, the reason why CD Universe made that mistake on their website is because on the back cover (lower right-hand side) of the Music Of The Sea album jacket there is a blurb promoting the two previously released Living Strings LPs, where it lists the two albums (Music For Romance and Music In The Night), and their corresponding arranger/conductors (Hill Bowen and Bob Sharples).


Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:10/17/2014 10:24:33Copy HTML

I've seen the aforementioned George Melachrino Christmas Joy album available as a CD remastered from the LP at mymusicboutique.com:

http://www.mymusicboutique.com/product/GMCH104-9076777


Jim in Philly [FONT Family=Arial color=green size=14px]Honoring the music of the Yule Log...[/FONT] An era when that sound on your radio was [I]music[/I] and it was called [I]Beautiful Music[/I] for a reason.
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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:10/17/2014 02:55:49Copy HTML


Yes, but that's a bootleg with the original artwork altered.


Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:10/20/2014 05:20:40Copy HTML

Over the last few years I've come to believe that, for me, Mr. Faith's rendition of BRING A TORCH, JEANETTE, ISABELLA might be one of the most beautiful Christmas recordings I've ever heard. I have no personal connection or story behind my enchantment with this song except that it's always been a remarkable recording of another simply beautiful Christmas song by a true master. I've heard a few renditions of the song over the last few years, but like all of his Christmas music, nothing comes close to the version recorded by Percy Faith as Chip explained so eloquently.     

I recall my first introduction to Mr. Faith's recording of BRING A TORCH was an inexpensive bargain bin Columbia "limited edition" reissue of MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS  Vol.2 - the one with the dark photo of a decorative manger on the cover - that my sister bought at Woolworth's in Menlo Park Mall back in November 1974. Because I never took the time to find out the actual name of the song and because I rarely heard it played anywhere (except for maybe on WPAT and of course the Ch. 11 Yule Log) I forgot about it until I heard it again during the return broadcast of the WPIX Yule Log. After so many years, it all came back to me how beautiful that specific recording was. I searched for a CD of Percy Faith's second volume of MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS but the price for the few used copies I located were all way too high!

It was a true blessing to finally get the second volume of Mr. Faith's Christmas on CD music when if became more affordable along with the mono version of the first album year or two ago (many thanks Chip). At first I kind of wished that the CD included the '59 stereo release of Percy Faith's other musical Christmas masterpiece to compliment Vol. 2, but I admit now to feeling silly about pointing out such a very small thing all things considered.

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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:10/20/2014 04:18:02Copy HTML


Anthony,

Yes, Mr. Faith's rendition of Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella is spectacular. It is one of the eight songs that used to air in an abridged form on the Yule Log telecast for many years until my audio restoration of the program's soundtrack in 2006, when I restored the song to its full, uncut splendor along with the other seven songs that had aired in an abridged form. In my restoration, I also added back to the program the 18 songs that had been cut from the program entirely over the years.

I posted the song below for those who may not be familiar with it. Merry October Christmas!






Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:10/20/2014 07:21:34Copy HTML

Chip, did Columbia also reissue MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS Volume 2 under their Limited Edition line win the original HALLELUJAH form? I think I recall seeing a sealed copy with the original LP jacket with the white Columbia "circle in a box" Limited Edition logo at a record show a year or two ago. Odd how the album seemed to be so available in various vinyl forms over the years but the original CD release is often regarded as a "rarity" and now commands such a high price.

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Re:New Compilation CD with Percy Faith tracks to be released!

Date Posted:10/21/2014 02:00:49Copy HTML


Yes Anthony, the original 1958 LP Hallelujah and its later 1965 reincarnation/re-release Music Of Christmas, Volume 2 were both reissued in the early 1970s simultaneously by Columbia Records on their "Limited Edition" (brown) record label. It was the only time in the history of Christmas LP releases that the same Christmas LP was in print in two different configurations at the very same time. It was a glowing testament to the greatness of this classic and legendary album; and it goes without saying that after years of trying that I am most proud to have gotten it back in print.


    


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