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

Date Posted:08/08/2016 05:30:18Copy HTML

                                              

                       



Posted below is something that I have said many times in the past on my Yule Log.com message board as well as in interviews that I have done with the media regarding the Yule Log telecast and my Top 500:

 

In my all-time Top 500, and for that matter, my entire collection, which includes thousands of Christmas albums, there are only two albums that I do not have the audacity to rate on my scale of 1-10, as they are beyond my ability to apply such an arbitrary number due to the sheer perfection that was achieved in their majesty and reverence of arranging, conducting and performance. They are: Music of Christmas, originally released in 1954 in mono, then re-recorded and re-released in 1959 in stereo; and Hallelujah, originally released in 1958, then later reissued in 1965 as Music of Christmas Vol. 2. To rate these two albums, in my opinion, would be like putting a price on the Mona Lisa -- which, of course, is priceless.

 

And if I may add to my above quoted words, the 1959 stereo re-recording of Music of Christmas is indeed the Holy Grail of all Christmas albums.

 

I just can't say anymore than that.

 

And now, after years of perseverance, I have finally secured the re-release on CD -- with a PROPER digital remastering -- of the #1 album in my all-time Top 500:

 

Percy Faith's 1959 stereo re-recording of Music Of Christmas.

 

For this release, I will personally write the CD liner notes myself. In addition, we will try to secure from Sony the following seven great bonus tracks that came from non-Christmas Percy Faith albums:

 

"Toyland" (from The Columbia Album of Victor Herbert LP, 1958)

"March of the Toys" (from The Columbia Album of Victor Herbert LP, 1958)

"My Favorite Things" (from The Sound of Music LP, 1960)
"Be a Santa" (from Subways Are for Sleeping LP, 1961)
"Brazilian Sleigh Bells" (stereo version from Carefree LP, 1961)
"Judy (aka Christmas Is)" (instrumental version from More Themes for Young Lovers, 1964)
"Soleado (aka When a Child Is Born)" (from Summer Place '76, 1976)

 

One of the many things that made Percy Faith so legendary as a Christmas music artist is that his Christmas music had an ethereal, celestial and angelic quality to it. In fact, so much so, that it sounds like it was literally piped down from heaven, as there was an otherworldly quality to it that no other artist has ever come close to in duplicating -- and I can categorically guarantee you that no one ever will. To be able to evoke such emotion to this degree with his music is what sets Percy Faith apart from anybody else and puts him in a class all by himself.


Another  one  of the many aspects of Mr. Faith's immense and incredible talent were  his brilliant arrangements. In particular, his gift for being so  deftly able to create beautiful counter-melodies that would  complement the original melody of a song. This  is exactly why when it comes to Christmas music he reigns supreme as the  undisputed King.


It is a terrible injustice that since its initial release on CD by Columbia Records in the early 1980s, this legendary album has tragically never had a proper digital remastering job. With this new 2017 release, that will now be corrected.


Posted below for your enjoyment are four magnificent selections from this classic and legendary album. Enjoy!


 Click Here ~ "O Come All Ye Faithful"


Click Here ~ "Good King Wenceslas"


Click Here ~ "Silent Night, Holy Night"


 Click Here ~ "Hark The Herald Angels Sing"



Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
Christmas Music Guru Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #51
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  • Register:09/07/2005 11:04:22

Re:***Coming in 2017 the Holy Grail of all Christmas albums***

Date Posted:09/14/2017 06:11:33Copy HTML


I received the new digital remaster of Percy Faith's Music Of Christmas from Battery Studios here in New York that will be available for retail purchase on CD this coming November 3rd and, needless to say, it's absolutely stupendous.

I wish I could have gotten this done a long time ago; but alas, better late than never.

Senior Mastering Engineer Vic Anesini has graced this classic and legendary recording with a resplendent digital remastering job that befits the
#1 album in my Top 500.

Thank you Vic and God bless.



     Vic Anesini


Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
rsteven Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #52
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  • Register:07/05/2015 11:19:16

Re:***Coming in 2017 the Holy Grail of all Christmas albums***

Date Posted:09/14/2017 04:08:19Copy HTML


Hello Chip,

They say, "All good things come to those who wait," and oh boy have we all waited for this day to come.  This masterpiece by Percy Faith, Music Of Christmas, has been the most highly anticipated remastering project, I believe, in the long history of the Christmas genre field and perhaps in any genre at all!

I cannot tell you how great the anticipation is for all of us to hear what your ears have now heard first hand.  I never dreamed that someone with Vic Anesini's unsurpassed reputation would be chosen for this remastering project given all the years that these vintage masters have sat in the vault being ignored. Vic is the man who has been given great accolades for the remastering of Elvis Presley's iconic music library, including the greatest selling Christmas Album in the world and the only diamond certified one in the United States for over ten million in record sales.

Indeed, God bless Mr. Vic Anesini, Mr. Gordon Anderson and Mr. Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri for making this dream release come to fruition. Without the three of you working together, this once in a lifetime project might have never gotten released, and certainly never in this magnificent glory!

Best regards to all three of these titans of the music business,

Steve



Christmas Music Guru Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #53
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Re:***Coming in 2017 the Holy Grail of all Christmas albums***

Date Posted:09/14/2017 05:45:15Copy HTML

Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
RickHolland Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #54
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  • Register:08/06/2016 11:19:18

Re:***Coming in 2017 the Holy Grail of all Christmas albums***

Date Posted:09/14/2017 11:33:19Copy HTML

Can not wait to hear it myself! Thank you for your hard work!
johnnyelectron Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #55
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Re:***Coming in 2017 the Holy Grail of all Christmas albums***

Date Posted:09/15/2017 05:39:10Copy HTML

Wonder if you can hear the snare drum rolls at the beginning of 'Good King Wenceslas' again? 

Vic Anesini did a lot of the Elvis restoration work, and if you see a photo of 'his' mastering studio, he has one very important item: a turntable so he can hear how the original LP sounded, so that is wonderful to know.

Looking forward to November!

Regards,

John


Christmas Music Guru Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #56
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Re:***Coming in 2017 the Holy Grail of all Christmas albums***

Date Posted:09/15/2017 06:41:34Copy HTML


Of course, and that is the very first thing that I indeed checked when I got the new digital remaster.



Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
johnnyelectron Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #57
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Re:***Coming in 2017 the Holy Grail of all Christmas albums***

Date Posted:09/15/2017 12:39:05Copy HTML

Thanks Chip= multiple orders in that case!

John

RickHolland Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #58
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Re:***Coming in 2017 the Holy Grail of all Christmas albums***

Date Posted:02/24/2018 11:04:44Copy HTML

Just wondering about this release...
Will there for sure be a second pressing?
What if this cd will be out of print will sony release it again themselves?
Since i thought this album has never been out of print since release?
Thank you
Christmas Music Guru Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #59
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Re:***Coming in 2017 the Holy Grail of all Christmas albums***

Date Posted:02/25/2018 06:02:10Copy HTML


It's neither out of print with Real Gone Music or with Sony Music: another pressing is coming from RGM of our newly remastered expanded edition with my liner notes and bonus tracks; and Sony is still printing their unremastered version.


Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
RickHolland Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #60
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Re:***Coming in 2017 the Holy Grail of all Christmas albums***

Date Posted:02/26/2018 04:03:46Copy HTML

Oh sorry i thought it would be out of print. Sorry for the confusion made.
Greetings Rick
Motown Mike Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #61
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  • Register:08/25/2005 02:05:40

Re:***Coming in 2017 the Holy Grail of all Christmas albums***

Date Posted:11/03/2018 06:23:26Copy HTML

Hey, Chip, I'm curious if there's any possibility of you and Gordon in the future putting together a Complete Christmas Recordings set for Mr. Faith, similar to what was done for Messrs. Williams, Mathis, Conniff, Kostelanetz, etc.? If any artist merits such a monumental treatment, it's him!

Christmas Music Guru Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #62
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Re:***Coming in 2017 the Holy Grail of all Christmas albums***

Date Posted:11/04/2018 12:08:13Copy HTML


Yes, there is Mike. However, the problem is that Sony is not being very cooperative right now, and to do a "complete" Christmas recordings collection multi-disc release, we would need licensing for Percy's last Christmas album from 1966, Christmas Is.


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